By James Eze
With the emergence of the renowned economist and former CBN Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the coming gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano appears to emphasize the point that succession is an important obligation of leadership and that part of a leader’s silent mission should be to find someone with the right orientation and temperament to succeed him.
Indeed, it says much about Obiano’s personal philosophy that in a country where the tradition for outgoing governors is to handpick spineless and clueless aspirants who they can easily manipulate as successors, Obiano had worked very hard to ensure the emergence of an astute professor of economics whose exploits are known all over the world, to stand in line to succeed him. It is a strong statement of his resolve to allow Anambra State flourish under the tender care of someone with a proven capacity for leadership. There is a great deal of hope that Soludo’s candidacy will not only inspire confidence in the party machinery and galvanize the push for victory in the November 6, 2021 election but that it will also assure Ndi Anambra that their beloved state is on a trajectory that makes greatness inevitable.
In a sense, Obiano’s efforts to have a competent successor like Soludo is a powerful reminder of the implied wisdom in the popular proverb that “a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Most advanced societies in the world today are products of courageous leaders who predicted the future by ensuring that the basic philosophies of growth and progress were sustained through a clear line of succession. Governor Obiano was evidently plotting his succession graph when he tapped Soludo to deliver his 3rd Anniversary Lecture in March 2017. It was a subtle hint at succession that most people did not notice. It brought the renowned economist closer to the point where he could observe things at close quarters. But it also gave him a great chance to leave an enduring imprint in the memory of the party and the hierarchies of leadership in the state. His choice to speak on “Anambra: An Emerging Start-up State And our Collective Challenge” also points an unwavering finger at what was to come. Similarly, when Governor Obiano set up Anambra’s Vision 2070 Project and drafted Soludo to head the Committee, he was dropping subtle hints about his dreams of sustainable progress and whom he thought should guide Anambra into a brighter future after him. All these show that nothing was left to chance.
It has to be stated, that the emergence of Prof Soludo as the candidate of the ruling party with a clear chance of victory in the coming election raises hopes of a greater Anambra State. There is probably no better person to continue Obiano’s legacy than Soludo who is a consultant to 20 international development and financial institutions, a former Chief Economic Adviser to the President, a former Governor of CBN and a chairman or member of 25 committees. His pedigree as an achiever has been confirmed with over 200 national and international awards.
Therefore, Obiano’s wish for Soludo to succeed him is understandable. Not only has he found a pair of competent hands to build a super structure atop the structure he has erected, he has also found someone who would preserve his own legacy. After all, in the words of America’s best-selling author, John Maxwell, “a leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.” With Soludo as his likely successor, Obiano would have secured the future of Anambra State with a bold and wise succession plan.
