This article was originally published by Sammy Ajufo Aprtil8 2000p at 1o0m:31
Back in our schooling days, the most hated classmates are the ones who sit upfront. The ones who asks questions when we are bored, tired and keen on going for Long Break. We especially hate the ones who asks the Teacher for assignment just when we thought they forgot. In other words, we thoroughly dislike the bright and expressive ones, so much so that we branded them “I too know” or “Over Sabi”. While at home, we considered the high fliers with the same contempt the biblical brothers of Joseph had for their brother. We hated our siblings and relatives who were doing well in their academic and career pursuits. As a matter of fact, many of our peers who were potentially successful and showed promise in their trajectory had to soft-pedal to enable others catch up or even stop and reverse to the low levels of our peers, so we don’t seem too progressive. For our generation, it’s never cool to be wiser, more intelligent, have a plan or vision and overly more progressive than our peers. You were mocked for simply saying anything sensible! Stupidity, laziness and being useless was the accept lifeIn our days as teenagers which is applicable a across generations, being ambitious and seeking to be successful is not a cool lifestyle attribute for most young peer groups. And to further buttress this, a now-commonly used parlance across Nigeria surfaced “Don’t run faster than your shadow”. And that was exactly what young Joseph suffered. He had a vision that was far beyond the imagination of his brothers, especially because they didn’t have any; neither was there any plan to. In other words, Joseph was sold to slavery because he was too fast for his own shadow.Ambition, Progress, Vision, Strategy, Plan, Intelligence, Experience and more are qualities Professor Charles Chukwuma “NWA Mgbafor” Soludo, the Executive Governor of Anambra State has in quantum and therein lies the problem. Because, based on the uniqueness of the election time table Anambra holds over its peers in the South East, whoever becomes Governor in Anambra is always one who walks in the door when others are set to leave. This naturally places the State in a unique leadership position over the other four. Governor Soludo, has walked through the Governorship door in a time when Governors Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Umahi and probably Uzodimma are packing up to take their exit. His Governorship style, his approach, strategic plan, vision and drive which is almost unprecedented among the Governors of the East since 2015 places a huge responsibility on the incoming Governors to meet up with this new template set out by the former CBN helmsman.Soludo is definitely bad for business for the same reason we despised our age mates who were go-getters, expressive, inquisitive, visionary and progressive. And what is that reason? Higher standards and comparison. We hated our mates because, as they progressed and set new records, we were required to operate within those standards and we hated being compared. We dreaded being told “Look at X! Does he have two heads?” or “Can’t you see your mate X?” or “Is it not your mates that are doing so,so and so?”.We hated being asked to actually do the work that needs to be done. We didn’t want stress, even though we didn’t have the slightest idea of what stress means – till we grew up. This is the same with the incoming peers of Governor Soludo. Any new action, policy drive, project, positive change initiated and driven by his Government only raises the bar and gives fodder to naysayers for other Eastern states. Already, Governor Soludo’s posture, statements and learnings, point to a more regional leadership spread way beyond Anambra. His actions and statements show he is more interested in how the East and Nigeria can work, thereby consciously or unconsciously placing him and Anambra as the new leader of the South East. A leadership trait his predecessor failed woefully in, thereby relinquishing the leadership to nobody as none of the Governors of the 2015-2023 set apparently wanted to take up the mantle. If we are to look westwards, it is an undoubted fact that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State stands tall as the defacto leader of the South West region. Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, both of Ogun state in the past held that leadership slot for years. Southwards, the ebullient Nyesom Wike bestrides the South like a colossus. Akpabio, Ibori and Oshiomhole at some point held sway in the southern regional leadership.Northwards, fellow academic – Governor Zulum holds sway as the poster boy for the North, even though my namesake and Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom who seems to be a softer version of Governor Wike could be said to be a power broker in the North. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Ibrahim Shekarau – both from Kano State were strong regional pillarsHowever, since 1999 – we have not recorded any stand out leader or standard bearer in the South East. One who has showed a regional leadership mindset rather than their state alone. Mention one who can be judged circumspectly and not on flamboyance. It seems to be that Governor Soludo presents that collective Eastern Mindset and it seems very obvious in the coming months to years that forces loyal to the wanton dysfunctional system will fight back, like they did against former Minister, now WTO boss – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. If Soludo intends to forge ahead with his progress-driven plans, then Soludo is definitely bad for business which poses a problem. Not just for politicians! No! But from the very people who benefit from the dysfunction. Sammy Ajufo Chairman, The ColorCode Media Group