Soludo: A Pseudo-Intellectual for Hire

I have taken my time t read, albeit painfully, the very lengthy article put together by Soludo and gleefully opublished by Sahara Reporters. When I read the article from a man who literally dropped off the surface of the earth for about five years, my first question was not, “What is he saying?”, rather, “What does he want?” In Soludo’s case, the answer is clear enough. Chukwuma Soludo’s pen-ultimate article in which he criticised the government, and to which he himself refers in his last publication, was written in 2010 just when we were on the brink of an election. In fact, the scenario was not much different from what we have now. With an election on the way in 2010, the former CBN Governor blasted the government, citing different reasons why he had rated it to have failed. Now, he is back, with much the same story except for the fact that the narrative is longer.

In life, intelligence and character are not synonymous with each other. What Soludo has in intelligence, he lacks in character and because his character far dominates his intellect, he is wont to continue making bad decisions due to bad judgement. As a respected and revered investor and global statesman once said; we should always look for three things in an individual: Intelligence, Energy and above all character (Integrity). He said we should choose people with all three but never work with a person who has intelligence and energy but no integrity.
When Soludo came on stage he was a brilliant young economist and lecturer. He was well known within the East, even though not internationally accomplished then as he would like many to believe. However, when Soludo was brought to Abuja to serve as Chief Economic Adviser, his real character emerged. He had barely settled when he began displaying megalomaniacal tendencies and a giant and misplaced ego brought about by a deep insecurity. He appropriated every idea and became a one- man riot squad. All ideas by the Economic team of which he was a member, soon became his personal ideas. Without decorum, he seized those ideas and claimed they were his.

He, through his outsized ego, threw around his weight as CBN Governor and began to imagine himself as some overlord of Nigeria. Within a short while Soludo became mega rich. He bought houses in London (NEXT Newspaper expose) and was even arrested by EFCC for the Polymer scandal which is still ongoing. It took a Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to come and clean up the fraudulent mess that he left. This is the same man that is pontificating as if he is a self appointed Messiah. Hear him pander to all our exmilitary leaders in his write up in a desperate bid and belief that, he will be thrown some crumbs in the form of an appointment in a new government. That is why Soludo erroneously believed he will be made Vice President under late Yar’Adua. That is also why he believed he will be governor of Anambra State. Having failed in both attempts, he latched onto Atiku Abubakar in the mistaken belief that he will win the last primaries. After hibernating in between his EFCC visits, Soludo is back again doing what he does best. The spectre of a position in government is too attractive for him to ignore. You would have thought that if Soludo felt so strongly about the economy he would have spoken up earlier than now. Is anyone surprised that he is speaking now? If he wants to lobby for a political appointment, there are certainly better and more respectable ways to do so. Class, poise and finesse never did anyone any harm. No, Soludo; It isn’t the government that should be graded an F, it is your character and lack of integrity that should be graded an F. What a shame that Soludo’s poverty of character has reduced him to a miniature stature of a man, a pseudo intellectual for hire.