Background
Imagine two friends, born almost exactly one year apart, same State of origin but one born in Aguta LGA and the other in Onitsha. Yes, both are Anambrarians, both attended the same university in Nsukka, in neighboring Enugu State. Charly is nerdy while his friend Peter is a wannabe nerd with a liking to reel out stats. Peter, born into a trading family, was well mentored in the ways of the market.
Two friends 1984 university graduation
The year was 1984, Charly completed his undergraduate education and obtained a first-class degree in Economics while Peter eked out a second-class lower division in Philosophy. No problems, Peter’s strength had always been in the market and not academics. Charly, the true nerd, went on to have two more degrees and attained a rank of Professor in Nsukka. Peter on the other hand left for the market. Nevertheless, he did complete a number of Business school courses in several to improve his skillset in the marketplace.
Age forty plus
The two friends, now in their early forties and after having had really successful careers in academia and business (really privileged and lucky Nigerians), ventured into politics. What do you think are the odds of harmony or hatred between the two? Time will tell.
The nerd, Charly, got appointments to ‘cerebral’ top government jobs. He was Chief Economic adviser, CEO of National planning commission of Nigeria, Central Bank Governor and recently member of the Economic Advisory Council. Peter on the other hand, didn’t need to go the long route. At age 42, he aimed for the jugular and contested ‘straight’ for the position of the executive governor of their State. Back then (some will say – even now), Nigeria’s electoral process was real gangster stuff. It was definitely not for the fainthearted. Peter won the election, but it took him a further 3 years to actually get through mines and bobby traps to crawl into office. Not long after, he was impeached (only been in office 7 months) but again reinstated. Finally, he completed his first term in 2010.
February 2010 Anambra Governorship elections
As fate would have it, the two friends would be in opposing parties and be locking horns in the February 2010 Anambra Governorship election cycle. Charles Chukwuma was the PDP candidate while the incumbent, Peter Obi, was APGA. Needless to say, the street-smart trader defeated the nerd. And the trader was in office for another four years until 2014.
Nigeria politics can be likened to gymnastics. The two friends swapped party – the nerd moving to APGA while the trader glided from APGA through PDP, finally landing at LP. After leaving the governorship mansion, and on his journey across parties, Peter reinvented himself and positioned himself as a national advocate of good governance. This was a smart move as voters generally have short memories or can be bamboozled. Very few people will pay little more than a fleeting attention to a candidate’s record in office – well, Charly did and oh … what a blow and a black eye!
The brawl between two friends
Fast-forward to 2022. Nigeria is preparing for its 7th iteration of federal elections since the start of the fourth republic. Peter had just moved to LP late May a few moments after dumping the PDP. The trader is contesting for president and the nerd had three months earlier been inaugurated as the fifth elected governor and now resides in the Governor’s mansion.
Early in November 2022, the two friends, now older, clashed again. What is the bone of contention you asked? No one knows for sure. Some say the trader had been ‘buga-ing’ and embellishing his performance during his 2006 to 2014 term(s) in office and this irked the nerd. Anyone ever met an angry nerd? Not good I can tell you. Charly came out all guns blazing and titled the op-ed Part 1! I guess that’s a subtle warning to Peter – if you say any more and I’ll heap a whole bucket of poo on you! Let’s pray for peace between the two friends.
The backlash against Charly
The backlash against Charles was swift and hard. The majority of the reactions were from fellow Igbo kinsmen. Street-smart Peter played coy – another great move to milk out maximum sympathy from potential voters. Many labelled Charly as envious, greedy or ambitious. Majority of responses were evidently emotional, and many missed Charly’s point. Only a few were paying the required attention to his words. Charles, like any true nerd would do, neatly structured his arguments and laced them with facts (as he sees them, admittedly a little self-serving). Charles evaluated Peter’s performance in office, debunked the myth (painstakingly built by Peter) of anything more than an average achievement in governance. He further dismissed Peter’s chances in the 2023 election but more importantly advised the Ndigbo to re-examine their political model and landscape, and strategically align itself for improved future outcomes.
The conclusion
You can’t deny Charles Chukwuma Soludo the right to have his opinions and support whosoever he pleases. And you can also not fault his many germane arguments made in his op-ed. You have to remove the chaff from the wheat. While the rest of the country may find the ‘gbasgbos’ entertaining, I think the Igbos need to do some real introspection and develop a ‘very real’ future plan. The present war song Nzogbu-Nzogbu of their ‘obidient’ youths is premature and does not cut it. The Igbo are truly unprepared for the center stage, and the competitors are too big, well prepared, organised and too far ahead. My advice – listen closely to Charles Soludo, read his words again and again, and form genuine alliances. Re-strategise for the future – a single tree can never be a forest.