Develop your homeland, Soludo challenges Anambra people

An ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, has challenged Anambra State’s indigenes to always think of investing in their home state, even as he saw that it is impossible for every one of them to coming back to their state and live permanently.

Prof. Charles Soludo

While delivering a lecture as part of agenda to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Governor Willie Obiano’s government in Awka, Professor Charles Soludo, who is an indigene of the state, noted that the state has a enough human and natural resources coupled with a strong economic and assets to speed up the drive of transformation.

According to Soludo, Anambra State has the capacity and potential to become an industrial/commercial centre and a real 21st century economic phenomenon, further saying that as a developing global tribe, Ndigbo and Anambra must think global, but also act indigenous.

He said: “A noteworthy feature of Anambra State at the moment is that it is a net exporter of capital. A large proportion of its most talented/skilled indigenes live outside of the state, while a larger proportion of investible capital is deployed outside of the state.

“Poverty incidence in Anambra used to be the lowest mainly because of remittances by its Diaspora. The skyline of Anambra is adorned with thousands of four-storey buildings whose collateral value is insignificant (largely dead or dormant assets).

“Access to bank credit is relatively low. For example, Anambra has the fourth largest bank deposit (after Lagos, Abuja, and Rivers) but the size of bank loans granted to businesses in Anambra is a very small proportion of the deposits. This trend needs to change.

“As a global tribe, we cannot be insular in orientation nor withdraw from the world. Igbo cannot all come home; it is neither wise nor feasible. Like the Jews, Anambra will probably continue to have more than 50 per cent of its indigenes outside of the homeland.” “Given our entrepreneurial drive and high population density, our people will continue to need Nigeria, ECOWAS, Africa and the rest of the world to maximize our prosperity.

“But while we must feel at home everywhere, there is only one home that will never change—the homeland! Having an identity is not inconsistent with a global or national outlook.”

Referring to an example with the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Soludo said there were probably few who would query Obasanjo’s patriotism as a Nigerian, “but that has not made him to wear Igbo dress or our red cap to prove that he is detribalized.”

He added: “Both Ota Farm and the Presidential Library and Home are all in his home state—Ogun. He did not settle in Lagos or Abuja to prove that he loves Nigeria. Of course, by our Constitution, you are first identified by your ‘state of origin’ before anything else. We must not feel shy to campaign for and mobilize a new consciousness towards an “Anambra My Only Permanent Home” philosophy. God did not make a mistake to make us Ndi Anambra!”

He also recollected that while expressing regret for the expatriation of some Anambra indigenes from Lagos State, former Governor Fashola challenged Igbo by asking why they left their own state, arguing that Igbo should use such provocation and turn it into a positive resentment and a challenge to shape out a thriving homeland.

While speaking further, the ex-CBN governor asked Anambra indigenes staying outside of the state: “how much tax or financial contributions do you make to your state in a year— the state/government that preserves and improves your permanent home address?”