The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s government has become a truth functional dividend in a democracy of the Igbo nation, the Nigeria nation state, the West African sub region, the Sahel and Africa in general. The accolade in form of global awards of excellence from different geopolitical research channels and media is an eloquent testimony of good governance worthy to be studied. He is a thinker whose ideas are stunning, but skidding off almost seamlessly like airplane taking off from the tarmac to the astonishment of novices in aviation operations.
His premium governance philosophy is a truth calculus principles couched in stoic and minimalist humanism for energising and simulating the dynamics and direction of the development of Anambra state unparalleled in Nigerian sub-nationalism. As the mantra goes, it is one state, one people and one agenda, clothed in the stoic principle of compassion and empathy as well as high quality stake and self control.
This stoic message is unwavering in matters that call for personal and societal discipline in allocation and utilisation of scarce resources and opportunities in public expenditure.
First, in his humanism is the principle of parsimony which is a practical virtue in the management of scarce revenue as non oil state in need of development manpower. The skill and the discipline to manage little revenue would require a deft prioritisation of spendings according to social and economic needs and short and long term development goals of the state. The results of contrition and parsimony in spending is that amid road infrastructures developments, there are supervening fly-overs at over crowded junctions, an artifact and road transportation system unknown in the state since it creation.
Austerity policies had surfaced and flopped in Nigerian political landscape because of lack of will of policy implementers, yet, the policy in Soludo’s government spending is not in the list the best political option in a corrupt society where political gerrymandering is an engine of reckless spending. But in Soludo’s governance philosophy money is for developments and not for unearned economic activities like donations and vote buying. The austere measure is criticised by the political actors who take or venture into politics as business, but Professor Charles Soludo has uncommon refrain against pleasures of the flesh that attract only immediate and personal gains. As a stoic politician, intellectual, technocrat and philosopher, he engaged the fabrics and rudiments of society, sociology, economics, anthropology, culture and history of the people for sustainable developments.
As a minimalist and stoic, he is a financial wizard predisposed to cutting his coat according to his size while blocking financial hemorrhage and leakages created by past administrations as political carrots for political fair weather birds. Hence, an existing ad loan arrangement with the World Bank was turned down to save the state from a “debt overhang. His administration had refused to borrow from any bank or institution nor access a federal government loan to states in 2024.
Indeed, Anambra was the only state in Nigeria that pulled out of an existing World Bank loan which was arranged and signed before he assumed office. “I looked at the terms of the loan, and I said it was not sustainable; it was easy to continue with it because the next generation would pay, but based on the terms, it was a bad deal for Anambra…Last year, N438 billion was distributed to 35 states; Anambra was the only state that did not take it. I need money, but I cannot borrow my state into slavery,” he said.
The initial outcry among the fleeting political bed fellows was to bend him to swindling the state in billions of naira, but his minimalism is a hedge against all forms of corruption. He used his philosophy of education as long and short buffer against corruption and any impediment to sustainable developments. He made education free, massively increased enrollment, instituted digital skills and smart schools across board to abolish classes of the pleabian and slaves in modern Nigerian society in Igbo land in order to make the state a destination for all, free and peaceful homeland.
Without education there will be no future and without knowledge there will be no creation and conservation of wealth for sustainable future. Minimalism is his philosophy driving both leadership, leaders and the lead for the transformation of the Anambra society.
Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo minimalist principle commits him ontologically to the welfare of the people, predicated on justice, fairness and equality with a minimal state that enhances opportunities, empathy and compassion rather than defacto authoritarian, fascist tendencies that creates yawning gaps between people and institutions. His philosophy of education therefore, creates a critical pedagogy that blows off the roof of institutionalised elite classes and their dynasties. Hence, epistemological and ontological step is the touch light and recipe of Soludo’s solution to corruption and political brigandage and brinkmanship. Amid ontological caution, simplicity, conservatisms and rational analysis, Soludo’s minimalism promotes financial prudence, rejected foreign loans, asserted his state’s independence but on a solid foundation of a proleterean and people free education for a sustainable future.
Minimalism and ontological commitments to Anambra people welfare engendered the dismantling of the old order for his five-pillar transformative governance on security, infrastructure, human capital, governance and environment renewals, courtesy of the project of Anambra state as livable homeland. With ‘Agunechemba’ security policy and offensive as a humanist stoic minimalist principle of necessity, the government has driven kidnappers, money ritualisms and cultists out of Anambra state.
The catalysis and rejuvenations of the Medicare, Primary and Secondary healthcare? Reproductive medicine and Environmental health are all commitments to life and good health structured within the principles of Soludo’s humanism.
Governor Soludo’s The One Youth, Two Skills academy is a re- echo of Plato’s Academy. The Solution Innovation District or Soludo’s Academy with over twenty thousand students is digitised smart school and hub of entrepreneurial vocations and leadership transforming Anambra to be like Dubai and American Silicon Valley.
The Academy which midwifes not only the youth skill manpower will also set the tone for Afgto- industrialised Anambra state, in Igboland, punctuated with a Palm and coconut economic revolution that beatifies the frontages and backyards of every household. The academy is a stoic contraption which, like the Plato’s Academy, promotes excellence in creativity and rational well being, and in addition, the Solution Fun City is Anambra state own entertainment industry, all in accordance with the reconstruction of Anambra state as a smart mega-city and livable homeland.
Professor Dukor is the president /Editor-in-Chief of Essence Library (cultural and scientific developments cente) UNIZIK.
