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Who is Charles Soludo, the second ex-CBN Governor to emerge State Governor
Charles Chukwuma Soludo was born on the 28th of July 1960. He is the governor-elect in the Anambra 2021 gubernatorial election.
Charles Chukwuma Soludo was born on the 28th of July 1960. He is the governor-elect in the Anambra 2021 gubernatorial election.
Charles Soludo is a Nigerian economics professor and a former governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He was named governor on 29 May 2004.
More so, Charles Soludo who is a member of the British Department for International Development’s International Advisory Group, the second ex-Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor to emerge as a state governor in the country.
The first was Clement Isong, former governor of Cross River state. Isong was CBN governor from 1967 to 1975.
He later became the Cross River governor from 1979 to 1983.
Early Life
Soludo hails from Isuanioma which is within the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. He lost his mother at a tender age.
However, the loss did not stop the young lad from doing excellently well in his studies and his flair for academics would eventually see him do his mother’s memory proud a few years after her death.
While staying true to his genius, Soludo graduated with First Class Honours in 1984, obtained an MSc Economics in 1987, and a PhD in 1989, winning prizes for the best student at all three levels.
A prolific macroeconomist, he obtained his three degrees and then a professorship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State.
Education
By 1999, Soludo became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA, he was also a lecturer at Oxford, Cambridge, and Warwick University. He has also been a guest scholar at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Brookings Institution.
The Aguata-born economist has worked as a consultant for a number of international organisations, including The World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the United Nations Development Programme.
Professor Soludo has authored and co-authored several books, most of which lay emphasis on multi-country macro-econometric modelling, techniques of computable general equilibrium modelling, survey methodology, and panel data econometrics, etc.
More so, he is the recipient of a plethora of awards and recognitions from various institutions and organisations. Most notable amongst these is the recognition by the Financial Times of London, as a ‘Great Reformer’.
Also highly noteworthy is his winning of the ‘Global and African Central Bank Governor of the Year, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 by different international media institutions including The Banker Magazine which is published by the Financial Times of London.
In 2006, he received a Global Banker’s Award in London.
He has also been conferred with Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) – Nigeria’s third-highest national honour.
Appointed As CBN Governor
Based on his wealth of knowledge Professor Soludo was invited to serve his country in 2003 as the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria.
While in May 2004, he was made governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
As CBN Governor, Professor Soludo is credited with refocusing the Central Bank as an effective monetary authority, successfully implementing a fundamental restructuring that is said to have led to unprecedented consolidation of the Nigerian banking system.
According to a statement on the CBN official page, Soludo championed the establishment of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a continental, private -sector-driven, an investment bank.
Due to his good work while in charge of the CBN, Soludo got an appointment from President Mohammadu Buhari, to be part of the newly formed eight-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on September 16, 2019.
Political Interest
His political life is very interesting and mild revolutionary. In 2009, the economics professor announced his intention to contest for the Governorship seat in Anambra State, he was chosen as a consensus candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The gubernatorial bid was eventually unsuccessful as he lost to Peter Obi. Resigning from the PDP on July 17, 2013, Soludo joined the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in preparation for the November 2013, Anambra state governorship election.
However, he was dealt another sore blow as in mid-August 2013, he, along with five other qualified aspirants, was disqualified by the APGA Screening Committee.
Soludo would again declare his intention to run for the position of Governor on the APGA platform and this time, after a heated legal tussle, Charles Soludo was officially declared the candidate of the ruling party in the state on 9 November 2021 by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
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