Soludo Takes Ethical Leadership Gospel to UNN, Says Hard Work, Not Rituals, Builds Wealth…

From Chris Ugwuja, Nsukka

The Govermor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo had said that ethical leadership promotes transparency, accountability and merit encouraging everyone in the country to apply it and see the benefits.

He made this known in Nsukka on Friday while delivering a lecture titled “Ethical Leadership, Security and Sustainable Development”, organised by The ‘Ethics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Higher Education Strategy (EAISTRAP)’, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

He said ethical leadership means doing what is right, following due process and acknowledging merit no matter whose ox is gored. “This is why ethical leadership promotes transparency, accountability and merit not considering who is involved or where one comes from”, Solludo added.

“In ethical leadership, political patronage has no place, merit is rewarded through hard work and dedication to duty as well as judicious use of resources”, he further stated.

Charles Soludo revealed that his administration is anchored on ethical leadership that rewards merit and hard work in both employments and appointments not minding if one is an indigene of Anambra State or not.

“Many of the primary and secondary school teachers recruited recently were not from Anambra State. We recruited them because they are qualified; two civil servants who are non indigenes are now Permanent Secretaries in the state because my administration rewards merit no matter where you come from”, he added.

“One of the ways to move Nigeria forward is for everyone to reward hard work and merit not minding your local government or state of origin”, he emphasized.

He however, observed that ethical leadership had its disadvantages and setbacks as people who believe in cutting corners would attack a leader who insists on ethics, good values and merit.

“It is not an easy task to insist that the right thing should be done no matter whose ox is gored, but if you maintain your stand those people attacking you will either bow or run away”, he noted.

“I have earned the trust of the people of Anambra State. They call me ‘The Solution’ because everyone knows I always go for the best. My mission in Anambra is to lay a solid foundation that will make Anambra the Dubai of Africa”, he insisted.

The Governor said his administration is flushing out fake pastors and native doctors in the State because these people are deceiving our people, especially the youths, by telling them that there is no need for hard work and that one can become rich overnight without hard work.

“Our forefathers believed in hard work. I do not know where these fake pastors and native doctors got the idea that when you perform one evil ritual or the other you get rich over night without hard work”, he queried. “My administration is prosecuting many of them and if they are found guilty by the court, they will be jailed” he warned.

Governor Soludo, a former Central Bank Governor, hailed the Faculty of Social Sciences, UNN led by the Dean, Prof. Chidi Nzeadibe, for seeing that his administration is rooted on ethical leadership that had transformed the state immensely.

“This is home coming for me not only as an alumni but also as a lecturer in UNN. I must say with all sense of nostalgia that I missed the classroom, as this year marks my 27 years as a professor”, he revealed.

In his remarks, Prof. Oguejiofo Ujam, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNN, said that the university would continue to be guided by fundamental ethics of restoring the ‘dignity of man’. Ujam was represented by the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Romanus Chukwudulue Ezeokonkwo. The Deputy Vice-chancelor described Governor Soludo as super lion and great ambassador of UNN who has done the University proud in many ramifications.

In his address, Prof. Nzeadibe noted that Prof. Soludo was chosen because of his administration’s ethical leadership in Anambra State. “We should all relax and enjoy the intellectual meal from this erudite Professor of Economics and Governor of Anambra State who has transformed the state with his wealth of knowledge and quality leadership”, Nzeadibe said.

Earlier in a remark, the Chairman of EAISTRAP, Prof. Casimir C.K. Ani, pointed out that history of Ethical leadership would be incomplete without mentioning Governor Soludo who in less than four years as the Chief Servant of Anambra State had transformed the state to Africa’s Dubai. According to Prof. C. K. C. Ani, “Governor Soludo is a game-changer. He is the one that built Government House and Government Lodge since 1991 when the state was created. “The future of Nigeria’s sustainable development lies in inculcating ethical leadership and good management of resources in her leaders”, Prof. C.C. Ani concluded.

His Royal Majesty, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, the Ogadagidi 1 of Edem-Ani-Ogwugwu Ancient Kingdom, the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council and the former Chairman, South East Traditional Rulers’ Council was the Chairman of the occasion.