After rain of condemnation of a motion that would have made Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo - CBN governor - a hero of Nigerian House of Reps, his admirers who pushed the motion had to succumb to the verbal fire of those opposed to it.
The move was initiated by Hon. Halims Agoda who led 25 other members to sponsor a motion during last Thursday’s plenary that would have officially celebrated the Prof’s appointment by the UN and sent him a congratulatory message among others It could be recalled that UN General Assembly President Miguel Descoto had announced the formation of a task force headed by Joseph Stiglitz, a former Chief Economist at the World Bank and winner of Noble Price in Economics called “the Commission of Experts on Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial System”,. Its mandate is clear – clean the global financial mess!
Soludo was picked to join this rare global citizens. Some of his team mates include Malaysian, Jomo Kwame Sundaram who is the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and a former lecturer with University Malaya. There is also Jose Antonio Ocampo of Colombia, a former Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.
Also in the task force are Jean-Paul Fitoussi, Professor of Economics at the Institute Etudes Politiques de Paris in France, Avinash Persaud of Barbados, who is Chairman of Intelligence Capital Ltd and Yaga Venugopal Reddy, former governor of India’s Reserve Bank. But, an overwhelming members of the Reps made a mockery of the his appointment, some even cast aspersion on the integrity of the Prof. This, to most who watched proceedings from the gallery, was a needless way of attacking the credentials of the erudite economist.
Since the Speaker of Reps, Hon. Dimeji Bankole had shown sympathy to the motion, a simple Press Release from his office conveying the same message to the CBN governor could have solved the problem.
The entire Nigerian media would have carried the news to the glory of Prof. Charles. And I am sure that would have made Soludo a happy man . “If we killed this Motion, it would send the wrong signal that we, members of the Nigerian House of Representatives, have passed a vote-of- no- confidence on Prof. Charles Chwukuma Soludo” pleaded Hon.Patrick Obahiagbon (PDP Edo) while arguing in support of the motion. But the deafening response from the floor to this plea was “Yesssss!!!
Taking this as a strong cue that when put to vote, the Motion would not pass, the sponsor, Hon. Halims Agoda, in an emotional laden voice, observed, “I am very surprised at the kind of passion that this simple motion has generated. It was just to celebrate one of our own. But some people have taken it to mean an entirely different thing”. With these words, he withdrew the motion, to the satisfaction of the majority. When issue was open for debate those who spoke against it disparaged the motion, saying it was a waste of time, and uncalled for.
“Why should we waste our time on this matter?”, started Hon. Samuel Sejero (PDP Lagos), adding that, “why should we celebrate someone who is under investigation over all kinds of things he is alleged to have committed? ”, said hon. Sejero, House Committee Chairman on Banking and Currency.
“I am sure that by the time Prof. Soludo leaves office you see all kinds of cankerworms unearthed”, he said. “How many of such appointment have been brought to House like this. This is a waste of public time”, he said in conclusion as majority of the House cheered him. Hon. Chris Etang, on his part said something was curious about the motion. “Why did the sponsors of this Bill only chose Soludo”, he queried, “is former President Olusegun Obasanjo not also an appointee of the UN and is doing a very important job trying to bring peace to a ravaged African country?”, he queried, “this motion is unnecessary”, he insisted.
On her part, Hon. Sa;adatu Sani, (PDP Kaduna) faulted the appointment of the CBN Boss. “Why did the UN chose to recognised such a man, while there are many Nigerians silently playing silent roles to uplift the economy of Nigeria”, she said. “In Kenya a woman was awarded a Noble Peace Price for planting one million tress in that country. They ought to have looked for such people here”, she said, to the obvious amusement of the haters of the motion.
On his part, Hon. Labaran Danbata (PDP Kano) was obviously not impressed with some actions of the CBN boss in the past. “This was a man that was about to take us on a dangerous economic misadventure when he proposed a re-denomination of our Naira”, he noted, “if he were that good, why did the Federal Government throw away that proposal?” But, Hon. Agoda, had argued that the recognition of Prof. Soludo is positive indication that Nigeria is indeed filled with world class minds. He said that taking a resolution to salute the Professor world further strengthen his will, and affirm the UN that Nigeria is with him.
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