By CHIDI OBINECHE
in the last one month, the comfort lair of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele has been stirred in the most coccyx manner. In the mesh of the bubbling economic tempest that has tested the souls of men and provoked interminable angst in the land, a gush of wind, as if released from an oven suddenly opened. The wind did not rustle the doors of neither the Minister of Finance, nor that of Budget and Planning. It swirled around the doorstep of the CBN governor like a gritty dung in a heap. Pronto, President Muhammadu Buhari summoned him for consultations.
The wind smeared the vision of many. Like the reckless dung beetle; the nation rolled its burden along. The alert bell has been beaten by two of his most visible and respected predecessors in office. They are the highly irrepressible Chukwuma Soludo, and the volubly combative and searing Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Their criticisms of the economic policies and direction of this administration created a let up that elicited the swift response of Emefiele, in the same measure. Apparently brimming with suppressed anger, and “et tu” feeling, Emefiele returned fire.
“It is easier to criticize from the outside and say what is not true. So easy to sit down in your garden and begin to concoct stories that you know are not true. As a Central Bank governor, whether present or former, there are channels that have been provided for you to advise the bank. Those channels remain open and we will continue to encourage them to use those channels rather than to sit down in their gardens and say what is not true.” Emefiele has let down the gourd. He has through the ‘return fire’ opened the economic innards of the nation, and ultimately the CBN under his watch for closer scrutiny and dissection. Expectedly, Nigerians have grabbed the opportunity drilling deep into the dung- heap, and seeking answers to nail a scapegoat. The more answers that are given, the yearning for more grows. A reticent, ultra conservative Emefiele has been drawn into the ring for a fight that twirls in a different direction. Who would weave the tale of the spidery automation that went insane? Who would spike the behind of the black sheep gone astray? And who would exert the quiet authority to retrieve the economic ship of state to save the nation from the shame of strangulation? Questions; and more questions.
Emefiele was born on August 4, 1961 in Lagos state. He is an indigene of Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended the Government Primary School, Victoria Island and passed out in June 1973. His secondary education was at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos, where he passed out in June 1978 with the West African School Certificate, (WASC). He studied Banking and Finance at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN and obtained a first degree (2nd class upper) in June 1984. In October 1986, he bagged a Masters Degree (MBA) in finance, winning the best Graduating Student Award. He later engaged in executive studies at Stand ford University, Harvard University(2004) and Wharton School of Business(2005). Before venturing into the Banking sector, he lectured at the UNN and University of Port Harcourt. He also served as Director of ACCION Microfinance Bank Limited and has more than 26 years experience in banking. At Zenith bank, he served in various positions including Director (Zenith bank, Gambia LTD), Executive Director in charge of Corporate Banking, Treasury, Financial Control and Strategic Planning, Deputy Managing Director and Group Managing Director. He became the CBN governor on June 3, 2014. He is married with two children.