Governor Chukwuma Soludo has made commendable moves since stepping into office. His push on road construction and urban renewal has given parts of Anambra a facelift. He has also spoken boldly about creating a modern, liveable homeland. On infrastructure, he deserves some marks.
But governance is not all about roads and bridges. A society stands tallest on the shoulders of its classrooms. And here, Soludo’s record is collapsing.
When Leadership Made Education King
Not so long ago, under Governor Peter Obi, Anambra was the toast of Nigeria’s education sector. Obi understood that the state’s future rested not on cement and tar but on human capital. He restored mission schools, invested heavily in teachers, and channelled resources where it mattered most—into the minds of our children.
The result? Anambra stormed from 26th place to 1st in WAEC and NECO rankings. Year after year, our students emerged champions, beating peers across the federation. We were not just competing—we were setting the pace.
A Professor, A Promise, and A Fall
Then came Soludo—a professor of economics, a man many expected to sharpen Anambra’s edge. If anyone could sustain that legacy, surely an academic would. Instead, the opposite has unfolded.
The latest NECO results are a slap in the face of our proud history. Abia led the nation with 91.1%. Imo followed with 90.5%. Ebonyi is not far behind. And Anambra? A disappointing 70.79%. Not only out of the top 12 nationally, but dangerously slipping to the bottom of the South-East pack.
How did a state once crowned number one in Nigeria now stumble into mediocrity? The answer is simple: misplaced priorities. Roads have taken the spotlight, while classrooms are dimly lit. Teachers who should be motivated are frustrated. Policies that once worked have been abandoned.
The Cost of Neglect
This decline is not abstract. It means fewer scholarships, fewer global opportunities, and fewer seats for our children at the table of the future. It means the dream of the average Anambra family—to see their child outshine poverty through learning—is fading fast.
The Way Back
The path forward is clear:
Put education back at the centre of governance.
Motivate and empower teachers.
Revive partnerships with missions and communities.
Demand accountability from every school, every principal.
Inject technology into learning so our children can compete globally.
Governors are remembered not by how many kilometres of road they laid, but by how well they prepared their people for tomorrow. Obi proved it. Soludo, so far, is proving the opposite.
And history is merciless—it remembers who built a legacy and who squandered it.
The choice is still Soludo’s: to rise and restore Anambra’s academic crown—or to go down as the governor who buried it.
