Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele has been in the news, facing challenges occasioned by his partisanship and involvement in politics. The overlying challenge moving forward is not only finding a less political replacement, but also salvaging the independence of the central bank in an overtly political landscape.
Editor’s note: This essay is available in our print issue, Godfathers: An Introduction. Buy the issue here.
A legacy of extended military rule in Nigeria is the often-incessant fawning over the president that government officials do. Appointees were careful to ensure that senior leadership did not suspect disloyalty and plot their removal in the politically-charged environment that multiple coups left. It gave rise to an intense cult of personality, where appointees began to ‘serve at the pleasure of the president’. The transition to democracy did little to change that, especially as appointments to public positions – partisan or independent – often come with the need to stay on the individual’s good side to remain in office...
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