THEWILL NEWSPAPER has named the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, as its Person of the Year for 2021.
Gatekeepers News reports that THEWILL NEWSPAPER announced Emefiele as its 2021 person of the year on the double cover stories of the newspaper’s CHRISTMAS EDITION, captioned “Emefiele: Passionate Central Banker in Turbulent Times” and “Godwin Emefiele: Revolutionary Banker That Walks His Talk.”
The edition is currently available on newsstands nationwide, the newspaper’s multiple digital channels as well as international newspaper digital publishing platforms, Issuu and Pressreader.
In arriving at the choice of Emefiele, who is Nigeria’s 10th indigenous Central Bank Governor,
THEWILL Newspaper, while giving details of why it arrived at the choice of Emefiele, who is Nigeria’s 10th indigenous Central Bank Governor, said: “Since he first assumed office on June 4, 2014, Mr. Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele, Nigeria’s 10th indigenous Central Bank Governor, has been in the eye of the storm over the apex bank’s monetary policies.
“The reason is simple. There is an organic relationship between the Central Bank and the economy of a nation; the bank’s policies have far-reaching implications on the people’s wealth-creating abilities and standard of living. It is therefore a matter, of course, that Emefiele is a household name to different people for different reasons.
“At one time, he was applauded by proponents of the bank’s policy initiatives. At the other, he was lambasted by critics for what they perceive as deliberate moves to worsen an already bad situation. But this passionate Central Banker has been consistent in his actions, which underlies the fact that he means well for the nation and the economy with his boundless belief in people-oriented policies.
“Unarguably, Emefiele’s coming on board as CBN Governor first in June 2014 and his re-appointment in June 2019, brought hope and calm to an economy that witnessed two recessions and suffered the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic under his watch.”
THEWILL, however, maintained that though this may not be understood and appreciated by those Emefiele’s policies do not favour, “The real test of individuals in positions of authority anywhere in the world – whether presidents or prime ministers, heads of corporations or educational institutions – is not how much of a smooth ride they had while in office but in surmounting the rough patches along the way.”
THEWILL added: “Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele has had more than his fair share of both natural and man-made problems as CBN governor in the last couple of years. Has he survived it? A resounding yes is the answer from THEWILL, which is why today, we give him a standing ovation by naming him our Person of the Year.”
Emefiele, fondly called Meffi by his close friends, was born on August 4, 1961, in Lagos, though his parents are from Agbor in Delta State, Southern Nigeria where they lived and worked.
He began his primary and secondary education in Lagos and then found himself in an out-of-state school for his degree programme at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria.
Afterwards, Emefiele met with Jim Ovia and eventually took up an appointment with Zenith Bank, where the success story that emanated from there can be likened to that of heads of departments of B and F plump for and routinely recount to their wards in business schools. In other words, the success story of Zenith will never be complete without the prominent role Emefiele played in it. And, as anyone would imagine, success stories never hide, they are in plain sight to see.
