Soludo Challenges Igbo to Convert Global Success into South-East Development

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has challenged the Igbo people to channel their individual and global successes into the economic transformation of their homeland through collective planning, strategic investment and purposeful leadership.

The governor made the call at a programme in Enugu themed “Transcend Beyond Borders,” where he urged the Igbo to adopt a fundamental change in mindset and develop a coordinated strategy for advancing the South-East.

Soludo pointed out that more than half of the Igbo population lived, invested and thrived outside their ancestral homeland, raising questions about how their accomplishments could generate greater economic opportunities and shared prosperity within the region.

He recognised the Igbo community’s achievements in entrepreneurship, innovation and international business but observed that these successes had yet to translate sufficiently into widespread development across the South-East.

According to the governor, building a modern and resilient Igbo identity was essential to competing effectively in a global economy increasingly shaped by innovation, talent and enterprise.

“Personal wealth and isolated accomplishments do not build sustainable empires; true power and lasting impact emerge only through unity, structural organisation, and strategic alignment,” he said.

Soludo called for greater investment in education, continuous learning, skills development and hard work to prepare young Igbo people for the demands of the changing global economy.

He also urged youths to consider public service as a meaningful way of giving back to society, describing it as a form of philanthropy capable of bridging the divide between personal success and collective advancement.

The governor encouraged young people to pursue opportunities in innovation, enterprise and global technology, while developing the capacity to become internationally recognised visionaries and leaders across key industries.

He warned against destructive tendencies and social vices within local communities, urging youths to focus instead on productive ventures that could accelerate regional development.

Soludo also underscored the importance of reclaiming, cleaning up and rebuilding Igbo land, noting that overcoming past conflicts and political grievances would require constructive engagement with Nigeria and the international community.

He called for stronger strategic coordination and economic diplomacy across the South-East, stressing the need to replace unproductive rhetoric with concrete actions and sustainable development initiatives.

The governor reiterated that unity, effective leadership and deliberate reinvestment were essential to harnessing the achievements of Igbo people both within Nigeria and across the world for the long-term prosperity of their homeland.

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