The Scrutiny of Silver and the Shadow of the Past
1 Now, in the matter of the treasury, it was a tale oft told by Peter, the son of Obi, that upon his departure from the seat of governance, he had left behind a trove of riches.
2 For he had spoken of cash in sundry banks, and investments in the industries of the land, even in education and the forging of industrial hubs, saying that he had been a faithful steward, leaving a robust inheritance for the generations to come.
3 And indeed, chronicles of old did record that Peter, when he passed the staff of authority to Obiano, did hand over bonds and monies, and equity in companies, signifying a wealth laid up for the state.
4 Yet, it came to pass that during the reign of Obiano, the successor, the vast wealth did dwindle like dew before the morning sun. The cash in the banks did vanish, and the investments did seem to melt away like snow in the harmattan.
5 The coffers, once spoken of with pride, became barren, and a great debt did settle upon the land, even as Soludo, the Professor, did lament upon his ascension.
6 But lo, though Soludo did bemoan the emptiness of the treasury and the heavy yoke of debt, he uttered no word of reproach against Obiano, the one from whom he received this lean inheritance. No public epistle, no fiery pronouncement did he cast upon his predecessor’s management of the state’s patrimony.
7 Rather, his gaze, like a hawk seeking its prey, did turn towards Peter, the son of Obi, the very one who had first laid up the treasures. And Soludo did declare with a voice of authority, that Peter’s acclaimed investments were “worth next to nothing.”
8 Oh, the irony that filled the air! For the one who inherited the empty vault from the squanderer, chose instead to cast doubt upon the one who had filled the vault in the first place, before it was emptied by another.
9 And recently, a great clamor arose concerning the Sabmiller brewery, a giant of industry in the land, which Peter had long proclaimed to be the highest indigenous tax-paying enterprise in Anambra.
10 But Soludo, with a knowing look and a dismissive wave of his hand, did scoff at this claim. And he did declare, with an air of superior knowledge, that Sabmiller was but the sixth in rank!
11 And then, with a flourish that brought forth much scratching of heads, he did list the top five. And what were these champions of taxation, you ask? None other than the venerable bank branches, whose myriad windows adorned the streets, collecting their own tolls from the people.
12 Verily, the people did ponder, “So, the very institutions that thrive on the flow of money, collecting charges for every transaction, are now the pillars of our tax revenue? A true testament to the productive capacity of the state, when the greatest contributors are those who simply manage the ebb and flow of existing wealth, rather than creating new streams of industry.” And a wry smile did play upon the lips of many.
13 And thus, the economy of Anambra, under Soludo’s watchful eye, continued its arduous journey, while the Governor, with his pen of fire, found new targets in the echoes of the past, rather than the silence of the immediate predecessor.