The New CBN Governor - Michael Cardoso

By Oche Alechenu __

Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso was nominated to serve as the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Apex Bank of the nation by President Bola Tinubu on Friday.

The report came from Ajuri Ngelale the presidential spokesman to the public late Friday. Ajuri states that ,Cardoso was nominated to serve for five (5) years terms at the first instance, when the Nigerian Senate might have confirmed him.

Cardoso will now replace Mr Godwin Emefiele as the CBN governor who was suspended  since June this year and currently facing many allegations while his deputy, Faloshodun Shonubi has been acting through the directive of the president immediately he assumed office.

National Reporters Online gathered that, in 1999 when the nation returned to democracy, Cardoso was the first Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State  when Tinubu was a governor.

Cardoso being charged with the responsibilities to writes and monitore the implementation of the blueprint which shoots the economic development in  Lagos State, the world’s sixth  biggest megacity.

He rolled through and practiced his career with Citibank, Chase and Citizens International Bank and was distinguished in all the offices he  occupied.

Cardoso had his first degree from the University of Aston, United Kingdom and his second degree from Harvard University, USA respectively.

He has also served board member of several leading companies that includes Texaco, Chevron Oil Plc and most of it all, the Belgian-based Cities Alliance , Think Tank which aims to shape and influence policy and decision making on urban development in African Continent.

Cardoso was proudly awarded an honorary doctorate degree in business administration by his alma mater, Aston University 2017 recognizing him of his enormous and outstanding contributions to business and society at large.

By this nomination, Nigerian look forward to see what depicts Dr. Michael Cardoso to be nominated amongst his equals to pilot the affairs of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

 Here are some  unique things about the next CBN Governor from our findings:

- Olayemi Cardoso is from Lagos State.

- His parents were descendants of Brazilian returnees who came from prominent families in Popo Aguda.

- His father, Felix Bankole Cardoso, was the first indigenous Accountant-General of the Federation of Nigeria in 1963. 

- He attended Corona School Ikoyi and St. Gregory’s College in Lagos for his primary and secondary education respectively.

- He obtained a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in Managerial and Administrative Studies from Aston University in 1980.

- He earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration in 2005 as a Mason Fellow.

- He served as the former chairman of Citibank Nigeria.

- Dr. Cardoso is a financial and development expert with over 30 years’ experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

- Cardoso also served as the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State when President Tinubu was the governor of the state.

- He is the founding chairman and co-chair of the Ehingbeti Summit, the Lagos state economic summit.

- He is married with five children and three grandchildren.