Song of Solomon
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By Mzee wa Atikali
Sunday, January 23, 2022
1. Introduction
The late Prof. Benno Joseph Ndulu was born on Monday, January 23, 1950 in Ifakara, Kilombero, Morogoro. He was baptised on Monday, February 20, 1950 at St Andrew's Catholic Church, Ifakara, Kilombero, Morogoro.
Prof. Ndulu started his career as a Tutorial Assistant at the UDSM in 1974 and rose through the ranks to become a Senior lecturer. Among students of this distinguished academician was Dr. Phillip Mpango who is now the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania. He made history in 1988 when he clocked in as Tanzania's youngest Professor at the age of just 38.
Prof. Ndulu was an outstanding economic intellectual with an extraordinary and vibrant passion for development. During the four decades of dedicated service, he served his motherland Tanzania, Africa and the rest of the world in different capacities with honour and distinction.
Prof. Ndulu, who is the only Tanzanian to have served as Deputy Governor and Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, completed his earthly race on Monday, February 22, 2021 at the age of 71, and would have been 72 were he alive today.
2. Prof. NDULU's Academic Journey
2.1 Primary education & Early Days
Ndulu enrolled at St. Andrew's mission primary school, Kilombero in 1958. In 1962, he went to Kasita Seminary, Kilombero, Morogoro and then Itaga Seminary, Tabora.
Ndulu was a very brilliant student who regularly topped his class.
2.2 Secondary Education
In 1969, Ndulu was selected to join Azania secondary school, Dar es Salaam. In 1971, he attended the compulsory national service training course at Oljoro JKT, Arusha.
2.3 University Education
2.3.1 Undergraduate Education
Ndulu enrolled at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1971 to study Economics. Among his friends was Jakaya Kikwete who would later serve as the fourth President of Tanzania. Dr. Kikwete divulged, on May 25, 2021 in New York, during the Panel discussion on Reflections on Tanzania in Honour of Prof. Benno Ndulu"-:
"Prof Ndulu and I came a long way. We first met at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1972 when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. I could discern that he was a well rounded person, highly knowledgeable with a very sharp mind, a big brain and a genius".
2.3.2.1 Ndulu Ties the Knot
On Friday, November 23, 1973, Ndulu, a Christian, while still a student at the University of Dar es Salaam, married Ms Mariam Lukandamila, a Moslem. This was, thus, an inter-religious marriage.
In 1974, Ndulu graduated with distinction from the University of Dar es Salaam.
2.3.2 Post Graduate Education
In 1975, Ndulu obtained a Master of Arts degree at the University of Dar es Salaam.
In 1979, he earned a PhD in Economics from the Northwestern University, Ilinois, US after just three years of study.
In 1988, he was appointed Associate Professor and became the youngest Professor in Tanzania at the age of 38 -:
"To attain the title of Professor, for me, has less to do with the status and seniority and more to do with the increased demand to do the work in service to a new generation of students and intellectuals. Let's not forget that there is still one more huddle (of Full Professor) to go through!".
In 1992, he was appointed Full Professor of Economics.
3. Employment, Appointments & Awards
3.1 Ndulu started his career at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1974 as a Tutorial Assistant in the Economics Department. He then rose through the ranks to become a Senior lecturer. Among his students is Dr. Phillip Mpango who is now the Vice President of Tanzania and Natu Mwamba, first female Deputy Governor of the Bank of Tanzania. During his tenure as a University Don, Ndulu undertook a number of academic works that made important contributions to the economic reforms that were implemented in the second half of the 1980s. No wonder thus, former President, H.E Ali Hassan Mwinyi, has heaped praises on him in his autobiography "The Journey of My Life"-:
"Prof Ndulu, a seasoned economist from the University of Dar es Salaam, helped us alot".(Translation mine).
Ndulu, thereafter, joined the World Bank as a Lead Economist.
3.2 In 1988, Prof. Ndulu was one of the founders of the African Economic Research Consortium, established to carry out applied economic research to inform economic policies.
3.3 In 1997, Prof. Ndulu was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his capacity building and research on Africa.
3.4 Prof Ndulu was appointed the first Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzania Revenue Authority in 1995. Dr. Kikwete, Minister for Finance, as he then was, played a crucial role in his appointment. Dr. Kikwete narrated on April 22, 2021:
"As Minister for Finance, I spoke to Prof. Ndulu and requested him to accept to lead the Board of TRA. He agreed so I recommended him to President Mkapa who concured with my proposal. He then appointed him as the first Board Chairman. Under his able leadership, a strong foundation was built which created the high performing revenue institution we have today"
3.5 Professor Ndulu was appointed by H.E President Kikwete Deputy Governor, Economic & Financial Policies on July 1, 2007 and served up to July 7 2008. Dr. Kikwete divulged also that-:
"One day when I was the President, Mr. Balali who was the Governor came to me to request me to appoint another Deputy Governor for the Bank. Without any hesitation whatsoever I proposed the name of Prof. Ndulu and he welcomed it wholeheartedly . This meant losing his better paying job and prestigious position as advisor to the Vice President of the World Bank. Prof. Ndulu told me, for the service of his country, he will take up the job".
3.6 Just a year later, President Kikwete appointed Prof. Ndulu as the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania on January 8, 2008 . He served for two terms up to January 7, 2018.
Prof. Ndulu took over as Governor in a difficult period following parliamentary upheaval and the premature exit of his predecessor, Daudi Balali, following the External Payments Arrears (EPA) scandal.
Prof. Ndulu worked tirelessly to rebuild the BOT's damaged reputation. The phone number of a BOT Governor was no longer a seriously guarded secret to all serious journalists during Prof Ndulu's tenure.
Prof. Ndulu put the Bank on a stable course and steered the monetary sector to become a firm pillar in sustaining the economy. Under his firm leadership Tanzania enjoyed moderate inflation, stable exchange rate of the Tanzanian shilling and generally sound macro-economic indicators, including maintaining adequate foreign currency reserves.
Under Prof. Ndulu's able leadership, a Complaints Resolution Desk was established by the Bank of Tanzania on April 1, 2015 to address complaints by customers of the banking services. Tanzania became one of the first African countries to have this mechanism.
Furthermore, under his leadership, the Bank established The Mwalimu Nyerere Scholarship Fund on October 12, 2009 to sponsor outstanding students. Since its inception, the Fund has sponsored a total of 52 students.
3.7 In 2009, a renowned International London-based Emerging Markets Magazine named Prof Ndulu as the Best Central Bank Governor of Africa, during the annual meetings of the WB & IMF.
3.8 On October 13, 2015, Prof Ndulu was, once again, named Africa's Best Central Bank Governor. He was, consequently, awarded "The Central Bank Governor of the Year 2015 in Africa".
3.9 On January 7, 2016, Prof Ndulu was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) whose members are Central Banks and Regulatory Institutions from all continents.
Prof. Ndulu championed financial inclusion on the continent and the world, a zeal that steered the Bank of Tanzania into undertaking massive initiatives to innovate and develop information technology to revolutionize the offering of financial services and bring on board the majority of the adult population, making Tanzania one of the best performers in financial inclusion in the world.
No wonder thus, as soon as he ended his BOT career, National & International recognition and invitations started streaming in.
3.10 In 2018, Prof Ndulu became the Chair of Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial on Development, UDSM.
3.11 On September 27, 2019, South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa, appointed Prof Ndulu member of the new Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
3.12 H.E Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, appointed Prof Ndulu in the same capacity on the recommendation of Dr. Yinager Desse, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ethiopia.
3.13 Prof. Ndulu turned down a similar offer from H.E President Paul Kagame of Rwanda due to his busy schedule.
3.14 Prof Ndulu was sitting on the Board of Directors of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
3.15 Prof Ndulu had a Special Talent Resident Permit granted by the British Government for his involvement in the Board of Directors of Oxford where he spent most of his time after retirement as Governor. The said permit allowed him to live in Britain for five years. Prof Ndulu was one of very few exceptional Africans to have been accorded this distinguished honour and privilege.
4. Prof. Ndulu Breathes His Last
Prof. Ndulu died at dawn on Monday, February 22, 2021 at the Herbert Kairuki Hospital, Dar es Salaam and was survived by a widow, Mariam, two daughters Ndulika & Sara and a son, Lindu as well as two grandchildren ie Rosemary & Benno.
5. Concluding Remarks
Prof Ndulu was an incredibly visionary leader who nurtured and impacted many individuals and economies as he was always a source of wisdom and guidance.
Prof Ndulu was one of Africa's most Iconic economists, a powerhouse in development economics and a remarkable leader. There is an old saying that goes "When an oldman dies, a whole library burns to the ground". When Prof Ndulu died, many libraries burnt to the ground!
Prof. Ndulu's legacy will live on in many ways and in several institutions and individuals that he enriched and inspired. He left an indelible mark at the Bank of Tanzania and no wonder Dr. Kikwete stated, on April 22, 2021-:
"I have no doubt in my mind that Prof Ndulu will be remembered as having been one of the Best Governors in the history of the Bank of Tanzania".
HAPPY 72nd BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN, Prof. BENNO JOSEPH NDULU!!!
By Mzee wa Atikali
Sunday, January 23, 2022
1. Introduction
The late Prof. Benno Joseph Ndulu was born on Monday, January 23, 1950 in Ifakara, Kilombero, Morogoro. He was baptised on Monday, February 20, 1950 at St Andrew's Catholic Church, Ifakara, Kilombero, Morogoro.
Prof. Ndulu started his career as a Tutorial Assistant at the UDSM in 1974 and rose through the ranks to become a Senior lecturer. Among students of this distinguished academician was Dr. Phillip Mpango who is now the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania. He made history in 1988 when he clocked in as Tanzania's youngest Professor at the age of just 38.
Prof. Ndulu was an outstanding economic intellectual with an extraordinary and vibrant passion for development. During the four decades of dedicated service, he served his motherland Tanzania, Africa and the rest of the world in different capacities with honour and distinction.
Prof. Ndulu, who is the only Tanzanian to have served as Deputy Governor and Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, completed his earthly race on Monday, February 22, 2021 at the age of 71, and would have been 72 were he alive today.
2. Prof. NDULU's Academic Journey
2.1 Primary education & Early Days
Ndulu enrolled at St. Andrew's mission primary school, Kilombero in 1958. In 1962, he went to Kasita Seminary, Kilombero, Morogoro and then Itaga Seminary, Tabora.
Ndulu was a very brilliant student who regularly topped his class.
2.2 Secondary Education
In 1969, Ndulu was selected to join Azania secondary school, Dar es Salaam. In 1971, he attended the compulsory national service training course at Oljoro JKT, Arusha.
2.3 University Education
2.3.1 Undergraduate Education
Ndulu enrolled at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1971 to study Economics. Among his friends was Jakaya Kikwete who would later serve as the fourth President of Tanzania. Dr. Kikwete divulged, on May 25, 2021 in New York, during the Panel discussion on Reflections on Tanzania in Honour of Prof. Benno Ndulu"-:
"Prof Ndulu and I came a long way. We first met at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1972 when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. I could discern that he was a well rounded person, highly knowledgeable with a very sharp mind, a big brain and a genius".
2.3.2.1 Ndulu Ties the Knot
On Friday, November 23, 1973, Ndulu, a Christian, while still a student at the University of Dar es Salaam, married Ms Mariam Lukandamila, a Moslem. This was, thus, an inter-religious marriage.
In 1974, Ndulu graduated with distinction from the University of Dar es Salaam.
2.3.2 Post Graduate Education
In 1975, Ndulu obtained a Master of Arts degree at the University of Dar es Salaam.
In 1979, he earned a PhD in Economics from the Northwestern University, Ilinois, US after just three years of study.
In 1988, he was appointed Associate Professor and became the youngest Professor in Tanzania at the age of 38 -:
"To attain the title of Professor, for me, has less to do with the status and seniority and more to do with the increased demand to do the work in service to a new generation of students and intellectuals. Let's not forget that there is still one more huddle (of Full Professor) to go through!".
In 1992, he was appointed Full Professor of Economics.
3. Employment, Appointments & Awards
3.1 Ndulu started his career at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1974 as a Tutorial Assistant in the Economics Department. He then rose through the ranks to become a Senior lecturer. Among his students is Dr. Phillip Mpango who is now the Vice President of Tanzania and Natu Mwamba, first female Deputy Governor of the Bank of Tanzania. During his tenure as a University Don, Ndulu undertook a number of academic works that made important contributions to the economic reforms that were implemented in the second half of the 1980s. No wonder thus, former President, H.E Ali Hassan Mwinyi, has heaped praises on him in his autobiography "The Journey of My Life"-:
"Prof Ndulu, a seasoned economist from the University of Dar es Salaam, helped us alot".(Translation mine).
Ndulu, thereafter, joined the World Bank as a Lead Economist.
3.2 In 1988, Prof. Ndulu was one of the founders of the African Economic Research Consortium, established to carry out applied economic research to inform economic policies.
3.3 In 1997, Prof. Ndulu was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his capacity building and research on Africa.
3.4 Prof Ndulu was appointed the first Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tanzania Revenue Authority in 1995. Dr. Kikwete, Minister for Finance, as he then was, played a crucial role in his appointment. Dr. Kikwete narrated on April 22, 2021:
"As Minister for Finance, I spoke to Prof. Ndulu and requested him to accept to lead the Board of TRA. He agreed so I recommended him to President Mkapa who concured with my proposal. He then appointed him as the first Board Chairman. Under his able leadership, a strong foundation was built which created the high performing revenue institution we have today"
3.5 Professor Ndulu was appointed by H.E President Kikwete Deputy Governor, Economic & Financial Policies on July 1, 2007 and served up to July 7 2008. Dr. Kikwete divulged also that-:
"One day when I was the President, Mr. Balali who was the Governor came to me to request me to appoint another Deputy Governor for the Bank. Without any hesitation whatsoever I proposed the name of Prof. Ndulu and he welcomed it wholeheartedly . This meant losing his better paying job and prestigious position as advisor to the Vice President of the World Bank. Prof. Ndulu told me, for the service of his country, he will take up the job".
3.6 Just a year later, President Kikwete appointed Prof. Ndulu as the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania on January 8, 2008 . He served for two terms up to January 7, 2018.
Prof. Ndulu took over as Governor in a difficult period following parliamentary upheaval and the premature exit of his predecessor, Daudi Balali, following the External Payments Arrears (EPA) scandal.
Prof. Ndulu worked tirelessly to rebuild the BOT's damaged reputation. The phone number of a BOT Governor was no longer a seriously guarded secret to all serious journalists during Prof Ndulu's tenure.
Prof. Ndulu put the Bank on a stable course and steered the monetary sector to become a firm pillar in sustaining the economy. Under his firm leadership Tanzania enjoyed moderate inflation, stable exchange rate of the Tanzanian shilling and generally sound macro-economic indicators, including maintaining adequate foreign currency reserves.
Under Prof. Ndulu's able leadership, a Complaints Resolution Desk was established by the Bank of Tanzania on April 1, 2015 to address complaints by customers of the banking services. Tanzania became one of the first African countries to have this mechanism.
Furthermore, under his leadership, the Bank established The Mwalimu Nyerere Scholarship Fund on October 12, 2009 to sponsor outstanding students. Since its inception, the Fund has sponsored a total of 52 students.
3.7 In 2009, a renowned International London-based Emerging Markets Magazine named Prof Ndulu as the Best Central Bank Governor of Africa, during the annual meetings of the WB & IMF.
3.8 On October 13, 2015, Prof Ndulu was, once again, named Africa's Best Central Bank Governor. He was, consequently, awarded "The Central Bank Governor of the Year 2015 in Africa".
3.9 On January 7, 2016, Prof Ndulu was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) whose members are Central Banks and Regulatory Institutions from all continents.
Prof. Ndulu championed financial inclusion on the continent and the world, a zeal that steered the Bank of Tanzania into undertaking massive initiatives to innovate and develop information technology to revolutionize the offering of financial services and bring on board the majority of the adult population, making Tanzania one of the best performers in financial inclusion in the world.
No wonder thus, as soon as he ended his BOT career, National & International recognition and invitations started streaming in.
3.10 In 2018, Prof Ndulu became the Chair of Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial on Development, UDSM.
3.11 On September 27, 2019, South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa, appointed Prof Ndulu member of the new Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
3.12 H.E Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, appointed Prof Ndulu in the same capacity on the recommendation of Dr. Yinager Desse, the Governor of the Central Bank of Ethiopia.
3.13 Prof. Ndulu turned down a similar offer from H.E President Paul Kagame of Rwanda due to his busy schedule.
3.14 Prof Ndulu was sitting on the Board of Directors of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
3.15 Prof Ndulu had a Special Talent Resident Permit granted by the British Government for his involvement in the Board of Directors of Oxford where he spent most of his time after retirement as Governor. The said permit allowed him to live in Britain for five years. Prof Ndulu was one of very few exceptional Africans to have been accorded this distinguished honour and privilege.
4. Prof. Ndulu Breathes His Last
Prof. Ndulu died at dawn on Monday, February 22, 2021 at the Herbert Kairuki Hospital, Dar es Salaam and was survived by a widow, Mariam, two daughters Ndulika & Sara and a son, Lindu as well as two grandchildren ie Rosemary & Benno.
5. Concluding Remarks
Prof Ndulu was an incredibly visionary leader who nurtured and impacted many individuals and economies as he was always a source of wisdom and guidance.
Prof Ndulu was one of Africa's most Iconic economists, a powerhouse in development economics and a remarkable leader. There is an old saying that goes "When an oldman dies, a whole library burns to the ground". When Prof Ndulu died, many libraries burnt to the ground!
Prof. Ndulu's legacy will live on in many ways and in several institutions and individuals that he enriched and inspired. He left an indelible mark at the Bank of Tanzania and no wonder Dr. Kikwete stated, on April 22, 2021-:
"I have no doubt in my mind that Prof Ndulu will be remembered as having been one of the Best Governors in the history of the Bank of Tanzania".
HAPPY 72nd BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN, Prof. BENNO JOSEPH NDULU!!!
