The political economist Professor Pat Utomi recently stated that Nigeria’s governing class has disappointed its populace, causing the country to diverge significantly from the hopes its younger citizens once cherished. He delivered these comments on Wednesday during the 15th-anniversary celebration of Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), a civil society group in Lagos that promotes better governance, which is headed by activist Mrs. Yemi Adamolekun. Utomi maintained that the persistent failures of the nation’s leadership are the primary factor behind its slow pace of development. The Lagos event on Wednesday night was titled “Footprints and Frontlines.” He brought up a humorous comment he made in a 1996 interview, suggesting Nigeria might improve quicker if its political and military elite were exiled to an island with all the country’s oil wealth, provided they never came back, noting that even though it was a joke, it still reflects current widespread Nigerian frustration. He explained that many decades of inadequate leadership have intensified the public’s feeling of disappointment. Utomi remarked that when he and his peers were students five decades ago, they envisioned a future for Nigeria that is completely different from its current reality. He added that the reservations Socrates held about democracy still apply, suggesting it risks becoming a competition focused on sheer numbers rather than one rooted in moral principles. According to him, revitalizing the nation necessitates a change in civic mindset, asserting that organized Nigerians possess the ability to bring about constructive change. Utomi recalled the founding of the Concerned Professionals in 1993 after the June 12 election annulment, highlighting that the organization formed because many educated individuals prioritized national benefit over their personal interests. He also mentioned a 1995 gathering of the Integrity Movement where 60 prominent business figures were encouraged to publicly denounce corruption, but only three committed to the stance. He posed the question of the nation’s potential success had all 60 leaders taken that moral position. Regarding the future of citizen action, he emphasized the need for every successive generation to identify and chase its own distinct goals, concluding that having contributed across two generations, the responsibility to forge a path now rests with the next one.
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