Pat Utomi
A renowned
political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, on Thursday, said less than 60 persons
had been determining Nigeria’s fortunes for
the past 51 years, noting that
elections into public offices were merely ceremonial.
Utomi
described the few power brokers as the “club of capture” and attributed
Nigeria’s woes to them.
He spoke in
Lagos during a public lecture organised by the Evangelical Christian Union
Alumni Fellowship.
The lecture
was held to raise awareness on the need to elect people of integrity ahead of
the 2019 general elections.
Utomi’s
lecture, “Healing a bleeding nation,” addressed the causes of Nigeria’s
underdevelopment, institutional failures and how a few people ran the country
aground for many years.
“Today’s
politicians are mentally ill-equipped. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was
surrounded by intellectuals and professors. These days, the opposite is the
case. Pimps accompany our politicians. This ‘class of capture’ has inflicted an
anti-intellectual culture on the country,” he said.
The former
presidential candidate added that oil would be irrelevant to the country in the
next 12 years, warning that if Nigerian leaders refused to act and invest in
human resources, the country would remain backward.
Utomi also
described the National Assembly as one of the biggest problems of Nigeria’s
democracy.
The
political economist noted that Nigeria must emulate Singapore where only the
brightest minds assume positions of authority.
He said,
“The club of capture can be grouped into three categories. The first is the
moderniser wannabes. The value system of this category sabotaged their desire.
The second are the narcissistic influencers, who are so consumed by their
self-love. These people are contented with whoever is in power so far they can
appoint the oil minister and others. The last are the entitlement-minded ones.
Nigeria has become the entitlement of the last category.
“When those
in the club of capture lose legitimacy, they look for ways to circumnavigate.
They look for weak persons to push into positions of authorities so they don’t
lose their grip on power. Nigeria has suffered from power capture for 51 years.
Less than 60 persons have been deciding our fortunes for the past 51 years.
When President Muhammadu Buhari travelled abroad for medical vacation, they
(club of capture) gathered people together to decide who would be president and
vice-president. There has never really been an election in Nigeria. But there
is hope for Nigeria.”
No comments:
Post a Comment