Tuesday, October 22, 2024 – Renowned economist, Prof. Pat Utomi,
has described Nigeria as a "failure," attributing the nation’s
decline to a ‘’lack of alternative thinking and the capture of both the
legislature and judiciary.''
Utomi made these comments during an interview with Punch, where he
criticised the current state of Nigeria’s political and economic systems.
Utomi expressed his dismay over the current National Assembly, stating
that it is the "worst thing that has happened to the country" as it
has 'failed to provide a platform for meaningful debates that could help solve
Nigeria's problems.' According to him, the political class is more focused on
self-interest than the common good.
“Nigeria is a failure right now; democracy is not working. We all know
that; anybody who does not know that is fooling himself. We have total judicial
capture; we have legislative capture, so there is no alternative thinking in
the country," Utomi said.
He added that in times of crisis, such as the one Nigeria currently
faces, the nation should adopt a "war cabinet" approach, with leaders
and citizens pulling together to solve problems. Instead, Utomi said, the
leadership continues to live lavishly, calling on Nigerians to sacrifice while
failing to lead by example.
“When you have that kind of problem, you come to the point that James
Robinson was making when he says a classic example is Nigeria which knows what
to do but cannot seem to do it," he noted.
Utomi highlighted the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo
as a model, recalling his decision in 1976/1977 to adopt a low-profile mode of
governance during the oil crisis, cutting personal expenses and travel. He
contrasted this with today’s political class, accusing them of misusing public
resources.
"Anybody who watches the way people in power spend public resources
cannot take seriously any statement that this is a time of sacrifice. So, the
problem begins with them. Intense political commitment is not there," he
said.
On Nigeria's economic troubles, Utomi argued that political actors must
recognise that the country is in a crisis akin to war. He stressed that
political will and a unified approach are necessary to turn things around,
warning against politicians focusing on stockpiling money for future elections.
Utomi also addressed Nigeria's adherence to International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and World Bank policies, suggesting that while these institutions provide
templates, it is the responsibility of the local political class to evaluate
and adapt them to the nation's specific needs.
“IMF can have a template, but what is responsible for the outcome is not
their template; it is how local actors politically live their way through doing
the right things for growth and development for their country," he
explained.
He lamented that Nigeria's failure stems from the political class’s lack
of patriotism, ignorance, or self-centeredness, preventing them from thinking
of the common good.
“This is where Nigeria has been a tragic failure because the political
class and its elites, particularly the legal elite, have not acted as patriots
either because they are ignorant or because they are too pathologically
self-centred to think of the common good," Utomi concluded.
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