Renowned political economist and former presidential candidate Professor Pat Utomi shares his thoughts with Biodun Busari on the challenges and possible solutions to the myriad challenges plaguing the country.
Why does it seem so difficult for the 64-year-old Nigerian to get it right?
As a country, we are in a state-building phase. Let’s be honest: we experience falls, rises, starts, and stops. Nation building is not an easy task. Every time we stumble, we must learn from the reason behind the setback. Just like a child learning how to walk, if he falls down he looks around to see if anyone is watching and then gets back up.
One of the challenges we face is that as a nation we do not reflect enough when faced with challenges. We neglect to ask why we stumbled or why we still don’t get it right.
Many of the stories surrounding our journey seem to focus on the individual. I listened to Dr. Akin Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, in his Guardian lecture, and he was very clear. If we continue on our current path, the world will never take us seriously.
He called on Nigeria’s leaders to do things differently to ensure the world takes Nigeria seriously and to make progress.
If you look at our starts and stops, our declines and our rises, it is clear that there are important learning points. One clear lesson is that our values must shape human progress. No matter what happens, the country cannot move forward. Without values that we must respect, we will struggle.
As it stands, this country is a nation of swindlers, with politicians behaving like thugs, using resources meant for the public good for their own personal gain.
These are the stories of Nigeria and any serious person would be reluctant to engage in trade with such people. As a result, the potential benefits of trade are lost.
What are the possible solutions to this country’s challenges?
If we are to change Nigeria’s narrative and intentionally address failure, we need to consider two key factors. First, the crisis of values in Nigeria has reached epidemic proportions. Politicians wake up every day and tell blatant lies without thinking, and cheating has become something to be proud of. They see this behavior as acceptable because they see politics as just a game. In such cultures, individuals are not seen as trustworthy and this perpetuates poverty throughout the country.
Second, the strength of our organization is paramount. In the United States, strong institutions push back when faced with a less-than-great president, ultimately paving the way for better leadership and a more prosperous society. By contrast, our institutions are weak and politicians often undermine and dismantle them. As a result, the global perception of Nigeria’s judicial system is a subject of ridicule, and the Independent National Electoral Commission is often seen as a laughing stock.
When institutions lack credibility, the legitimacy of governance is called into question, leading people to believe that elections are just a sham, regardless of the truth.
For example, Al Gore could have challenged George Bush on the results of the 2000 US presidential election, but he put the future of the US above his own ambitions. This highlights the importance Americans place on the sanctity of their institutions to ensure social progress. Historians, politicians, and Nobel Prize winners in economics consistently emphasize the important role that institutions play in driving economic development.
A few weeks ago, you were part of the Patriots calling for a people-based constitution. Is Nigeria really about the constitution and the people in the corridors of power?
It’s both. However, actions are more important than documents. Britain does not have a written constitution, but it does have a functioning one. Therefore, customs and values largely determine how we move forward. With guidance, those values are more likely to be channeled into achieving larger goals.
What is the importance of New Tribes in the development of the Nigerian nation?
We wanted to start an initiative for citizens, rather than for the “big guys” to relax and decide what society should be like. It’s a citizens’ movement. We must add value to our institutions and nation-building. This is the theme of “New Tribes”.
It’s pretty diaspora-based. By the way, it is for all Nigerians around the world. One of its activities is to bring the diaspora to the center of the conversation. Because we cannot pretend that the diaspora is not part of us. This is why the government insists that Nigerians in the diaspora do not have the right to vote, even though this is not the case in other countries. They contribute to our economy but are ignored in the voting process. But when it comes to “The New Tribe,” they are very central to the movement.
Our focus is on the people, not the government. When the Nigerian government realizes this, it will eventually have no choice. In fact, the government knows this, which is why it established the Commission for Diaspora Nigerians. But the government understands that Nigerians in the diaspora are more rational and will vote out a bad government. And people in government are afraid of discrete voting because they are corrupt. But it’s not something they can endure for long. It’s seasonal. we have to deal with it.
