Joy Anyim
Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, Lagos, Prof. Pat Utomi, has called on the Federal Government to evolve new strategy in policy formulation and decision making in order to salvage the country from economic decline.Prof. Utomi, who spoke at the fourth Convocation Lecture of McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, a faith-based university, noted that the current challenges, bedeviling the nation were indices that Nigeria is dying, hence the need for urgent steps to restore the country to the path of glory.
Speaking on the topic, “Saving Capitalism from the Capitalists”, Utomi condemned the decision of the Federal Government to shut the borders, saying there were better ways of tackling the issue of smuggling.
He revealed that intelligence at his disposal showed that most of the big time smugglers were heads of state of neighbouring countries, hence the need to change the country’s counter-smuggling approach.
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The convocation lecturer also drew attention to the nation’s politics, as Utomi said Nigeria has never had an election since 1999.
He said: The poverty in the land is palpable, you can feel it, you can touch it. The unemployment of the young people losing hope is one of the major challenges. The incredible level of violence around the whole place, whether it’s in the north, where you can hardly travel anywhere by road, or kidnapping in the South-East or South-South, all of these are indications of decline, but we can turn things around, that is the most important.
“But we have to change many things if we have to make the kind of progress our country needs to make. Our politics is a disgrace. We have never had an election in Nigeria; we can fool ourselves, starting from 1999. I have the evidence, but the bad thing is that it keeps getting worst with every election and we keep thinking that somehow there will be learning and we can grow, but it keep getting worst.
“So the legitimacy of the Nigerian state is essentially being eaten away and one day what results will be anarchy because of the declining legitimacy of the state.
“We need to be strategic with the way we do things, and not all these patch work. We have just signed an AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) deal and we are looking for open borders, free trade in Africa and we are closing our borders. Those things don’t go together.
“Yes there might be challenges and there can be better ways of dealing with them. Why is it better to get things into Benin Republic and smuggle them into Nigeria? What can be done?
“Some of the biggest smugglers are heads of state of our neighbouring countries, that is their biggest personal business, and we know that, we have information, our intelligence have these things.”
While also admonishing the 92 graduating students of the university, who were being awarded degrees in various disciplines, Utomi urged them to be focused, set goals, and work hard to reach their goals.
In his charge to the graduating students, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Agunbiade, encouraged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.
Agunbiade, who described the graduands as the Elites Class, urged them to in line with the school’s vision, place premium on their integrity, go out with strong determination and great enthusiasm to impact their generation positively.
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The Vice -Chancellor said: “Our highly celebrated graduands of today have chosen for themselves to be called the Elites Class of 2019 Champions. This special set of our graduating students received this name because throughout their stay on campus, they distinguished themselves in elitist manner.
“They demonstrated strong moral courage and boldness in making choices. They saw themselves as giants where others cringed in fear of not being able to make it. Today, the world around you is celebrating you because you have conquered!
“As Elites, you must know where you are going. Elite teams maintain high standards of integrity; you must own your actions and eliminate excuses from your vocabulary, always choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, challenge the status quo thinking and processes and try new things even if it makes people uncomfortable.”
