In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today from 37:00, renowned political economist Professor Pat Utomi delivered a blunt assessment of Nigeria’s political landscape, offering a self-critical reflection on his own generation’s role in the country’s struggles. As Nigeria marks its 64th independence anniversary, Utomi made a bold statement, expressing his willingness to face extreme consequences if it meant addressing Nigeria’s enduring political and economic woes.
“I’m willing to go to the firing squad if it could stop the mess in Nigeria. I assure you, I’m willing to do that,” Utomi said emphatically during his conversation with Politics Today host Seun Okinbaloye.
The conversation focused on Nigeria’s socio-political challenges and the accountability of the older generation in perpetuating the country’s issues. Okinbaloye had earlier questioned why the same set of faces and similar ideas dominate the country’s leadership, even decades after independence.
“It’s good to hold the generation of Pat Utomi accountable for the mess Nigeria is in today because he and his generation are the ones that have ruled us for the last 30 or more years,” Okinbaloye remarked. He added, somewhat in jest, “If we are going to put them to the firing squad, I think tonight we need to decide.”
Okinbaloye clarified that his comment about the firing squad was figurative, but Utomi’s response conveyed a deeper frustration with Nigeria’s political status quo.
Utomi also acknowledged the failures of the newer generation, conceding that they could have acted sooner to “get rid of these people,” referring to entrenched political figures who have been at the helm of Nigeria’s governance for decades.
“Your generation is complicit,” Utomi said. “I wrote this book Why Not, where I talked about state capture and the criminal hijack of politics in Nigeria. The central theme of that book is essentially the complicit meadow. Your generation could have acted a long time ago to get rid of these people.”
Utomi also reflected on his own rise to prominence, which occurred when he was noticed on television by Nigeria’s then-Vice President, without the influence of a political godfather. “We had leaders who thought that way in those days,” he said. “But today, it’s about who’s from my village, who will do this or that.”
He emphasized that Nigeria’s current political system is reclaimable, but only if there is a shift in mindset and leadership. “That’s what we need to change in Nigeria,” he said. “If we change that, our country is reclaimable.”