Former Presidential candidate and renowned Nigerian economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has advocated for robust discussion which would lead to solution among Nigerians, instead of engaging of apportioning blames in the hit of insecurity, poverty and other leadership concerns in the country.
Utomi who spoke in Abuja during a one-day strategic conversation on the state of the nation organised by Nigeria Patroits Renaissance Forum said time has come for credible leaders who would fix numerous problems facing the nation to take drastic actions.
Explaining the rationale behind the conversation platform, the Delta state-born Professor said, “As I go around Nigeria, I have found out that most Nigerians are in despair. They’ve even given up on their country and that’s very dangerous thing to happen to any people and unfortunately. The question is therefore, why are Nigerians so distrust why are Nigerians so unhappy, why are our leader’s trading abuses and insult everyday across for one another, it seems to me that it is because we are not having rational public conversation which should focus on the common good of all.
“There’s a sense in which people think the Nigerian state is hijacked and being privatised, there’s a sense in which people think elections are meaningless in Nigeria, there’s a sense in which there’s a level of distrust. We need to engage all critical stakeholders’ groups but we are starting from the group I like to refer to as complacent middle…”
Also speaking, the National chairman of African Democratic Party (ADC) Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu said time has come for various political parties to evolve new ways of engaging and giving back to the society, adding, “There has been this concern, we’ve been hearing a lot of noise from the so-called political leaders that the voice of the citizens are not being heard again. So thinking that some leaders came together, what do we need to do? We need to start engaging the citizens so that their voice will start to matter.”
On his part, former a former presidential candidate Professor Peter Nwangwu said, “We need a Nigeria where there will be a total mindset reengineering. There is need to clean up the rubbish from bottom to top, and let’s have a society that is equitable because there are good people in Nigeria. There are intelligent Nigerians. If we run this country right, it will be one of the best places on earth to live, people will come to this country because God has blessed this country so much, but we’ve made an incredible mess of it.”
There were contributions from others who spoke on various areas in the state of the nation including – Leadership challenge, National security, economy, corruption index, political development & credible elections, building consensus and citizens’ participation, amongst others.
