A political economist, Pat Utomi, has stated that decades of leadership failures have made Nigerians disillusioned.
Utomi made the remarks on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 15th Anniversary of Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE) in Lagos.
He lamented that the failure of the political class has left the nation distant from the aspirations once held by its young people.
Utomi said the country’s leadership failures were central to its sluggish development trajectory.
The event, held on Wednesday night in Lagos, was themed “Footprints and Frontlines.”
He recalled a 1996 interview in which he joked that Nigeria might progress faster if its political and military elite were given an island and all the nation’s oil resources, on the condition that they never returned.
He noted that although the remark was made in humour, it still captured the frustrations many Nigerians feel today.
He said, “When we were students 50 years ago, dreaming of Nigeria’s future, we never imagined it would become this.
“Sadly, Socrates’ concerns about democracy remain relevant, that it can sometimes become a contest of numbers rather than a contest of moral conviction.”
He said national renewal would require a shift in civic consciousness, adding that Nigerians had the power to drive positive change when properly organised.
Utomi recalled the formation of the Concerned Professionals in 1993 following the annulment of the June 12 election, noting that the group arose because many educated citizens placed national interest above personal gain.
He also cited a 1995 meeting of the Integrity Movement, during which business leaders were urged to publicly reject bribery, though only three agreed to do so.
“Imagine if all 60 major business leaders had taken that stand. Imagine where Nigeria would be today,” he said.
On the future of civic activism, he stressed that each generation must define and pursue its own mission.
“I have contributed across two generations. It is now the duty of the next generation to determine its path,” he added.
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