Utomi Pat

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@AyodejiJoda

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

When I read Olusoji Apampa’s new book Integrity and his tribute to then Cadcbury’s MD Christopher Kolade, Surveyor Adekunle Kukoyi and myself as the only Business Leaders in the council of the chambers of commerce and industry willing to make a public declaration they would not give or take a bribe more than 30 years ago when CBI came calling I am even more thankful for habit.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

I am not unmindful of the apparent costs my disposition carries and so have been ever grateful to an understanding spouse and children. I am even more grateful to providence and the talents granted that allow that jar never to run dry so that we manage a decent Middle class life in spite the assault from a culture differently inclined

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

It is these principles and formation from faith and institutions of faith that I owe the consistency my habits have enabled. When I say I have never taken a bribe and challenge anyone who says different to just point to the incident, not even with evidence, it is trust in these habits I turn to not personal courage.. This is why a chapter from autobiographical reflections 27 years ago, To Serve Is to Live, was titled Courageous Coward.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

This general orientation has been why I have typically ignored those who put at my feet the ascendance of APC. Some of them are die-hard Goodluck Jonathan supporters, others are Buhari bashers, etc.
Tony Uranta and Gen Azazi may have passed but Denzel Kentebe, an Intelligence Officer Ben Okwuwolu and President Jonathan himself can confirm the level of personal risk and effort I put into his overcoming the cabal when President Yar’adua took ill. This was collectively as part of the Save Nigeria group and more privately as part of a Niger Delta Caucus .
When the doctrine of necessity gave Jonathan power I worked with a team to develop a road map for how he would govern. On the day the we presented the road map to the Acting President in his home, he casually said he was thankful, noting we had been spending our own money fighting his course but now that he had Deziani in place as Minister of Petroleum all would be ok for us In the culture that has taken root in Nigeria it could be an innocuous remark but for me it reduced all the risks and troubles I had taken to personal material pay off. It troubled my core. I would come no where near the Villa for the next six years.
When re-election after 5 years was prioritized over reforms that would have strategic impact for the common good as I saw it, I knew I would not support the ticket in 2015.
In the years since 2007 I had worked closely with Chief Anthony Enahoro to bring the progressives or people focused Fabian socialists, together. When Chief Enahoro died leadership passed to Chief Olu Falae. Much of my time then was spent trying to bridge the gap between Chief Falae and BAT with hardly any success. Chief Falae favored our working closely with Gen Buhari who he figured would focus on fighting corruption while we gave steam to building a great country. That effort collapsed on the eve of the 2011 elections when Buhari torpedoed work on opposition consensus just as ANPP candidate for President and incumbent Kano Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, had forewarn me as outcome native to Buhari’s character.
Our work plan at the meetings of opposition candidates for President, then taking place at Protea Hotel in Maitama, had all stepping down when we came to a consensus around one person. I was candidate for the Social Democrats. The primary reason Chief Falae wanted me as Presidential candidate was so I could drive that process.
A week to the elections Buhari stopped showing up at the meetings. In anger I declared Shekarau the consensus person and stepped down two days to elections.
In 2013 BAT who had not quite warmed up to the opposition strategies in 2011 invited me to go with him to meet Buhari. I told him I had grown cold on Buhari and doubted he would succeed. He went on and kept me briefed. Drawing from lessons from my conversations with Shekerau I told BAT he was unlikely to succeed but if he did I would support.
The improbable happened. He succeeded, and as man of my word I supported the outcome in hope a stout fight against corruption would be my consolation.
Not long after he was elected Buhari began to make Dirigiste remarks on the economy. These statist command and control statements alarmed me and traveled in a direction different from the road map written by Yemi Osinbajo, who would become Buhari’s VP, Wake Edun and myself, at the request of BAT.
I feared disaster. So months before Buhari announced a cabinet I pointed to a looming tragedy and quietly distanced myself from the government.
Hopefully, if God allows life, comprehensive memoirs will be written someday.
My choices may many times be far from perfect but they typically respond to a set of principles. They include an Ubuntu disposition that I am because we are and, as a result, a desire to subordinate self to a greater good was central to my essence. That perceived greater good must, however, not clash with social justice or the dignity of the human person.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

I have been shaped by a view affected by early contact with the ideas of Stephen R Covey, in addition to formation and socialization strongly influenced by faith and faith institutions. One outcome is that I make effort to base my choices on principles. It is a struggle but I make effort to persevere in that struggle.
Can staying with principles make a person seem rigid or inflexible. Yes it can. I have therefore been intentional in seeking collaboration with a rainbow of orientations if the outcome could advance the common good. This has helped me overcome prejudice and stereotypes and to stay focused on the dignity of the human person. My guard has been that once it is clear that the outcome would violate core principles I walk away quietly. No bad mouthing of those we tried to work with and found bound in a path different from what we hoped for. Just a walk away and
seeking new paths. This is central to why I have been at the founding of a few political tracks and quietly stayed away when true colors showed.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

Following comments I have seen here on X has provided me insights on the matter of public conversation, and human nature. Far too many are quick to make bombastic comments on what they know so little about or are quick to accused others falsely or with no evidence. I thought this worthy of ponder because I would like to encourage talented people who stay away from the public sphere for fear of this bullying.
On my other handle I have been recently charged with manipulating outcome of Business plan competition for youth in favor of a rich kid, removing winners in Party primaries for stakeholder favored ones, for being responsible for everything that has gone wrong in Nigeria since we ‘installed APC’ in 2015.
I typically ignore these kinds of remarks convinced that truth always prevails. It may take time. History indicates that it does. I just thought I should use the questions to illustrate how people should approach contentious remarks.
On the Business plan matter. Many years ago I thought value could be add value to lives of young people in my faith community. Worked with Priests and youth groups to provide some entrepreneurship lessons and a competition on business plans. It was all free and very expensive to me in terms of my time and other opportunity costs.
I got some of my colleagues to chime in with time and other resources. I was neither a judge or played any role in giving whatever prizes may have been on offer to people who paid nothing as far as I know. But someone has borne a grudge on that for a decade. How people give themselves mental health stress for no reason.
Then there is the of substituting contestants for tickets for public office. The desperation I witnessed was pathetic. Can service be time motivation for all that? I supported no one and substituted no one. All I ever did was encourage all to see the benefit of seeing the collective above self.
I will take on the other one in my next post.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

It is the last day of November, the month we pray for all the departed close to us. What a November. Quite a few very dear to me passed on. I anchor my prayers for them on Dan Agbese. Great journalist, remarkable human being and champion for justice. Thankful to God it was an impactful and charming life.

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

On Thanksgiving Day I had much to be thankful for. Besides the Integrity Organization, Enough is Enough marking 15 years made a film highlighting the Citizenship of my role in Concerned Professionals during the June 12 struggle. I hear one or two other documentaries along similar lines are in the works. As I return to Nigeria I hold on to the words from a remarkable exec: it’s easy to assume you are alone. There are many like you not loudly spoken. I thank God

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

The Integrity Organization which started as Convention on Business Integrity marked 30 years of determined engagement with great aplomb this week. I was honored along with a personal role model Elder Felix Ohiwerei for consistent integrity. I am thankful to God for the grace that enabled me to be found worthy. Appreciate Tola Oni of CVL for standing in for me

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@ruffydfire I wondered about that

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@VaticanNews @Card_R_Sarah May our hearts never grow cold towards the weak, vulnerable and those persecuted for their faith

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

America’s big celebration, Thanksgiving is today. It is right and just to give thanks. I give thanks for the gift of life, for the gift of friends and neighbors and conscience which teaches me that love is ever stronger than hate and that though justice and mercy embrace the dignity of the human person rules

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@ruffydfire

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@UtomiPat

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

Can we at least begin with candid discussion of the key issues that hold us back. Education, health care, institutions and values. If we have rational conversations on these matters and enthrone merit over emotions in critical sectors we can be way on our way. And it will be win-win

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

@ruffydfire

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

Value of love comes through in the great debate two modern German philoshers, one a theologian the other thin on faith:

[Utomi Pat @PutomiPat]

Honored yesterday in Indianapolis by the Nigerian community