In Honour of Pat Utomi @ 50
“Whoever compiles any list of Nigeria’s most authentic role models and refuses to include the name of Dr. Patrick Okedinachi Utomi simply wants to team up with those who quarrel with success… If you have ever read a newspaper or watched television, you must know Prof. Pat Utomi… Those who have encountered him say he can motivate you to walk through a wall and listening to him is like listening to a sage…”– Sun Newspapers
Mentorship. Leadership. Next Generation… If those words mean anything to you, then you will understand why it is important to celebrate Nigeria’s best while they are with us. Pat Utomi needs no introduction. From discussions and newspaper pages to boardrooms and your living room (through the television), he brings his wealth of wisdom to bear on issues such as entrepreneurship, mentorship for young Nigerians, good governance and upholding the common good.
A fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria and a senior Faculty of the Lagos Business School (Pan African University), Prof. Patrick Okedinachi Utomi is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Centre for Applied Economics at the Lagos Business School. He has served in senior positions in government, as an Adviser to the President of Nigeria (at the age of 27); the Private Sector, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria; and in academia. He is the author of several management and public policy books including the award-winning “Managing Uncertainty: Competition and Strategy in Emerging Economies”. His academic background covers a range from Policy Economics, Business Administration, and Political Science to Mass Communication. As an entrepreneur he has founded or co-founded companies that are active in fields including financial services, ICT, and media. Among the 16 boards on which he serves as Chairman are Platinum Bank Limited (now Platinum-Habib Bank, following the banking consolidation exercise), Leapfrog Venture Partners, BusinessDay Media Ltd, Graceland (the New Jersey, USA, Chocolate manufacturer), and Arivia.Kom Nigeria, the subsidiary of the South African IT Group.[1]
Prof. Utomi is married (with five children) to Dr. Linda Ifeoma Utomi, a consultant orthodontist and member of the Faculty of the College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital. A look at the life of this distinguished son of the nation and tall citizen of the world reveals that no one — except maybe you — can stop you from attaining to the heights you so much desire! This year (on the 6th of February), Pat Utomi turns 50. It is instructive to note that in these days that Nigeria — and Nigerians — are coming to terms with the need for exemplary leadership, mentorship for young people and elevating the common good above self interest, honouring individuals such as Prof. Pat Utomi go way beyond individual celebration.
Scheduled to hold the day before Pat Utomi turns 50, a forum has been put together with young people in mind — with the hope that Nigeria’s youth will have the opportunity to learn from the life of this mentor of mentors, and also join hands in weaving a New Nigeria (one that we can all proudly call home). Details of the event follow:
Lead Speaker:
Prof Eghosa Osaghae, Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University
Panelists:
Segun Adeniyi, Hon Chris Asoluka, Niyi Adesanya and ‘Gbenga Sesan
Theme:
“Advancing the Course of Democracy and Rule of Law in Nigeria: Beyond a Messianic Agenda”
Venue:
Resource Centre, Anifowoshe street, Victoria Island, Lagos
Date:
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Time:
2pm prompt (Guests must be seated by 1:45pm)
Meanwhile, other activities that have been designed in celebration of Prof. Pat Utomi include:
24th January:
Special edition of Patito’s Gang (“Leadership, Mentorship and the Next Generation”), with the panel led by Rueben Abati, and featuring ‘Gbenga Sesan, Linus Okorie, Niyi Adesanya, Fela Durotoye, Lanre Kupoluyi and Taiwo Akerele;
31st January:
Readings from the book, “Why Nations are Poor,” at the Lagos Business School cafetaria (from 3pm to 5pm) by Prof. Pat Utomi, Doyin Salami, and others;
4th February:
Thanksgiving Mass at the Church of Assumption, Falomo (2pm). Mass will be co-celebrated by Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie and the Archbishop of the Owerri Catholic Diocese;
6th February:
Center for Values in Leadership 3rd annual lecture and book presentation (“Why Nations are Poor”) at 11am. Venue will be the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island.
[1] Culled (with adaptations) from http://www.whartonglobal.com/wgbf2003/africa/pat_utomi.asp
pls. I will like to get informatiom on this people and I will love if you help me in getting them. niyi adesanya,fela durojaiye and lanre kupoloyi. I am a student of unilag(urban and regional planning. 200level) and I have been to some of their conference here in the school,which I love and with this I decide to organise a leadership programme for student of secondery school within my area. I WILL THEM TO BE MY GUEST SPEAKER BUT MOST IMPORTANT I WENT TO KNOW WHAT IT WILL COST TO HAVE THEM. THE PROGRAMME AS BEEN PROPOSE FOR JULY i.e THIS MONTH AND I NEED ALL THE INFORMATION TO CREATE AN IMPART IN THE LIFE OF THIS YOUNG ADULT THAT I AM PLANNING THE PROGRAMME FOR ………PLEASE TREAT THIS WITH ALL THE URGENCE IN BECAUSE I WILL LOVE TO INVOLVE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAMME. THE LAST WEEK OF JULY…………I NEED YOU TO MAKE IT WORK FOR ME AND IF THERE IS NEED TO SEND OTHER DETAILS ON THE PROGRAMME PLANNING AND WHAT WE WISH TO DO I WILL BE GLAD TO SEND IT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR CARING.. UGURUWE . JOHN
how do i join the campaign team of uncle pat. i am 34year old lawyer. practising here in lagos. i live at 16 balogun street abule oja yaba
dear friends
i need to contact pat to let him know how i feel about the lopsided treatment of delta northerners by ibori’s administration. we wanted anioma state and ended up being lumped together with urhobos and itsekiris. it has not worked out at all at all at all. please give us back anioma state!!!!! we have been treated as second class citizens. nowonder edos refused to be grouped with them. please contact me pat. i have serious suggestions.
Hello to you
I am a Entreprenuership and student leadership teacher in Chilliwack British Columbia Canada (one hour east of Vancouver), I have been very interested in the work of Mr.Utomi and would like to make contact with him. My daughter and I will be in Nigeria in November of this year and I should very much like to include a visit with him in our plans. how do I contact Pat Utomi?
thanks
Steve Anderson
Hi All,
I will like to contact Pat Utomi also. Can you please send his contact details. Either Email, Mobile Phone or both will do thanks
hello every one,
i’ld like to commend prof pat utomi.
he is indeed the very role model that the nigerian youths need.
i have been greatly inspired by him in so many ways
Keep up the good work Prof.
“more grease to your elbows!”
Hello,
I believe any right thinking Nigerian should endorse Prof Otomi as the president of this great Nation. The cap doesn’t just fit, it is evidently custom-made.Apart from the personal trumpets I’ve been blowing, I want to know how I can be incorporated in the campaign plans so we can make this dream a reality.
Utomi for President!
Richard Ononiwu
Banker
Calabar
Hi,
It’s encouraging to see hope revived again for Nigeria’s disillusioned youths. A value re-orientation in matters of leadership, integrity and excellence is essential to the cultural fabric of our society.Someone said,’ show me the man that you honour & I’ll show you your ideals of manhood,the sort of man you long to be’.I am thankful that God is raising a new crop of individuals to whom the next generation can look up to. Congrats to the Prof. The world is watching!
It seems to be a unanimous decision that Pat Utomi is the right candidate for the Herculean task of steering the Nigerian ship of state towards more prosperous shores. My concern is one of representation. I have not heard much from our brothers in the north. They are not always very vocal in mass media. However one would expect that exceptions can be made when there is a need for it. What do the enlightened brethren in the North think of Pat Utomi as President?
Not that I know that it matters.
However like Pat said himself in his book “To serve is to Live” and quoting Nicolo Machiavelli – It must be noted that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.
For the reformer has fierce enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all who could profit by the new order…..page 52 -To Serve is to Live -by Pat Utomi
Dear Sir,
I wish to inform you that God has made you to be a winner for this 2007 presidential election.
I wish to inform you to stay away from the enemy because you are like a David whom won by defeating his enemies. How many times can you win your enemy and are accepted?
God has ordained you to be a leader, remember your followers. I wish to inform you to move ahead with God manifestation because he has already made you to conquer your enemy.
Long life, prosperity and Success.
Regards,
Chuks.
In a country where the babarian principles of ‘end to reason’ and of ‘moral conscience’ plays a great deal of dominance in the political plathform, I wonder how the brilliance of utomi could be allowed by men of trigger and muscle to come into full light.
Pat Utomi would represents a new era of politics in the nigerian history. An era of massive progressive revolusion and a metamophosis of great economic discovery in the first time history of Nigeria. Who ever doubts him definatly doubts the history of this country. We must give this man the way into the Nigerian helm of affires.
Prof. Utomi is a welcome breath of fresh air especially at this time of elections in Nigeria, he has distinguished himself in so many ways and so many times he is my role model.
He is probably the only aspirant who has an ideas driven agenda for the country his vision is clear and his theories are sound and very realistically workable.
I am a proponent for change and as such I will vote Prof. Utomi no doubt come election day, but the crux of the matter is will the elections be free and fair, wont the powers that be muscle their candidate into power again, even with all this talk of checkmating all attempts to hijack again the machinery, what can people like Utomi do against the ‘bigplayers’.
All this against the backdrop of the dire situation of the average Nigerian who due to his smetimes desperate condition can sell his vote for a t-shirt or any immediate reward which temporarily recognises him, or the defeated Nigerian who beleives the ’selections’ have already been carried out and thus sees no need to waste his time voting inadvertently ceeding his vote to the riggers.
There are other cases which I wouldnt go into but suffice it to say that whatever happens these are the beginings of change in our political landscape and even if Utomi doesnt win we will rest in the confidence that there is glory in participation and soon we just might get it right, because as Prof. Utomi puts it ‘when a nation gets to the bottom it has nowhere else to go but up’ Nigeria can only get better.
NICE ONE SIR!!!!!
UTOMI FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!
Pat Utomi
You are the man of character Nigeria needs at this time. Nigerians all over the world are looking forward to a knowledgeable President like to give us a sense of identity and direction in a country and world where we are treated as citizenless persons and groups. I see you as the only credible candidate among the whole lot of contestants. Others have the money but you have the stuff for leadership and development. I am happy you accepted and presented yourself for the presidental election. Nigerians have the choice or option between good and bad.
I am praying for your miraculous triumph. I am not disturbed whether our vote for you is majority or minority but know that under normal circumstances you will win.
God is with you for Nigeria’s redemption
i still think that nigerian should know what actual good for them, prof pat utomi is one.
if one who is as learned as you can make this country come out of 3rd world counutry to industrialised desired country. A man i know that has a solution to unemployment in this country. i mean i have listened to him. he will naturally win the election on a contest level not on rigging style. I pray God for the a country of our thought.
My vote will definitely count, amen
It great to know that great minds like pat are contesting in the race of people that over aso rock. sir , it nice and i wish you lucky and hope people with like minds like ours will vote you in sir. GOD BLESS NIGERIA
my comment is about one of the heros of our time, prof pat utomi, my first encounter with this academic giant was on the screen of my televison set in patito’s gang well you can say i kept a date with the gang from then on. i admired his courage in tackling issues. when he contested the last poles knowing so well that the odds were against him still he fought on in his bid to make a change . sir you touched a lot of people i can tell you that my partner became a follower that night of the presidential debate when you showed the lack of agenda of your opponent who kept harping on agriculture !!!agriculture!!! for the frist time my heart was filled with pride for a fellow country man sir if you ever read this i would like to shake your hands if we ever meet in case we dont iam so so proud of you congratulations you showed us there is still hope for our country
pls someone tell prof dora akuniyili not to spoil the good works she has done and is still doing by being political
thanks for this lovely site of yours. it has really being of help to me whenever i’m on net. well educative and challenging. please i dont know if you can link me with MR. NIYI ADESANYA, JIMOH IBRAHIM AND OTUNBA GADAFFI contacts. My school, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso is organising a Business Summit for All Final Year Students and the VC wish we invite them as our guest speakers. please I will really appreciate if you can be of help or of any relevant information on any motivational speakers. thanks for impacting in lives like ours. love you!
Hi Prof,
Am 400Level Econonics, University of port harcourtNo doubt u are my role model. I don`t miss ur programes on air. I look 4ward to a day i will have a hand shake with u. I love u Prof.
Prof. Pat Utomi, since the 2007 elections I told all my siblings and parents to vote for you as I was not yet of age. I knew without a doubt you were/still are the right man to become president of our great nation. No doubt if you are a candidate for 2011 you have the entire vote of my family as i would make sure we all vote for you. Right now I am in 400 level Economics, University of Abuja. I hope to meet you personally one day and have a handshake with you. My dream is to come and learn from your vast knowledge at the Lagos Business School in the nearest future. God bless you Prof!
Please how do I get in touch with Prof. Pat Utomi, We want to organize a leadership, management and investment programme for my association ( Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists Of Nigeria, U.C.H Ibadan unit) sometime in August or September, 2009 depending on Prof’s schedule because we will be honored if he is at the programme as the Guest Speaker. Details of the programme will be discussed with Prof and we will so much appreciate advice from him on how to go about the programme. Thanking you in anticipation sir.
WE NEED A MAN OF HONOR COMES 2011!NO ONE BUT YOU SIR.WE ARE EVER READY TO WORK WITH YOU SIR.
I’ve always loved and appreciated Professor Pat, he is the man for the change we desire, I’m the leader of a creativity group from Lead City University in Ibadan, we are working on an event titled \evoking the genius in the Nigerian student\ we are hoping to have Professor Pat and Aunty Joke Silva as our speakers, any idea of how i can get through to Professor Utomi will take us a step closer to engineering the minds of the growing generation towards a better Nigeria. please assist us. Our name is Intelligence Republic.