Utomi expresses concern over government’s panic response to planned protests

Political economist, Professor Pat Utomi has described the government’s panic response to the planned protests starting August 1 as “worrisome.”

Speaking at the unveiling of the ‘New Tribe,’ a social group committed to personal integrity, social justice, and sacrificial service, Utomi criticised the state actors’ reaction to the protests.

Utomi, while noting the country’s challenges, including high interest rates, inflation, and insecurity, lamented the lack of values in the current landscape.

According to him, The ‘New Tribe’ aims to advance the common good and has been active since May 1, with various cohorts focusing on healthcare, public accountability, infrastructure, and economic growth, adding that the group is set to be formally unveiled on October 1.

He said: “The state of the motherland is certainly worrisome, so worrisome that notice by some not known people about impending protests have set off panic, threats, bullying and scapegoating resulting in prefabricated falsehoods by agents of the state.

“Manufacturers Association of Nogeria (MAN) and the chambers of Commerce are up in arms with the direction of interest rates as monetary authorities struggle to contain inflation with high interest rates and insecurity continues.

“In this season of the unmasking of yesterday’s pretenders and the shrinking of the club of truthsayers and those who truly believe in a just society it is not difficult to tell that the state of the motherland is of grave ill health.

“Surely values shape human progress and values seem to have taken flight from our current landscape and citizens have an obligation to seek restoration

“It is for the correction of this unfortunate outcome of our current experience that The New Tribe has been birthed.

“It is a coming together of citizens committed to personal integrity, a culture of merit and social justice, sacrificial service to advance the common good, the work ethic and making production an anchor of economic engagement and favour reason and rational disposition over emotions of ethnicity and faith often weaponized by political actors.

“The structure of the new tribe which is a nonpartisan but not an apolitical social movement is built on 14 cohorts of social action and seven cohorts of organisation.”