Utomi to Nigerians: Let’s rise up and reclaim our nation

The chairman of the National Consultative Front and leader of the Shadow Government, Prof. Pat Utomi, has challenged Nigerians to wake up from their docility to reclaim their country before its situation further worsens.

In his new year message, which was made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Utomi said urged all patriots to recognise that 2022 is the year to stop sitting on the fence and take action.

His words: “Nigeria can and must rise up again but it will take patriots and true citizens willing to take on the fight for a new Nigeria as freedom is not served a la carte but taken by a bold generation responsible and accountable to a future foretold.

“As we cross over from 2021 to 2022, there is much to thank God for in spite of a surge in COVID-19 infections, inflation eating away the income of poor Nigerians just as global supply chain crisis and problems at the ports were compounding the woes of manufacturers and traders, and insecurity was making farming and food security the worry of the year.

“In joining fellow compatriots in thanksgiving, I would particularly like to pay tribute to the emergence in 2021 of a new crop of patriots in politics and civil society who seem to have recognised a desperate need to Save Nigeria from challenges that have brought our dear country to the edge of a political and economic precipice.

“Movements like NCFront, RNP, The New Fabian Society of the Concerned Professionals, and emerging coalitions of alternative track political parties have provided hope in a time of gloom and despair as the country goes borrowing everywhere with the unfortunate tag of the poverty capital of the world. 

“The collaboration of these groups to deepen our democracy with the idea of a Shadow Government marks for me a call for national renewal.”

He stated that reflecting on all that, 2022 is the year of citizen awakening to save Nigeria.

He added: “The promise of Nigeria in 1960 was the promise of peace and prosperity for all of its people, though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood they would stand to shine the light to lead Africa out of serfdom.

“The future foretold has been setback by bad politics and poor economics. But we must now say no to the entrepreneurs of politics who have brought shame to the arena of politics as service on which our founding fathers like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Michael Okpara, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and others, erected the foundation of our beloved country. 

“If millions of us have to get on the streets in the manner of the Orange or Pink revolution to make the dream of a more desirable Nigeria that Fela Durotoye often envisions in his motivational exercises then that we must do.

“We owe this duty of transforming Nigeria to our children because, in a sense, we have been accomplices in the undoing of their future.

“George Orwell declared long ago that those who elect corrupt politicians, impostors and thieves are not victims but accomplices. 

“In allowing those who loot our treasuries and use the war chest to brag about being ready to be elected, we are accomplices twice over and need to make reparation in committing to vanquishing of money politics.”