“Young people must develop the culture of protests” – Pat Utomi

A former presidential candidate in Nigeria and founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi has stressed the need for young Africans to engage in what he called “vertical accountability”, whereby they hold their leaders accountable.

Speaking on a Panel Session last weekend at the 4th Biennial Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) Conference at Orchid Hotels, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, the Professor of Political Economy and Management Expert told the gathering of young African minds from different countries: “We have lost the culture of protests… Young people must develop the culture of protests.”

He said that the the duty of every generation is to make its shoulders available for the next generation to stand and see tomorrow better, adding that the big challenge of Africa has been leadership.

“A lot of young people with great ideas think they don’t matter… Don’t buy that lie that you are leaders of tomorrow; you are leaders of right now,” he said with much emphasis.

“I believe that the youth of Africa will save Africa, but they need to be more confident in themselves. Young people have to assert themselves for the system to recognise them.

“Leadership did not emerge as it should in Africa. Leadership is essentially other-centered behaviour. Knowledge and a sense of service (sacrificial giving of ourselves to others) are essential in leadership.”

Speaking on the impact the use of social media can make, Utomi said: “Young people have more power than they like to accept that they have.”

He challenged African youths not to feel like orphans, saying “you can be cynosures of global eyes… You have got to convert your population to human capital.”

Also on the Panel was the former Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Olu Otunla. He urged African youths to pursue knowledge instead of moaning.

His words: “We Africans are weak in knowledge. The pursuit of knowledge is very important. Please, pursue knowledge, knowledge.

“I want you to know the dimension of the task you have. Acquire the capacity to understand what drives society…to transform our society into a knowledge-driven society. Adopt a modern mindset… “

“There is nothing stopping you from being our (Mahatma) Gandhi or (Albert) Einstein. You need clear thinking. Don’t sit down here and moan; do something. Come up with good-thinking idea.”

‘Femi Asu