Utomi: Nigerian Governments Have Treated Youths Like “Idiots”

Political economist Prof. Pat Utomi has criticized successive Nigerian governments for mistreating young people, stating that they have been treated like “idiots” over the years.

In an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, Utomi expressed his frustration, saying, “Governments have been untrustworthy in Nigeria, let’s be honest. They have treated young people like they are idiots, repeatedly. This is particularly disheartening because most of Nigeria’s past governments were initially led by young people.”

He pointed out that many of the military leaders who governed Nigeria were in their 20s and 30s, but noted that a shift occurred due to the influence of military hierarchy and the rise of oil wealth, which contributed to the creation of a new class system in the country.

Utomi, who is the founder of the Centre for Value and Leadership, emphasized that for the upcoming national youth conference, scheduled for the first quarter of 2025 under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, to be meaningful, leaders must first acknowledge their past mistakes in handling young people. “To make this conference effective, leadership must begin by acknowledging that young people have been brutalized over the years, apologize, and make a commitment to rebuilding trust,” he said.

He further explained, “Any government that does not start by recognizing that it is not trusted is wasting time. The first step is to begin building trust, and that starts with honest commitment.”

Utomi elaborated on how trust can be rebuilt, explaining the concept of an “emotional bank account.” “Every time you say you will do something and you follow through, you make a deposit in the emotional bank account. Every time you fail to do what you promised, you make a withdrawal. Ultimately, whether you are trusted depends on the balance in that account,” he said.