Is Pat Utomi an entrepreneur, teacher or politician?

Is he an entrepreneur, teacher or politician? He says he does not particularly like any of these titles and will prefer to to known as a "citizen"....citizen???  In this era of do-or-die politics in Nigeria - this may be what stands Professor Patrick Utomi out from the crowd.

It is not often that one listens to a Nigerian politician connect with an audience quite the way Pat Utomi does. In this stirring talk at TEDxEuston 2010 he leaves the audience deep in thought about our responsibilities to our countries in Africa in seeking the leadership that will drive the growth we need to really take off. He describes the PDP, Nigeria's ruling party as "an elite platform in the sharing of economic rent...the antitheses of nation building"......but insists that "citizens" can turn things around.


Listen to the talk here. 




Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy and management expert is a Nigerian entrepreneur whose ultimate goal is to positively affect humanity. In 1982, he was appointed special assistant to President Shehu Shagari. Following the demise of the Second Republic, he became assistant general manager, corporate affairs, Volkswagen of Nigeria Limited, Lagos, 1983-93.

Utomi co-founded the Lagos Business School, now Pan African University in 1994 with the Opus Dei, a Catholic religious group. He was scholar-in-residence, American University, Washington DC, USA, 1996 and research associate, the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1996. He coordinated the establishment of several civil society groups on good governance and accountability such as Transparency in Nigeria and the Restoration Group. In the business sphere, Utomi is the vice-chairman, Platinium–Habib Bank. He is an accomplished columnist, and chairman, BusinessDay Media Limited and creator of Patito's Gang, a television talk show. Utomi has published several books on political economy and management. He was a presidential candidate in the 2007 elections in Nigeria and is again standing for election in the April 2011 polls.

A man more passionate about Nigeria, you will not find.