I was watching Sunrise Daily on Channels television this morning and I got the rudest shock of my life.

Someone  aspiring to be the President of my country referred to us, Nigerians as the “most stupid people on earth”.

What really happened :

Channels: Professor some Nigerians have alluded to the fact that the success of PDP at the polls was as a result of the efforts of the  party. The party went to all the nooks and corners of Nigeria to campaign and ask people to vote for her.

Prof. Utomi:  Nigerians are stupid… They are the most stupid people in the world. 

My Comments

Dear Professor, We are not stupid and for someone who aspires to lead us, calling us stupid is a reflection of the level of your Wisdom.

Why would you want to lead stupid people; indeed the most stupid in the world (according  to  your  assessment  of who  we are).

Contrary to your views, we have millions Nigerians who are wiser, more intelligent, better educated and more reasonable than you. People  who  have  added  value  to  Nigeria  and  Nigerians.

I have been following your adventures in the political arena and I just could not believe that with all  the  grammar etc  you  lack the necessary organizational and tactical abilities to execute such a simple project  as  getting people  to  identify  with  your adventure.

It is true that you are always telling us about Singapore , Malaysia , Oxford , Bangladesh   but it is unfortunate that you can’t go beyond the academic rendition of what is happening in those places.

These countries are great because they have thinkers and practical men whose hands are forever on the plough working tenaciously to make their country great.

A man telling us stories about them is not great because he is telling us these stories. How much of the academic knowledge have you imbibed and ready to put to use in Nigeria .

Going by your recent activities, I am convinced that you don’t have much to offer.  Of  course  being a  professor  is  an  academic title  which  does  not  confer  any  professional advantage.  There  is a  difference  between  book knowledge  and  real life.

You have always been in the class of elites, your programmes on television; activities at the business school are all elitist  yet you couldn’t structure your political activities around the elites. Instead you chose to identify with the poor masses, who are alien to you and showed us footages of your visits to the Ghettos. How can this people believe or trust you; you are a stranger  to them.  How  can  a  cab driver or  meat  seller  leave Adedibu  to  listen  to  a  total  stranger  like  you.  These  people  may  be  illiterates  but  they are not  stupid or gullible.

What happened to market Segmentation and Specialization? Or are they just theories with no practical  application in politics?

Which area or zone in Nigeria is your base or catchment area? None

I never heard Jimi Agbaje disclose the details if his target audience, but his campaign materials and jingles clearly showed that he was targeting youths, elites (the working class). And  he  got  an impressive  response  without having  to  speak grammar  or  bribe  the  elites.

Mr. professor, your jingles were so muddled up that it was difficult discerning your target audience.

Once again, for success in politics, one must have catchment areas. Where are your catchments areas.

The truth is that you cannot  win your local government area. Even Fred Ajidua will beat you in Ibuzo.  Millions  of  Nigerians  are more  popular  than  you  to  the  extent even only  a  few  will  vote  for  you on your  street.

When reminded that boycotting the elections will give PDP an easy ride, you retorted,

“ The government will lack legitimacy because it is not their government. We will call out people as it was done in Ukraine ….”

Which people? Have you ever taken stock of the caliber and quality of Nigerians in PDP – Dora Akinyuli , Chris Anyanwu, Mallam EL-Rufai, President Obasanjo, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck, Mallam Yar`adua and a host of other notable achievers(not talkers) in the entire country.

Why would people respond positively to a “ call- out order” when you couldn’t even convince them to vote for you.

Professor, please go back to the classroom and while you are there you should know that Nigeria is a country of too many learned men and professionals and not hallucinating self- centered few with  overbloated  egos.

Indeed  this election palaver  has  brought  out  the  beast  in  some  of  us.

When the  Ikemba  returned  to  Nigeria during  the  second  republic,  a  columnist  warned him  to  be  careful  with his  utterances  in  an  article  titled  “ No baptism of  Fire  yet” .  I  will  like  to recommend  the article  to  the  lagos  business  school professor.

Thanks  for  having  read  this  article.

Taslim Anibaba (FCA)                    

19^th  April,  2007

Robot  Villager

# 1 “My people are useless My people are sen...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 19.04.2007 08:23

wasco  Villager

# 2 How can Mr Utomi say his own people are stupid because PDP rigged the elections.The elections result is not a reflection of how the people voted.What Utomi should be talking about is how to get his people out of poverty,employ his people and put food on their table. Posted by wasco| 19.04.2007 09:09

Godwin  Villager

# 3 I will be pleasantly suprised if Prof Utomi gets 500,000 votes because "the real nigerian" people (as opposed to armchair critics or Siddon-look types) who go out to vote do not know him. He has refused the wise advice to build a political base by vying for a "lower" political office e.g LG Chairman. Nigerians generally care only about Governors and President because of our Military experience and fail to make the politcal leadership closest to them responsible to them. Posted by Godwin| 19.04.2007 09:23

Onukulunjo  Villager

# 4 I cannot agree more with Pat Utomi's statement. The fact that a civilian President could dribble Nigerians the way Obasanjo does beats the heck out of me. Nigerians claim to be well educated and analytical, yet when the need arises to manifest their intelligence they don't show up. how can a group of supposedly intelligent people continue to suffer in silence. I dare say that Nigerians deserve any ill treatment meted out to them by Baba. I love my country but I am afraid for its people. Until the elites of our country undertakes to educate the masses on civil disobedience and grass root participation in politics, Nigeria will continue to march towards Gomorrah. Until real individual achievement is recognized and rewarded by the masses, we shall continue to head towards extinction. For all I know, most of us who are jabbing at OBJ and his administration will not do any better if presented the opportunity. Are you not the same Nigerians who I conference with over here?. are you not the same Nigerians who work towards anihilating each other over here? Are you not the same Nigerians who upset when you friends succeed?. Common guys, we have a serious problem and it must be in our genes. I pray for our survival but I doubt how long a group of people will continue to self destruct without going extinct. Posted by Onukulunjo| 19.04.2007 09:23

ajis15  Villager

# 5 I do not know the Prof. I mean close encounter. However, I sincerely believe he did not mean the word "stupid" in literary terms. Let's face it, Nigeria can frustrate you. It can get you depressed enough to loose it. Let us give the Prof a chance to throw more light into the interview. Also, Taslim only gave us an excerpt from the interview. We need the full interview before drawing conclusion. Posted by ajis15| 19.04.2007 09:26

Correct Bobo  Villager

# 6 If this is true, it is saddening or maybe it was just a mistake...or ??????? :confused1. is it true that one can easily speak jazz under frustration? The writer's grouse is obviously with the quoted statement....what other things of significance good or otherwise in your view did he say in the programme? Posted by Correct Bobo| 19.04.2007 09:36

aiksmart  Villager

# 7 This dudes article and some of the accompanying comments simply brings to mind a line from some ole-school disco song "Rumours"-- and it goes a lil something like this..."howdy rumours get started... get started by da jealous people..." I refuse to accept as gospel the above quote as coming from our honorable Prof Utomi, and peradventure he did, I still need to listen or read the full text of the interview... Posted by aiksmart| 19.04.2007 09:41

aringaranso  Villager

# 8 =ajis15;169626>I do not know the Prof. I mean close encounter. However, I sincerely believe he did not mean the word "stupid" in literary terms. Let's face it, Nigeria can frustrate you. It can get you depressed enough to loose it. Let us give the Prof a chance to throw more light into the interview. Also, Taslim only gave us an excerpt from the interview. We need the full interview before drawing conclusion. Well Spoken, Utomi could'nt have said this. Again, we need the full text of the interview. Just one line of the interview shows the writer's rapidity to disgrace Pat Utomi. I have listened and followed this man for a long time, I know what Utomi can say. Neverthless, are we really not STUPID by allowing OBJ to get away with what he and his PDP did last saturday. There was no election in Anambra yet, INEC pronounced a winner and the people feign as if nothing happened. Is this not Cowardice? If the Women of Ondo can protest half naked , what can't we invade ASOROCK and snuff live out of every livingbeing there. My worry lies in the fact that if our governors elect win such a landslide when they are not even Incumbents. then what sort of election do we expect in 2011, when they should be seeking second tenure as incumbents. WE NEED TO ACT NOW , Posted by aringaranso| 19.04.2007 09:57

ELAWALO  Villager

# 9 Hey Taslim, I have every reason to doubt the statement attributed to Professor Utomi. However sentiments cannot cover our folly as a people. I am a Nigerian blood and marrow, but it pains me when we are unable to decide and determine the right course which our country would follow .... A cabal of less than a million people .. holding 150 million people to ransome ..keeping us poverty stricken..... under developed.. and confused. I can not waste my time writing here it appears it is all to no avail ..... I want to see the Good in Nigeria in my time but my question is how ???? How ?? How ??How ??How ??How ??How ??How ??How ??How ?? Posted by ELAWALO| 19.04.2007 10:01

Exxcuzme  Villager

# 10 =aiksmart;169630>This dudes article and some of the accompanying comments simply brings to mind a line from some ole-school disco song "Rumours"-- and it goes a lil something like this..."howdy rumours get started... get started by da jealous people..." I refuse to accept as gospel the above quote as coming from our honorable Prof Utomi, and peradventure he did, I still need to listen or read the full text of the interview... How do rumors get started, they’re started by the jealous people and They get mad seeing something they had and somebody else is holding Uncle Taslim, we need more details Posted by Exxcuzme| 19.04.2007 10:05

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