Respected Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has berated elements who find it difficult to understand the difference between differing opinion on national economic matters and political patronage.
Prof Utomi made this known in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle on Sunday.
Recall that Utomi, who supported the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 general elections, had in a Saturday Facebook post criticised the economic policy direction of the present administration.
He said in the post: “When anxieties with the state of the economy rose, as Oil prices went South in 2015, I was struck by how we went from worry to panic and how many actions failed to recognize similar experience from our recent history and more than enough knowledge on what happened before and what was trending in the global environment. That such knowledge was untapped caused me to begin to rethink many things.
“How does Nigeria always manage to lose institutional memory, and what is responsible for the Knowing-Doing gap that seems to prevent us from properly handling routine problems without generating crisis of earthshaking proportions…”
After the post, many Nigerians went on social media to criticise the eminent scholar for speaking from both sides of the mouth by appearing to turn against the government he had backed at the beginning.
But in a scathing response, the former presidential candidate urged critics to take issues with ideas and not personalities.
He took exception to the ease with which some Nigerians in the public sphere hurl insults at individuals they disagree with.
He tweeted…
Absolutely. Stood with Buhari since 2007 because we share certain values of corrupt free service. Does not mean we must agree on everything
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
This really is the point I keep making. It's not about individuals, loyalties or absolute viewsbut how ideas crossferteize and lift good
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
Notice that beyond criticising policies of the ancien regime regarding the common good have never called anyone names. I have left yesterday
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
Have nothing negative towards any, despite my passion for a great Nigeria. Not Jonathan, not Buhari. All can learn from contending views
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
Really lost on why we have difficulty with civil conversation on difference in ideas on how we solve our shared problems. Our public Sphere
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
I am persuaded that our Marketplace of ideas is where our trouble lie. To reform our public Sphere is to help Nigeria claim it's promise
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
many clear thinkers who could help advance the common good just shut up because they do not want to be savaged by people who can't process
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016
It's helpful to tear ideas we disagree with to pieces. It helps us all to learn. But the ideas please not diatribes on spurious motives
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) February 28, 2016