A professor of Political economy, Professor Pat Utomi has blamed members of the civil society groups in Nigeria for failing to discharge their duties as expected of them, which gave room for government in power to introduce bad policies which make life difficult for the masses.
Briefing the press in Lagos at his office Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) Victoria Island on the forthcoming 8th public lecture for Goddy Jidenma Foundation, which topic is “Governance, insecurity,Poverty and socioeconomic development in contemporary Nigeria and Africa” which shall be delivered by Professor Benedict Oramah.
Professor Utomi who is the chairman of the foundation, said essence of public lectures is to create market avenue for generating ideas on how to better run government.
He explained that people may not be considered to be articulate enough not to have alternative positions.
“Those are the kind of policy or decisions we are about to be made or things that are about to be taken for granted.I believe in the view expressed clearly by my contemporary German philosopher Jurgen Habermas about the nature of democracy and modality,centrally democracy is irrational conversation, where you have to have market place of ideas.”
Professor Utomi noted that things have gone bad in Nigeria, because members of the civil society organizations have shirked from their responsibilities, and they are not as vibrant as they were in the 70’s and 80’s.
“Civil Society Groups have not been as active as it used to be in Nigeria, and civil society being active makes the
huge difference, because civil society has not been as active somehow makes people in power feels to continue assuming as if they are doing the right thing. Because there is no pressure from the civil Society to behave different.”
He explained that,the military regimes in Nigeria in 70’s,80’s even 90’s change their policies because of the strong civil society groups that were in existence then.
According to the secretary of the foundation Dr Ije Jidenma, the lectures they have had so far has contributed a great deal in bringing innovation into government.
“The public lecture is not just about an idea, it is also about solutions to problems, our guest lectures are sound both theoretical background and practical background,if you analyse the lecture given by Professor Ben Nwabueze it was right in terms of demography, then people were apprehensive in five years then, and most of the ideas he came up with has been implemented by government.”
She said.
