Ignorance, Nigeria’s most fundamental problem
Founder of Lagos Business School, Professor Pat Utomi has said that ignorance is Nigeria’s most fundamental problem.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Sun, he revealed that many people who are in positions of authority in the country were “extremely ignorant” and that a combination of ignorance and arrogance was most dangerous.
According him, the top most priority for Nigeria is to get its education back on track and every other thing will follow.
Prof. Utomi who revealed his desire early in life to become a priest, said though he is a strong Pan Nigerianist, the turn of events in the country had made him to have a re-think recently and would therefore support calls for the splitting of the country so that the different parts can develop at their own pace.
He said the fundamental problem of Nigeria is neither wickedness of some politicians and soldiers as people always say, nor greed. “You see, many of the people who are in positions in Nigeria are extremely ignorant. Their ignorance is compounded by their arrogance and I tell you, the most dangerous combination you can have anywhere is the alchemy of ignorance and arrogance.
“When a man does not know and he recognizes that he does not know, there are many people who can get the job done under his inspiration. But when you don’t know and by the way, knowing is not P.hD. knowing comes from effort to expose yourself to how problems are solved. It also comes from having a heart of service, which drives you in spite of the way things look to strive for a greater possibility.
But, you see, part of what happened to Nigeria, very sadly, and it happened during military rule, is that they developed anti-intellectual culture in the country. There is certain negativity to being a thinking person. You see, that is the real problem in Nigeria, There is the absence of sincerity and capabilities,” he said.
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