By Kolawole Ojebisi
Renowned economist and political activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has disclosed how he rejected a ministerial appointment from the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Utomi maintained that instead of accepting the offer, he suggested names of seven people who had the competence to serve in the late president’s cabinet and turn things around.
The social activist spoke during an interview with Sunday Sun, stressing that his decision was informed by his belief that the offer was a ploy to suppress his voice.
Utomi said, “I have been asked to be a minister before I turned it down. The last person who did that was President Yar’Adua and he went the extra mile. Two hours, he was talking to me to persuade me to join. And I said to him, it’s not because I have anything against being in office. I have degrees in political science and all that.
“I know that one of the biggest challenges we have in Africa is what is called the corporatist state in post-colonial Africa. And what does this mean? It means that in African politics, there’s a tendency to look for a strong voice of opposition and drag the voice into government. So, as to rubbish it or to weaken it.
“President Yar’Adua said to me that he respects my view, but that he believes that I will still make a greater impact from inside.”
He continued, “It was on a Friday , he closed work that day and we went to the house, his residency in the villa. I now said to him, look, I’m a patriot. You can wake me up at anytime, at 2:00a.m, ask for my views and I will give it to you honestly. I told him that what he needed to do was to find seven good people and bring them in. You can count on my advice. Let those hustlers who are looking for jobs, they can contract awards. Let the seven good people man certain critical ministries.
“That all these hustlers who are looking for jobs can have contract awards. I emphasized that the seven people will make the government work.”
Utomi added: “And Yar’Adua said, okay, why don’t you find me those seven good people, come along with them and I will back you. At that point, I was ready to back off my position. And I said to him, but I can’t give you seven names just sitting here. Let me return to Lagos. I will write down the seven names and send.
” I went back to Lagos wrote the seven names and I gave the envelope to Steve Oronsanye. And that was the last I heard. Yar’Adua took ill shortly after. And the rest is history
“But I was told by somebody very senior that he probably never got that envelope because he thought I snubbed him at the time he was dying, which is not correct. I didn’t snub him.”
Recall that Yar’Adua succeeded former president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 and served until his death on May 5, 2010.
Utomi, who is an economist-turned politician, recently launched whst he called a “shadow Caninet”.
