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Tag: Pat Utomi

  • A dedicated Councillor would have done better than Uduaghan- Utomi

    A dedicated Councillor would have done better than Uduaghan- Utomi

    Professor Patrick Utomi has berated former Delta state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, for allegedly wasting countless opportunities the state had to develop, saying a good elected Councillor  would have done better.

    In response to Dr Uduaghan’s recent negative shot at him in the media, Professor Utomi, who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), narrated how he contributed to make the Uduaghan administration take certain open advantages of available opportunities to develop the state, which he state the former governor wasted.

    Utomi said he had thought that the former governor would have been sorry and sober for wasting several opportunities the state had under his watch, adding that his (Uduaghan’s) attempt at spinning the story of how the state was misruled around would not sell as the people of the state had not forgotten what his era looked like.

    He, however, added that he had been at the vanguard of a new leadership focus for the state because he believed that the people deserve better than what the past and current leadership had given to them.

    “A good Councillor would have done much better for the people than Uduaghan did as Governor. There is extreme misuse of the opportunities available to Delta State. It will take a serious and truly capable government to vigorously tap its potentials and create jobs for our teeming youths.

    “This is one of the many reasons why I believe Delta State needs new political leadership in 2019. Deltans are not meant to suffer from the jeopardy of a clueless administration, especially at this critical phase of our existence.

    “I would have imagined that Uduaghan will be very sober and saddened by his legacy of mismanagement and gross wastage that he left behind in Delta State. Trying to spin his poor record in the hope that Deltans would have forgotten so soon is a failed attempt to rewrite history. Undoubtedly, he knows that only few Deltans speak well of him and it is his pain to struggle with that reality.

    “As he grapples with history, what is more important to Deltans today is how we can rectify the wrong policies, decisions and actions of the past, so that we can create a government that would not only meet the needs of our people today but guarantee a better life for successive generations.

    “This is the task that I have offered to commit myself to between now and 2023. We are looking forward to 2019 with hope and renewed zeal for the beginning of a ‘New Delta’ teeming with opportunities and alive with possibilities,” Utomi said.

  • Delta future bleak – Utomi

    Delta future bleak – Utomi

    Renowned Economist, Prof. Patrick Utomi, on Thursday raised the alarm over the “mortgaged future” of Delta State occasioned by excessive borrowings by successive administrations in the state.

    Utomi, who spoke during an interactive meeting with leaders and members of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Agbarah-Otor, Ughelli North local government area of the state, frowned at the situation where successive administrations borrowed money for development and later diverted such funds to acquire properties abroad.

    He said: “Until we have leaders who can think on how to harness the energy of our young people to create wealth outside the oil windfall, our nation will make no headway, because soon the oil economy will be over.

    “Sadly, Delta State will be most hit because the state has been mortgaged through excessive borrowing and we may not be able to come out of the debt trap, and our children may be used as ransom if we sit down and do nothing.

    “The time has come for Deltans to x-ray people vying for office and shun deceitful politicians. They should look out for people with character, who are ready to sacrifice for the common good.”

     

     

  • Political will needed to develop Africa, say Dangote, Utomi, others

    Political will needed to develop Africa, say Dangote, Utomi, others

    …NEXIM Bank President presents book on Trade Finance

     

    Business leaders Wednesday said Africa cannot realise its economic potentials without political will.

    Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, professor of political economy Pat Utomi and former Cross Rivers State governor Donald Duke said Africa would continue to lag behind unless leaders show more commitment to free trade and revise their strategies.

    They spoke in Lagos at the launch of the book: Foundations of Structured Trade Finance, written by President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) Dr Benedict Okey Oramah.

    Also at the event were former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, represented by Mr Femi Edun, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Chairman of Heir Holdings Tony Elumelu, amongst others.

    Dangote said trade within the continent remains difficult due to difficult visa requirements and too many borders.

    According to him, Africa can do a lot more in terms of its ability to produce and export goods.

    He said: “We’re making things difficult for ourselves. I need 38 visas out 54 in Africa, but it is not so in Europe. The regional markets are not working. We need to allow the regional markets work,” he said.

    The industrialist regretted that Africa depends too much on importation to meet local demands, noting that 90 per cent of milk consumed in Nigeria, for instance, is imported. “We need to have a rethink,” he said.

    Utomi said African desperately needs “thought leadership,” adding that military rule adversely affected Africa’s intellectual contribution to development.

    “It’s between life and death. We have to make choices. Afreximbank has an important role in facilitating thought leadership in Africa. You have got to rethink everything. Africa needs to begin to produce,” he said.

    Duke said there needs to be a free trade zone within Africa. Besides, he said African states need to start accepting local currencies as means trade rather than dollars.

    “For instance, you can accept the Rand for the purchase of crude oil. We need to work out mechanisms for trading on our currencies. We need political will to achieve it,” he said.

    Enelamah said the government would continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, including helping exporters improve product quality.

    The government, he added, would also carry out a coordinated review of the regime of incentives to replace “pioneer reliefs” with holistic incentives.

    Oramah said the book was written to fill the knowledge gap in trade financing.

    He said: “It became the case that this knowledge, or lack thereof, soon became a determinant of access to trade finance and the pace of economic recovery.

    “Spreading the knowledge was difficult because given that this field of financing evolved from practice, no text books existed, and it did not and still does not feature in the curriculum of universities offering Finance, Economics or Business except in some universities in Europe where special courses have begun to emerge.

    “Given that I had the privilege of hands-on experience in this important subject and had made contributions to its evolution, including articles published in books and as a resource person in seminars and workshops world-wide, transferring and exchanging knowledge on the subject, I thought it a responsibility to document the subject in a book that would deal with the philosophical foundations and the practice.

    “My hope is that with access to the book, the different universities can find ways of beginning to introduce this important subject into their curricular to improve the quality of their Economics, Finance and Banking graduates and make them more employable internationally.”

  • Utomi to FG: Invest in infrastructure to end recession

    Utomi to FG: Invest in infrastructure to end recession

    Political Economist and Management Analyst, Pat Utomi on Monday called on the Federal Government to invest massively in infrastructural development in order to dig the country out of recession.
    He also called on the government to make funds available for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) and production of raw material to finished goods within the country as a way out of the nation’s current economic challenges.
    Prof. Utomi, who gave the advice at the quarterly lecture on monetary policy, competitiveness and development, spoke on the topic “The Role of Monetary Policy in Job Creation,” in Abuja.
    The event was organised by Economic and Business Strategies (EBS), co-hosted by Dr Magnus Kpakol.
    He stressed the need to strengthen the nation’s institution, adding that strong institutions and policy stability would, in turn, strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
    Utomi said: “Our institutions are weak. We need to strengthen our institutions as a nation. We deserve strong institutions and not strong men. A good leader also should focus on purpose and not power.
    “There is the need for a strong political will to end poverty. All around the world, politics is all about how jobs can be created because it is through jobs that people can better their lives. Also, the nation’s monetary policy should have value to create wealth.”
    President Connexux Corporation, Ms Anita Campion, called for reform in the agricultural sector, saying that Nigerian economy is blessed with series of natural resources and don’t have to suffer in the midst of plenty.
    Also in his address, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Malafia, urged the government to carry the youth along while formulating strategic policies giving the population of the youths.
    He described Nigerian youths as hardworking and resilient.
    Dr Malafia said that Nigeria will be sitting on a time bomb if it fails to reduce the rate of unemployment.
    He identified over-dependency on oil, infrastructural deficit such as poor and erratic power supply and poor quality of education as major problems that should be tackled by the government to reduce unemployment.
  • Utomi, Teriba suggest ways to improve economy

    Utomi, Teriba suggest ways to improve economy

    Foremost political economist Prof. Pat Utomi has canvassed the need for discipline, planning and a proper governance approach to improve the economy.

    Utomi stated this at the breakfast meeting of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), held recently at the Oriental Hotels in Victoria Island.

    Delivering a lecture themed “Nigeria Economy: Myths and facts”, Utomi described the nation’s current economy as a dé ja vu, clouded with uncertainties.

    To become a global leader, Utomi said Nigeria must have a level of competitiveness, urging stakeholders to identify and focus on areas that would boost the economy.

    According to Utomi, there was need for a growth framework in the nation’s economy to ensure that right policy choices were made, human capital, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills adequately available.

    Utomi also noted that growth and improvement of culture and value systems must be present and a proper leadership structure put in place.

    He canvassed the need for affected stakeholders in the economy to be identified as well as an evaluation made on the impact of various choices made by them.

    Utomi stressed the need for discipline and commitment of all stakeholders, especially as it relates to the credibility of the budget process.

    Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba noted that the nation’s economy has been greatly affected as a result of the global shocks thereby leading to a negative economic outlook.

    Contrary to most beliefs, the fall of the naira, he said, was majorly as a result of a shortage of foreign exchange orchestrated by drop in oil prices and not necessarily the devaluation of the naira.

    He noted that with or without oil, Nigeria remained the largest economy in Africa and will contribute $25billion out of the expected $100 billion of the whole continent.

    Teriba explained that it has become necessary for the leaders to step aside and aggressively court foreign direct investments in order to boost the nation’s economy.

    He emphasised the need to block leakages by stopping oil theft and abuse of the fuel subsidy regime, as well as duty/tax abuses.

    Teriba also advised the withdrawal of ‘autonomy’ from all revenue-collecting agencies and capture value created by government interventions.

    According to him, the government should encourage investors thereby causing either an outright liberalization or a co-partnership with the private sector.

    “Strategic and impact component be infused in the budget planning with the sole aim of moving the economy forward and building an ultramodern nationwide rail transport system to reduce cost of manufacturing.

    “Finally, monetary policy should be eased by demolishing existing monetary policy barricades. For Nigeria to reach its full potential and target, the leaders need to take full responsibility of planning and creating the adequate structures and policies needed to restore the economy,” he said.

  • Oil price: Tough times await governors, others – Utomi

    Oil price: Tough times await governors, others – Utomi

    The Founder of the Center for Value in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, on Monday expressed concern at the hard times awaiting most state governors in the country following the steady drop in oil prices.

    Utomi lamented that in the months ahead, state governments in the country would neither be able to pay their workers’ salaries nor render even basic services to the citizens.

    The political economist and All Progressives Congress chieftain spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while delivering a public lecture on: “Credible Election, the panacea for good governance and the role of students.”

    The event was packaged by Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration to mark the 75th anniversary of the International Day of Students as well as enlighten students in the state on the need to partner with other stakeholders to enthrone quality governance.

    Utomi said unless the cost of governance is “reduced drastically,” there may be no quick solution when the impending “hard times” eventually arrive the doorstep of the state governments.

    “The nation’s economy rests almost solely on oil and since governments run their expenses on revenue from oil, the already difficult situation being encountered regarding the provision of basic services may go worse with the slumping oil prices in the world market,” he stated.

  • Utomi, Momoh, others for Daystar’s leadership conference

    Excellence in Leadership Conference, the annual international conference of the Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, begins on Wednesday.

    It holds at Plot A3C Ikosi Road, Oregun Ikeja, Lagos 9am to 2pm daily.

    The theme of the conference, which ends on Friday, is the exemplary leader.

    Sessions cutting across major areas of influence such as entertainment, family, government, media, education, sports, economy, religion, among others will take place during the conference.

    The hosts, Sam and Nike Adeyemi, will speak along  Presiding Pastor, Dominion International Centre, Houston; Toye Ademola; founder/Chairman of Channel TV, John Momoh; founder of Chair centre, Ibukun Awosika; founding Senior Faculty, Pan Atlantic University, Pat Utomi and Meg Kechi, founder, Hallmark Nursery and Primary school, Meg Kechi Nwobia.

    A statement by the Chief Operating Officer of the church, Kenny Folarin, said while the general sessions run from 9am-11:30am, the specialised sessions take place from 12noon-2pm.

  • Pat Utomi, Omotola, others gather for Nigerian Entertainment Conference

    Pat Utomi, Omotola, others gather for Nigerian Entertainment Conference

    In an effort to chart a new course in the nation’s entertainment industry, a number of dignitaries, last Wednesday, converged on the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos at the second edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference organised by Nigerian Entertainment Today.

    Hosted by comedian and TV show host, Tee A, the conference featured six different sessions: Media, Business, Music, IT (Info Technology), Social Responsibility and Nollywood. Four of the six sessions were preceded by keynote speeches delivered by Prof. Pat Utomi (Business), Tuface Idibia (Music), Social Responsibility (Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde) and Nollywood (Emeka Mba).

    Anchored by different moderators, each session included a discussion that featured a group of panelists discussing different topics as they affect the entertainment business in Nigeria. The panelists included comedian Basketmouth, Storm 360 Chairman, Obi Asika, Jobberman co-founder, Ope Awoyemi, pop artiste, Dr SID, Toni Kan, Chairman of COSON, Tony Okoroji, Olisa Adibua, actor Ramsey Nouah and founder of the AfricanMovie Academy Awards, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, among many others.

    The conference, popularly known as NECLive, kicked off with a welcome speech by the Editor-In-Chief of NET Newspaper, Ayeni Adekunle.

    In his speech, Ayeni, who was the chairman/executive producer of the conference, talked about the entertainment industry’s many shortcomings, despite the perception of its’ progress.

     “Today should be indeed a happy day. But it’s not. I feel pained because I know that there’s so much work to be done. And we’re not even scratching the surface. How can we get the best from the system, if the industry is not well structured and funded?” he asked.

     NECLive 2014 highlighted a number of problems plaguing the entertainment industry, including distribution, piracy, content ownership, collective rights and royalty, absence of infrastructure and social Responsibility.

    Speaking on the theme for this year’s conference was: ‘Creating Pathways to the Future’, NET Editorial Board Chairman, Chris Ihidero, said:  “The future is changing rapidly, such that whatever we know at present pales into insignificance at an alarming rate’.  All over the world, rapid manifestations are occurring in the production and distribution of entertainment while we are still largely playing catch up with out-dated platforms. If we were behind by a few decades before, we may be moving behind by perhaps half a century if we do not properly chart pathways to the future of the Nigerian entertainment industry.”

    Prof. Pat Utomi, who spoke on “Solving the Distribution Problem Once and For All”, stressed the importance of those involved in providing entertainment on radio, television, film and theatre to treat their works as importantly as any other business in order for it to thrive.

    “Showbusiness has to be treated like business. And because you love it, you need to learn how to apply things that people have learned from enterprise. Our idea was to set up an alternative distribution structure that will better serve the interest of both content owners and consumers, so we set up Exodus Entertainment with the sole aim of effectively distributing Nigeria entertainment products (CD, DVD and Magazine) to all of Nigeria.”

    Meanwhile, African Pop icon, 2face Idibia, who spoke on “Slaying the Collective Rights Monster”, stated that one of the major problems was the issue of ignorance or lack of understanding of the subject. “Artistes and music executives/ administrators have to take time out to learn about the ins and outs of the subject so as to understand what they are getting into.”

     He also said there should be only one CMO (collective management organization) for a developing nation like Nigeria. “How has having multiple CMOs impacted the subject of royalties and the owners of the rights in Nigeria? One thing is for sure, having more than one CMO operating within the industry has not helped further our cause as rights owners because, being a developing nation, everyone is busy looking out for their own interests,” he said.

    In her paper entitled: “Why We should Care”, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, raised two major issues in her presentation: education and leadership. She said that although success is not compulsorily tied to education, it is advisable to be educated. “There are many layers to being famous or being a celebrity and education prepares us for these layers so we can reach our full and be trusted with more responsibilities. Social responsibility, as you can guess, is a lot of responsibility and expression. You might at some point be required to speak to different types of group of people as I am doing right now … Simply put, talent will Never be Enough,” she said.

    The fourth speaker and final speaker of the day, Emeka Mba, delivered a paper on ‘Building a Sustainable Film Industry.’

    The current Director- General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said it was important to recognize that the old order in Nollywood is changing.

    “Those who choose to maintain the status quo will find themselves on the wrong side of history and I dare say on the short end of the money stick,” Mba said. He also advised practitioners to be curious rather than critical.  According to him, “Ask questions that provoke reflection and further inquiry. Do not create a fortress mentality. Ideas don’t work unless you speak up.”

    Just like the inaugural edition, the conference ended with the NET Honours to18 individuals, includin Ebenezer Obey, Onyeka Onwenu, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, Sunny Okosun, Daddy Showkey, OJB Jezreel, Jide Kosoko, Adebayo Salami, among others.

  • PHOTO: Utomi, Orhii, others at a book launch

    PHOTO: Utomi, Orhii, others at a book launch

  • Why I date older men–Queen Blessing Ebiegieson

    Why I date older men–Queen Blessing Ebiegieson

    Beautiful Nollywood actress, Queen Blessing Ebigieson, means many things to many people: actress, model, TV host, producer and scriptwriter. The mother of one, who hails from Edo State, has managed to be out of scandal since she came into the industry. In this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUKANMI, she talks about her passion and love life, among other interesting issues.

    YOU celebrated the last Valentine’s Day with widows in Lagos State. Could you tell me what inspired your action?

    I carried out the programme with the aim of showing love to widows, thereby putting smiles on their faces. It was done in collaboration with the Olukoga Support Foundation and was held at the Ikorodu West LCDA. Apart from making the day a fulfilled one for the widows, over 200 wrappers, sewing machines, cash and other gifts were showered on the widows who described the gestures as rare.

    I set up the Queen Blessing Foundation about five years ago. I see it as a means to extend a hand of fellowship to widows and the less privileged in the society. The Foundation is all about widows and I know that as I have chosen the widows, I’m automatically getting to the children. Last year’s edition held in Edo State and it was a huge success. This year’s edition is bigger, considering the fact that it’s a team effort. The Foundation also presented awards of excellence to some distinguished Nigerians, including Jimi Agbaje, OON, Prof. Pat Utomi and Hon. Fatai Olukoga, among others.

    So, at the moment, what are you working on?

    I just concluded shooting two Yoruba movies, TNK (Temi Ni Kan) and Ejo mi ko. The movies will soon be premiered and released into the market any moment from now. Temi Ni Kan features Mercy Aigbe, Akin Lewis and me, among others. Another of my movie, Lori Ere, is still doing well in the market.

    We know you more as an actress and TV host, so when did you drift towards movie production?

    If you have followed my career in the past 12 years, you will know that Queen is someone who believes so much in herself. I love money and all the good things of life. Because of this, I always diversify and work hard towards anything I want in life. You can’t sit in the house and wait for good things to come. And I’m not the type that waits for men to do things for me. I work to get all I want.

    If I have a man to support me, fine; otherwise, I live my life. I started with dancing and later went into modelling and acting. At a point, I dropped dancing. I also stopped modelling professionally when I had my son, though I still do runways, fashion shows and adverts, etc. When I dropped some of those things, I decided to act, while producing my own movies. Entertainment, generally, is my area of interest. I have a strong passion for it. To me, I think I get paid for just doing what I like doing. In the aspect of production, I also decided to do more of Yoruba films.

    Why the choice of Yoruba movies?

    For the past 12 years, I have done English movies. They discriminate a lot in the English movie industry. If, for instance, you approach an English movie star and tell him or her to feature in your production, the fee he or she will mention to you might almost be more than your entire budget for the movie.

    When I got into the Yoruba industry, I saw a different world entirely. They are friendly and welcoming. The only problem you will have with them is when you don’t address the ones older than you as ‘aunty’. But I don’t have a problem with that. It doesn’t take anything away from me. I’m still the Black Queen. I love them; they treat you like their own.

    How did your acting career start?

    I was in Niger State when I took the decision to go into acting. Before then, a lot of people were telling me that I look like an actress and that I walk like models and all that. Besides, things were so bad that I had to sell pepper and onions, in order to go to school. When I got tired of that life, I decided that since people have been commending my good looks and all that, I should try my hand in acting. That was how it all started. From there, I made some contacts, went for audition and succeeded in featuring in Ashes. Then, I was studying Mass Communications at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State. I went back to school after that movie and returned fully into the industry in 2002.

    Your career has been scandal-free over the years. What will you say is responsible for this?

    I think my background did the magic. I came from a Christian home. My mum taught us the way to live our lives. She taught me morals and how to live right. Also, the fact that I’m not a greedy person has helped me a lot. Though I’m not a saint, you can’t associate me with any scandal, except if you want to cook up your own stories. I live a good life, at least, to an extent. I am not even the club type. I am not the type you will catch with one man or the other.

    Doesn’t the breakup of your relationship with the father of your son confirm the insinuation that Nollywood stars hardly have stable homes?

    That is a false view. We actresses are just like every other person. As a woman, you would always want your relationship to remain intact. But when you are in a relationship and you are experiencing 70% pains, I will tell the person to quit. It’s not by force. But if it’s 30 % pains and 70 % happiness, it’s worth staying because you can never get 100% satisfaction -no man is perfect. So, I disagree with that opinion. Besides, we weren’t married.

    Considering the fact that you loved this man, why did you finally back out of the relationship?

    You can love somebody; but sometimes, love is not just enough. If your life is threatened and you end up dying, will you go to heaven and show love to that person? You have to live in order to love.

    Considering the age bracket between you and your ex, it’s widely believed that you dated him because of his money. How will you react to this?

    Love has nothing to do with age, especially when it comes to true love. But we really don’t have true love here in Nigeria. A lot of women go for fancy things. Even the first man in my life was 30 years old when I was 20. He was 10 years older. That was how I started my life. I have never dated my mates or younger men. You don’t expect me to get entangled with someone who is still in school. What if I get pregnant, who will take care of my child? Where will we live? I’m a realist. That is why I fall in love with someone whom I know can take care of my children. The wrong thing for any woman to do is to get married to anybody who can’t take care of her and her children-that is when you will start thinking of cheating.

    Why this unusual obsession for older men?

    I think that is me. Younger men don’t turn me on. If you are 25 or 30 years old and you are toasting me, then, you are just wasting your time. Maybe because I don’t really like sex and I always think they are after sex. Or maybe they don’t think the way I do. So, it’s bull s..t for anybody to think I date older men because of money. That is the person’s business and I don’t give a damn.

    Do you intend walking down the aisle with your current date?

    I can’t say now. To me, marriage is just a formality. I see lots of people dating for 10 years and once they get married, trouble will start coming from different angles. Maybe one day, I might decide to get married. But I am not desperate now.

    As a single mother, what challenges do you face?

    I might want to pay the school fee for my son and it could be that the business I did is yet to generate money… When you see a single mother, single-handedly taking care of her child, she should be praised. Nobody will say a helping hand is bad…

    What do you regret in your failed relationship?

    I have no regrets in that relationship because I love my son. God has been wonderful; and as you can see, I’m very happy. I’m doing all I can to take care of my son whom I love so much.

    What has life taught you over the years?

    Life has taught me that if you are up, don’t think that the people who are down are cabbage, because you don’t know who you will meet on your way down.