Political economist, Pat Utomi has stated that the fear of uncertainty is what is responsible for the north’s political class’s reluctance to back restructuring.
He made the statement during a media parley ahead of the ‘Never Again’ conference to mark 51 years after the civil war, he said that the north depends to a large extent on the federal government for revenue “has made them really unproductive”.
“There is a real crisis in the north that the south does not understand. They are painters of people who hate each other very much; that is the truth of the matter. That is why they are scared of restructuring because they don’t know where it will lead them, and outside of Nigeria, they are formless; there is no north,” he said.
Utomi, however, encouraged northerners not to entertain such fears, saying that restructuring will enable them to “become productive and move away from the poverty status”.
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Utomi also noted that Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Kukah would be one of the headliners at the ‘Never Again’ conference. Bishop Kukah is expected to deliver the keynote address, while former President, Olusegun Obasanjo will be the special guest of honour.
The event will be jointly chaired by Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo and Kalu Idika Kalu, a former finance minister.
“It is recalled that Nigeria fought a bitter and internecine 30-month civil war that left in its wake a sharply divided nation with mutual suspicion, hatred and resentment across racial and regional lines. An estimated one million victims were killed immediately before and during the war,” he said
“The conference will x-ray the issues that led to the civil war and the need for patriots to work together to achieve national cohesion, especially in light of several centrifugal tendencies within the polity.”
