When Professor Pat Utomi turned 70, it was more than a birthday celebration — it was a national moment of reflection. A celebration of resilience. Of intellect. Of patriotism. Of a lifetime devoted to the Nigerian dream.
The atmosphere at the event was rich with gratitude and deep introspection. Tributes poured in from statesmen, technocrats, political associates, and admirers whose lives and careers have been shaped by the iconic economist and political thinker.
Each speaker was given only a few minutes. Yet in those brief moments, decades of influence were compressed into powerful, emotional testimonies.
Among the most striking tributes were those delivered by leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), a party that holds Professor Utomi in unmistakably high esteem.
The National Chairman of the SDP, Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, spoke not just as a party leader, but as a man who has watched Utomi’s journey for nearly half a century.
“For nearly 50 years that I have known Professor Pat Utomi,” he said, “his focus has remained unchanged — the realization of a prosperous Nigeria.”
According to him, Professor Utomi has consistently stood for the true values and aspirations of the Nigerian people. He described him as “a top mind” and “a man of noble dignity,” whose enduring dream has always been about a country where the blessings of labour are accessible to every citizen.
While admitting that Nigeria may not yet have attained its desired heights, Professor Gombe maintained that the country remains great — sustained by the steadfast commitment of patriots like Utomi.
As the celebrant steps into what he called the “septuagenarian milestone,” the SDP Chairman offered prayers for renewed strength and divine guidance, emphasizing that Nigeria still needs Utomi’s experience, clarity, and wisdom.
The SDP family, he stressed, is proud to be associated with him. Professor Utomi once served as the protem Chairman of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), which later evolved into the SDP. He was also the party’s first presidential candidate in 2011. Within the party structure, his intellectual depth continues to serve as a guiding force.
If Professor Gombe spoke with reverence, SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, spoke with passion and candour.
Addressing Mrs. Pat Utomi, the Utomi family, and Nigerians at large, Adebayo congratulated the nation for being blessed with a man like Professor Utomi — and for God’s preservation of his life.
“A country may ignore all the minerals in its soil,” he declared, “but a country can never afford to ignore talent.”
Recounting his first encounter with Utomi in the early 1990s under the platform of concerned professionals, Adebayo described him as courageous, intellectually daring, and consistently ahead of his time. He recalled the risks Utomi and his contemporaries took in challenging the political establishment — bold moves that shook the nation’s foundations.
Though they have shared moments of political agreement and disagreement, Adebayo noted that one thing remains unquestionable: Professor Utomi possesses what he described as “an eagle-eye view of Nigeria.”
Even in lighter moments, he said, Utomi appears to have the “gift of prophecy.”
“When we are busy deceiving ourselves,” Adebayo remarked, “Professor Utomi will tell you where the votes will go and what will happen afterward.”
Beyond the celebration, however, came a moment of sober reflection. Adebayo observed that when one measures Utomi’s intellect, patriotism, and selflessness against Nigeria’s current condition, there appears to be a painful mismatch. He likened him to great minds such as Eskor Toyo, Bala Usman, and Aminu Kano — leaders celebrated by the people, yet rarely entrusted with power.
“We have specialized,” he lamented, “in clapping for our best minds, eulogizing them, but ensuring they never get access to power.”
He recalled how Nigerians once celebrated “Pat Utomi at 40.” Three decades later, they now celebrate “Pat Utomi at 70.” The pressing question, he suggested, is what the nation has done with the ideas he has long championed.
Many of the reform concepts Nigerians discuss today, he noted, were already fully formed in Utomi’s mind during his days as an adviser in President Shehu Shagari’s civilian administration.
For Adebayo, the true honour to Professor Pat Utomi lies not in applause, but in action.
“While Pat Utomi is still alive,” he urged, “let us make Nigeria greater than Singapore. Let us conduct credible elections. Let us build an accountable government.”
He challenged Nigerians to commit to living and governing in ways that would never make Professor Utomi ashamed — insisting that the greatest tribute to such a patriot is to implement the ideas he has tirelessly advocated.
MORE THAN A BIRTHDAY
At 70, Professor Pat Utomi stands not merely as a celebrant, but as a symbol — of consistency, courage, and conviction.
For the SDP, he is more than a party elder. He is a moral compass. An intellectual reservoir. A reminder of what principled politics should look like.
That is why the party does not joke with him.
Because in celebrating Pat Utomi, they are celebrating a vision of Nigeria — a vision still waiting to be fully realized, yet undeniably within reach.
-Jamiu Abubakar
