Pat Utomi, renowned management expert, says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, whom he described as his friend, knows that President Muhammadu Buhari is ruling the country with “a medieval mindset”.
Utomi said the president was not getting the best because of his idea of “exclusion rather than inclusion”.
According to The SUN Newspaper, Utomi said this at a breakfast meeting organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Victory Chapel, Province 21, in the Magodo area of Lagos.
“The problem with Buhari’s administration is his medieval mindset. He excludes rather than includes. So, he does not get the best idea,” Utomi was quoted as saying.
“He is insular. I don’t push him in this conversation but I am sure that if I put my friend, the vice president under pressure, he will admit what I am saying. Because of their medieval mindset, they have created a country that is more divided than they met it. And that is a problem for leadership that is marching towards progress.”
When asked how long Nigerians might wait for the change they voted for, he said: “Everything is based on context. Take a look at the mismanagement of this fuel thing; the whole idea is nonsensical.
“It doesn’t have to go on like this; you are punishing Nigerian people unnecessarily. The sufferings that Nigerians have endured in the last couple of weeks over this petrol crisis have reduced productivity. If you throw it open to people across the world to bring petrol to Nigeria and sell at any price, you will discover that within a year, the price of petrol will be lower than the government’s fixed price today.
“You (Buhari) set up a committee called transition committee. It suggested that you deregulate the whole thing about crude oil, but no, you won’t. Your ideas go back 30 years and they are irrelevant to this world. Open up your mind and listen to people and you can make progress. To lead is to serve.
“To lead, you must be knowledgeable. People don’t follow somebody who doesn’t know where he is going. Otherwise, you fall into a ditch.”
