My aspiration is to be one of the builders of a world of equality, a world where diversity is respected and value for people's lives is paramount. A world where religion and culture are not used as weapons of dispute and destruction, where leaders serve and not steal, where everyone does not pretend to love each other but does so straight from the heart.
His immense contribution to development stands him out, his tiredless effort in seeing a better Nigeria makes him a force to reckon with. His TV program Patito's gang is used as an avenue to address different development issues and I commend him for such an initiative. He has added to his caps of developments by getting his own very blog. Pat Utomi is a blogger! I had lunch with him in the beginning of August with Poeticallytinted in attendance I wished we have an eloquent, focused and transformational individual like him to lead this country. I delightfully welcome PU on Interview Thursday!
Who is Pat Utomi?
I am a teacher. Forget the garnishings. I am basically a person commited to traditional notions of a teacher as transmitter of knowledge and values that can help lift the dignity of the human person.I have found many platforms for performing this traditional chore; in the classroom, in tv studios, as a so called public intellectual, newspaper columnist, a sort-of patron saint of young entrepreneurs so I can show thought can work in action; as manager traversing the nexus of idedas and praxis and as man of family, among others. My antecedents are very Pan-Nigerian; born in Kaduna on 6/2/56 with primary education in several cities of the North, secondary education in Ibadanin the Southwest and University and marriage into the southeast with origins of parents and by the Nigerian waya persorn from the SouthSouth.
Tell us about your family?
I have a fun family 'led' by a wife who looks half her age as the age range of our children go from nearly 24 to 8.My wife is a Consultant Orthodontist and senior faculty member of the College of Medicine at the University of Lagos where we met as she was finishing her studies 27 years ago. Two of our children have graduated and the others are coming along by God's Grace.
What do you think as a lasting solution to the Naija Delta crisis?
It is not as difficult as it appears. A formal acceptance that historical injustice has been done is a good first step. It has no monetary coost and can go a long way to soothe nerves. If we acknowledge that the principles of Federalism that was the basis on which the Founding Fathers agreed to a Nigeria project and that it was sidetracked because Oil was found inareas dominated by ethnic minorities, and then show sincerity in putting in place compensatory economic intiatives that provide opporunities for the majority in the region through infrastructure, business developent etc., the people will begin to focus on the path to tapping into opportunities in the region rather than destroying things. Trust is a critical element here, given the long experience of dishonesty. It can be built with contiuous posit deposits into the emotional bank account as Stephen R Covey would call it. A Lagos-Calabar rail link, the East-West Coastal highway and a few entrepremeurship extension service programmes with such support as Shell implement elsewhere as Lifewire will bring the region alive.
You will be running for presidency in 2011, I will like to know the 5 important projects you will focus on in office?
Five projects I will focus on as President. Infrastructure like rail, power and roads are important and must receive attention. But they are not the central or core keys to progress. Nigeria is crippled by a crisis of values and weak institutions. The peg is of a competent leader who earns Moral Authority through share force of personal example with the rule of law, modesty of conduct and primacy of service to the people and accountability as the hooks. IF THESE DISPOSITIONS ARE IN PLACE EVERYTHING ELSE WILL COME. It is like the passage from the good book; seek ye first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added on to you. The Singapore story is about such personal example in shaping culture and even if Ramgoolan may not be as celebrated for his work in Mauuritius as lee Kwan you it is more or less the same business of leaderhip shaping culture.
Youth Bank is an initiative that seeks to empower the Nigeria disadvantaged youth from the street, the area boy and girls and so forth. Youth Bank launched its Nigeria branch last Friday at US Consulate, Lagos. The launching was done after they have successfully trained 8 youth that will be given loans to start off their businesses.
Victor and Clara presenting Youth Bank Model.
This initiative is unique in the sense that they just give skills to the youth but they also provide the capital which will be paid back in the long run to train other fellows. Also, they include leadership training into their programmes to ensure that they are making entrepreneurs and leaders of tomorrow.
The Youth Bank Fellows with YB Program Officer; Nike and Clara Chow to the left
Youth Bank, a micro business incubator for the street youth was started by a Nigeria in the Diaspora and it's just natural that Nigeria gets to benefit. Youth Bank has partnered Freedom Foundation, The Nigerian Network of NGOs and Skill Development Foundation among others.
Victor Gotvbe the Youth Bank Nigeria president believed strongly in the impact Youth Bank will make on Nigeria youth his counterpart from the State Clara Chow shared in this enthusiasm as well. At the event were change makers of notes in person of Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, Gbenga Sesan, Ms. Mylah Osifo and myself.
Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti; NNNGO board Chairperson
Mr. Gbenga Sesan; Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative
Ms. Mylah Osifo Executive Director of Freedom Foundation in lemon green outfit.
From the way he writes, you can deduce a perosnality
that is liberal, focus and caring about making a change. He has taken
out of his busy schedule to share with us. Welcome on "Interview
Thursday" Dammy.
What word best describes Dammy?
Deep, with a probing heart and a wandering thought.
It reads on your blog that you are an unconventional person, can you explain what this means in details?
Did I really write that? Lol!
Sometimes, I think I am weird in some ways. There are times, I really wonder if I am not one of God’s creative mishaps. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the person I am. But somehow, I feel like a factory of ideas gone awry. Maybe it’s all in my head. Maybe it is just me.
I love to question things. I love to subject the norm to some critical thinking and I have observed that people label anyone who questions what they consider to be the norm ‘miscreant’. In some cases such people are ostracized from all social activities in that community for fear of influencing others. This is the stance in most religious societies and this is where I seem to differ.
Who I am today is a direct revolt against my strict religious upbringing. I grew up in a family where strict adherence to religious teachings and practice was a norm. At the height of such religious enlightenment, my once serene and innocent life came crashing when I realized that I could no longer conform to the strict religious teachings that seem to place me in a more confused state.
I sought to understand the rational behind some of the things that I have been taught and the things I have read. I want to know why some people should be preferred amongst others when they are all created by the same person. Initially, my questions were treated as some kind of childhood curiosity but when it appears I wasn’t going to get out of it, I was seen as being blasphemous. I grew up with mixed feelings. And no, I didn’t end up an Atheist. I found God in a more personal way or better still, he found me. Though, I get lost in my thoughts sometimes.
From you blog writings you appear to be gender sensitive person, are you a feminist or a pro-female or a sympathizer of women's cause?
The latter is true. I would rather be seen as a sympathizer of women’s cause. But that is not the big picture. I represent not just the voiceless protest and longings of every woman but I am also sensitive to the silent sobs of the helpless, irrespective of gender. For instance, I could pick a hat and give it a heart. I could follow its grueling journey through the maze of time, as it warms different heads. And when it has been beaten and battered in the scorching sun or by the familiar strokes of time, we abandoned it or make the trash its home.
It could be the strings of agony of a muzzled fetus as it is rendered homeless, stripped naked and yanked limbs apart amidst its sea of pleas. Or the plaintive cries of children in distant town, torn apart by the cruel lashes of hunger, abandoned in the cold and left at the mercy of the street.
What about the pulsating throb of the hardened phallus, whose destiny is it to swim the deep waters of life and meander through those dark thickets! Ever wondered what lies beneath those dark paths? I pen not just the agony of the burdened scrotum but the travails of the sacred vagina entwined in some cruel fate! Mine is the pen of the voiceless.
The world over, women ask for equal share in leadership and resources, what is your thought on this? There were times when women were seen but never heard. As a matter of tradition, it was considered a virtue when a woman in the name of respect and good manners subject herself to constant torment and abuse in the hands of her husband without protest. It was a society that places little or no value on women. This was then. Time has changed!In fairness to all, women are the unseen builders of the society. They are the hands that rock the cradle. The grease in the wheels of the economy, nurturing future leaders and keeping late night watch, while men drift away in slumber. What then is the rational behind depriving them of such inalienable right as an equal share in the leadership and resources of their country?Who says having a dick makes you dig better? Being a man doesn't make one a better manager? Who created these frigging patriarchal and ‘male-centric’ social laws that have eaten deep into the fabrics of our society, posing as a limitation to the actualization of some life-changing dreams? I thought ‘He’ created us equal? To be frank, everyone irrespective of their gender differences deserves an equal share in leadership and resources of their country. It is women’s right, just as it is the right of their male counterpart. Society should create an enabling environment that would recognize the equality of all gender. However, I must add that leadership doesn't come on the platter of "asking" it comes on the grounds of competence. Obama didn't become the president of the United States by asking. It was a deliberate and a calculated effort, matched with the necessary qualifications and expertise required for such elevated position. Women should stop asking, they should start acting. Same principle applies to all. You want something, just go for it. Life does not always give us what we deserve but what we demand.
Do you think women are fairly treated in the society, if not what do you think is responsible for this? We must first establish that societal perception of women differs from one end of the world to the other. However, as much as modern societies claim to uphold the philosophy of gender equality, there still exist some visible elements of deprivation and prejudice against women. This stems from the patriarchal structure of our society. Women are mostly the victims of domestic violence, rape and such inhuman crimes which are more pronounced in developing countries of the world. Most devastating is the realization that religion which is meant to give that sense of equality, oneness and relief encourages such unfair treatment by championing the cause against women participation in certain religious activities. Some religion prohibits women leadership and in some others, women are seen but never heard.
Early last year while serving in the north, I was exposed to some of the unfair and inhuman treatments that women are exposed to in the name of cultural and religious practices. Imagine a situation in which one is kept in total seclusion; oblivious of the happenings in her little community, isolated in a dirty, shabby and uninhabitable room that has the semblance of a dudgeon; raped and sexually abused every now and then by a man who calls himself the husband and who has in his custody about 2 – 6 of such women. The most painful part of this gory tale is that these women have been in such agonizing state from a very tender age and would have to endure such inhumane treatment for the rest of their lives! This is not fiction or faction, it is real! What then is responsible for such unfair treatment? This question becomes easy to answer if we know what value our society place on the life of her citizens as this would to a great extent influence how we perceive our individualities. A society that does not value the life of her citizens cannot be sensitive to their needs and this would in return reflect in the way we perceive one another.
In my opinion, there is the need for a change in societal perception of women especially in developing countries where such negative perceptions are dominant. Such re-orientation should not just be taken to the cities but also penetrate the interior communities and societies in distant Africa where it is a taboo for a woman to rival her male counterpart. Religion should not be used as a tool of discrimination or prejudice against women; rather it should serve as a chord that fosters gender equality. Finally, Women should learn to pursue their dreams - no matter how big or small it is, and not allow such 'stereotypes' impede them from the actualization of such noble feat. All men (women inclusive) are created equal.
You once did a piece that resembles the Vagina Monologue on your blog, what inspired the post?
‘Can a Vagina talk?’ This was the question that triggered off a thought process that gave birth to ‘Vagina Verses’. What I did was to find a common ground for men and women, something that would make them stop in the rush and listen; something they hold so sacred and upon which the message of respect and dignity for SELF can be hinged.
No doubt, we live in a society where moral values are fast becoming mundane and in the maze of such modern craze, we tend to forget that the pride of the masquerade lies in its mask. I realized that one of the ways we can truly understand the agony and several abuses on the Vagina by men and women alike is to see through the eyes of a Vagina. To achieve this, I became the vagina, relaying the many plights of women – young and old, in a quest for self respect.
“And to you seekers of my vast treasures, when next you come across another vagina, treat her like your life depends on her because she could be your mother, your sister, your wife and maybe… your daughter!”
What are you views on religion and patriarchy systems that dominate the world?
Religion? I hate the way it is being practiced in our world today. It seems to have been hijacked by selfish individuals – men who profess God with their lips but their heart is far from him. It is used as instrument of exploitation and unfortunately, women are the most vulnerable. I long for a time when so-called men of God would stop riding on the wings of religion as a way of exploiting the poor masses. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”
James 1:26-27
What exactly is Dammy's passion?
Teaching. I am passionate about teaching. I love kids. They are God’s greatest gift to humanity. Life’s greatest lessons are learnt from these innocent ones. I like poetry and music. They can be very therapeutic. I love to write. I love to be different.
What will you like to contribute to the world?
I want to use my writing, teaching, music and poetry skills to touch lives, transform people and change perceptions.
If I had not worded my 3 true-lie puzzle the way I did, it wouldn't have being a puzzle anymore and would have being easy to figure out. Archiwiz, NDQ, Bumight and Marjoram got it right!
I sure have a lunch date with Pat Utomi. I partook in a Facebook essay he originated "how hopeless youth can make change in Nigeria" (I reprhased it). The prize for the winners would be to have a lunch date with him. I won and the lunch will soon happen.
How can I not currently have cats? Even Aloted
got it wrong! And Aloted kai! When I am not out of the country and with
all my passion for cats, I will just get rid of my 4 precious feline
kids like that? Haba!
I have met Chari and Poetically Tinted. They are both my buddies now. I love them both. (I had mentioned meeting them on my blog before)
Woomie O, if I were to do the dirty linen thing, I doubt if blogville knows me enough to figure out the truth but I am giving this as a bonus, be the first to figure this out and others are welcome to do same:
e found many platforms for performing this traditional chore; in the classroom, in tv studios, as a so called public intellectual, newspaper columnist, a sort-of patron saint of young entrepreneurs so I can show thought can work in action; as manager traversing the nexus of idedas and praxis and as man of family, among others. My antecedents are very Pan-Nigerian; born in Kaduna on 6/2/56 with primary education in several cities of the North, secondary education in Ibadanin the Southwest and University and marriage into the southeast with origins of parents and by the Nigerian waya persorn from the SouthSouth. 
e found many platforms for performing this traditional chore; in the classroom, in tv studios, as a so called public intellectual, newspaper columnist, a sort-of patron saint of young entrepreneurs so I can show thought can work in action; as manager traversing the nexus of idedas and praxis and as man of family, among others. My antecedents are very Pan-Nigerian; born in Kaduna on 6/2/56 with primary education in several cities of the North, secondary education in Ibadanin the Southwest and University and marriage into the southeast with origins of parents and by the Nigerian waya persorn from the SouthSouth. 
