Prof. Pat Utomi
Patrick Okedinachi Utomi popularly known as Pat Utomi was born on February 6, 1956 in in Kaduna,
Kaduna State. He is an indigene of Igbuzo in Oshimili North Local Government Area
of Delta State.
Pat Utomi is a Nigerian professor of political economy and management expert, He is a Fellow of
the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria. He is the founder of Centre for Value in
Leadership (CVL) and the African Democratic Congress party. He is a professor at Lagos Business
School. He has served in various capacities in government, as an adviser to the president of Nigeria,
the private sector, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria and in academia.
Pat Utomi had his primary education at St. Thomas, Kano from 1960 to 62; Our Lady of Fatima,
Gusau from 1962 to 1966; Christ the King College, Onitsha and Loyola College, Ibadan, finishing his
secondary education at the age of 15. Due to the fact that he was not up to the entry age for
university, which was 17, he enrolled at the Federal School of Arts and Science. He therafter got
admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1973 to study Mass Communication and graduated in
1977. He then proceeded to Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, where he got his Ph.D. MPA,
MA. He was Appointed professor of the Social and Political Economy Environment of Business and Pioneer
Entrepreneurship Teacher at Lagos Business School in 2003. he has been a scholar-in-residence at the
Harvard Business School and the American University in Washington, D.C.
Within a few months of his return to Nigeria from Bloomington, Indiana, United States, where he
did graduate work, Pat got enlisted by the former vice-president Alex Ekwueme to provide consultancy
on some public policy papers. Soon after, he was appointed Special Assistant by former president
Shehu Shagari a position he lost following the military coup of December 1983, which terminated the
Second Republic.
Following the demise of the Second Republic, he became chairman/chief executive officer, Utomapp
Holdings Limited, and 1984 to 1986,and assistant general manager, corporate affairs, Volkswagen of
Nigeria Limited, Lagos, from 1983 to 1993.
He was scholar-in-residence, American University, Washington DC, USA, 1996 and research associate,
the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1996. (Lagos Business school started operating
in 1991.)
He also belongs to many professional bodies. He is a member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations,
NIPR, Institute of Directors, IOD, Nigeria Economic Summit Group and Nigeria Economic Society.
He coordinated the establishment of several civil society groups on good governance and
accountability such as Transparency in Nigeria, the Centre for Values in Leadership, the Concerned
Professionals, and the Restoration Group. In the business sphere, Utomi was the vice-chairman,
Platinum?Habib Bank. He is a columnist, and chairman, BusinessDay Media Limited and creator of Patito's
Gang, a television talk show.
He has served on the key apex private sector associations including the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(LCCI), the National Council of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association (NECA). He is active on the international speaking circuit, especially on the subjects of growth
economics, comparative development, leadership, oil and China?s economic surge and growing influence in Africa.
He has collaborated frequently with the center for strategic and international studies (CSIS) in Washington, and
Chatham House, in the UK. He has also written commissioned papers for the UKs DFID including the latest
collaboration with Colleagues from Oxford on the Political Economy of growth in Nigeria. (2006).
In the 2011, Pat Utomi ran in the Presidential race but lost.
Pat Utomi has received several awards and recognition including one of Nigeria's top ten living
legends by Vanguard/Silverbird Television Awards, Great Nigeria Lives of the 20th Century, Societal
Role Model in the Pioneer Awards by the Nigerian Tribune in 2001 and others.
He is active on the International speaking circuit, especially on the subjects of Growth
economics, comparative development, Leadership, the Curse of Oil and China?s Economic surge and
growing influence in Africa. He has collaborated fairly frequently with the center for strategic
and international studies (CSIS) in Washington, and Chatham House, in the UK. He has also written
commissioned papers for the UKs DFID including the latest collaboration with Colleagues from Oxford
on the Political Economy of growth in Nigeria. (2006).