Renowned political economist and outspoken critic of the current administration, Professor Pat Utomi, has announced that hundreds of supporters are mobilizing to defend him against legal action initiated by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The call for support comes following the DSS’s suit filed against Utomi over his recent launch of the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government — an opposition platform designed to hold President Bola Tinubu’s government accountable and propose alternative policies.
Launched on May 5, the shadow government seeks to act as a credible counterbalance to the federal administration, comprised of experts and public figures like human rights advocate Dele Farotimi, who oversees the ombudsman and governance portfolio.
The initiative has drawn sharp criticism from the government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), culminating in legal challenges.
In a heartfelt post on his social media platform X, Utomi expressed gratitude for the wave of solidarity sweeping across Nigeria, saying, “I am heartened by messages of support from every corner of the country. It’s energizing to know that some are mobilizing 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s turbulent democratic history, Utomi recalled his role during the late Sani Abacha era, chairing a landmark conference on democracy’s future under oppressive rule. “We asked then: Is this how democracy dies in Nigeria? Sadly, the answer was—and still is—yes, when citizens are prevented from organizing and holding their leaders accountable.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Utomi remains defiant. He declared he will not go into hiding and is prepared to face whatever comes. “I will be at Abiola’s residence on June 12, ready to face handcuffs or worse. Death is no big deal—I have lost friends to this struggle. But I am emboldened by the spirits of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and others who stood firm for freedom.”
Utomi closed with a powerful metaphor, invoking the late scientist Carl Sagan’s image of Earth as a “pale blue dot,” a fragile home to both tyranny and love. “If we die, we die—but I will continue to chant freedom with all my heart.”
