Lagos — I must begin this article with a caution: the above is not some cheap slogan coming from a "settled" sycophant, nor is it from an opportunist seeking to secure a brighter future from any politician willing to take notice. It is rather from an ordinary secondary school teacher, one of the teaming masses of Nigerians dreaming of a brighter future for the country.

I am no heavyweight, one of that exalted cadre of citizens who cause the entire populace to pause and ponder over every lightly dropped utterance. This contribution is, nevertheless, heartfelt - and deeply so. It is also inevitable: by this I mean that if I didn't write it, it would be just a matter of time before someone else did.

By Utomi, I mean, of course, Prof. Pat Utomi, lecturer at the Pan African University, social commentator, political economist, philanthropist, entrepreneur, moralist, etc, etc. "Pat for President!" is a powerfully appealing slogan, just as the notion of Pat Utomi as presidential material is simply irresistible. And before I am dismissed as a dreamer, tarry awhile and hear me out.

To begin with, you must ask yourself: what kind of president do Nigerians want and need today? I will answer, without hesitation, that Nigerians want (I don't mean the politicians; I mean the ordinary people, the overwhelming majority), first and foremost, an honest man, a man of moral fibre. For too long, we have been ruled by men of questionable moral standing; yes, in some cases astute; in the worst cases, undisguised thieves who stole from the country on an astonishing scale. Largely because of such leaders, corruption spread into all the nooks and crannies of Nigerian life. As a result, Nigerians have grown deeply cynical, regarding anything touched by Government with the greatest suspicion and loathing - and rightly so. People yearn for honest leaders but do not expect any from among the present generation of politicians. Indeed, the thinking is that politics is synonymous with dishonesty and corruption, though recent events related to the failed third term bid do give cause for some hope. It need not be so. A man of integrity, therefore, stands on a very high moral pedestal in the eyes of the people.

Nigeria needs a knowledgeable president because of the myriad problems he will inevitably face. A capable hand is needed, one with the ability to build bridges across the various ethnic nationalities, to address the clamour for resource control in the Delta, the agitation for an end to marginalisation in the East, for economic empowerment in the West and for continued political relevance in the North. Thus, this "Saul among the Israelites" must be sensitive to the very heartbeat of the nation. He must be compassionate; one who is always in the touch with the common people and who has the ability to galvanize them into action motivated by a shared vision. He needs to be God-fearing because, in spite of everything, a great majority of Nigerians are deeply religious and would therefore feel more secure in the hands of a president that prays.

We need a president who is already an icon, a role model with the promise of becoming an eminent statesman in the mould of the American presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and no less. Such a one must have had nothing to do with the military, as the people are completely fed up with soldiers in government. He must be a pure civilian. In fairness to President Obasanjo, he has done very well in government and the next president must be a kind of continuity. But the current president must be seen as the final transition from military to civilian rule.

I think I express the opinion of many Nigerians when I say that Pat is the man. Pat is a perfect fit. The image of Utomi as president, let me admit, has stolen its way, almost imperceptibly, into our consciousness. This intrusion began, for me, many years ago during the Abacha era when I began to admire Pat for his courage under perhaps the harshest political climate Nigerians have ever lived through. Pat was and remains a motivator. And then I discovered that he was also a social worker, with particular concern for widows; a promoter of young entrepreneurs, an intellectual, a man with incredible reach and clout. And I said to myself that here, at last, was someone really special. Indeed, Pat Utomi is a symbol of a new type of Nigerian - young, highly motivated, vibrant, talented, patriotic and value-driven or perhaps a rebirth of the real Nigerian who held so much promise at Independence. Perhaps, he is a gift from God come to take the country out of its unending leadership crisis.

Know that when he steps unto the podium to seek our mandate, you'll be witnessing a revolution that began many years ago in the minds of many young people of this country. It would signal the entry into the political fray of a new kind of politician, one with a strong ideology and followership. I think that Pat himself is beginning to realise that a growing number of people, Nigerians and foreigners alike, are beginning to feel that he is the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle. I honestly hope that he had this in mind when, in a recent contribution, he said that "seeking office should not be ascending but rather an inconvenience justifiable because it advances a greater goal."

Apart from his great human qualities, Pat's circumstances are aptly suited to a future role as Nigeria's president: his has, for many years, been an important voice in the Nigerian struggle for political and economic liberation; he is from the South-South geo-political zone where the clamour for an indigenous president as a possible compensation for years of degradation and neglect has reached a fearful pitch; he is from the Igbo-speaking Delta region and would be acceptable to the Igbos across the Niger; he spent part of his childhood in the North and speaks Hausa. He speaks Yoruba too, having had his secondary schooling at the Loyola College, Ibadan and having lived and worked in Western Nigeria for many years; his friends cut across all the six geo-political zones of the country and across civilian and military divides. He has done a lot for widows and is, therefore, highly appreciated by Nigerian women. He has an appeal even for the vain and superficial: he is good-lookin g. Pat is a man with a great and generous heart; and will be a uniting factor for the Nigeria of our dreams.

I cannot end this contribution without making some remarks about Pat's political and economic philosophy, as many people are concerned that the next president be someone ready to continue with the ongoing reforms in the country. His philosophy is well captured again in the same article quoted earlier, where he says that "the limited success of our reform efforts has been the distance from the people that made it difficult for the leadership to affect culture and mobilise the citizenry to act for their own base interest." Do you not begin to see the enormous entrepreneurial energies likely to be released with the implementation of the foregoing italicised agenda? Pat believes strongly that, given the right leadership, cultural changes are possible which will have a tremendous impact on the growth of an entrepreneurial spirit among the populace. I share this view and I am certain that when Patito steps out in the service of the people, he will find his Gang grown to an enormous multitude, solidly behind him. Yes, I dare to dream and I invite you to dream with me. Pat for President!