Renowned professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has revealed his battle with cancer, saying many of his age are in similar circumstances.
Utomi made this revelation in a series of tweets on on the X app on Friday.
The don disclosed that he was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 after a biopsy.
Biopsy is a procedure is being used to detect cancer by removing a piece of tissue or a sample of cells from the body for testing.
But, Utomi did not state the exact form of cancer he is grappling with.
He disclosed that in the buildup to the 2023 elections, he occasionally visited a cancer centre in Ikeja after campaigns.
Utomi added that whenever he spoke about his struggles with cancer, it dawned on him that many people of his age bracket are also battling the same ailment.
He said, “Did not see why it was taboo to say you were in a battle with Cancer. The more I talked about it the more I found many of my age in similar circumstances.
“It almost seems like an epidemic for Nigerian men over 60. Not talking makes them lose the benefit of early detection.
“Once elections were over, my young nephews and cousins, Doctors in Europe and the US joined forces with the Lakeshore people and decided they wanted me in their direct care.
That’s how it seemed. I went quiet cause they controlled my phones to reduce stress.”
One of the chieftains of the Labour Party (LP), Utomi played a key role in the party’s 2023 presidential campaigns.
In 2022, he stepped down his presidential ambition for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the LP.
Utomi is the founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership.
In the late ’70s, he was appointed special assistant to then President Shehu Shagari.
SOURCE: VANGUARD
