The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has said that some of Nigeria’s so-called internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as Yahoo boys, are actually gifted youths whose creativity and intelligence need proper guidance rather than condemnation.
Obi made this remark in a statement titled “Our Youths Need Redirection”, shared on his verified X handle on Sunday. He said the observation followed an engagement with young people in Onitsha, Anambra State, where he spoke at a youth conference themed “Money Beyond Wealth.”
The former Anambra State governor revealed that although he had travelled to the United Kingdom for a two-day meeting, he cut the trip short to attend the youth event at the Archbishop Patterson Auditorium, All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha, at the invitation of Archbishop Owen Nwokolo.
Obi said he felt compelled to participate in the gathering because it addressed one of the moral crises undermining Nigeria’s progress — the excessive pursuit of material wealth.
“I reminded our young people that while money is important, it is only a fragment of true wealth, which rests on integrity, character, and purpose,” Obi said. “Real wealth uplifts both the individual and society, promotes education, reduces poverty, and creates opportunities for others to live dignified lives.”
He emphasized that many young Nigerians involved in cybercrime possess remarkable ingenuity that, if properly redirected, could drive innovation and national growth.
“Some of our so-called Yahoo boys are geniuses who need redirection, not condemnation,” Obi said. “Their creativity and courage, if properly guided, can drive innovation and national development. Our challenge is to channel their energy from deception to productive enterprise.”
Obi warned that the reckless pursuit of money without values corrodes character and destroys communities, adding that leaders must set examples of honesty and discipline.
“A nation that rewards dishonesty cannot build integrity,” he said. “Leadership must lead by example.”
He urged Nigerian youths to rediscover the dignity of labour, embrace hard work, and invest their intellect in innovation and enterprise. According to him, “Nations are built not by miracles but by men and women who think, work, and build.”
Obi also reminded Nigerians that justice, fairness, and merit are the cornerstones of true national progress.
“No religion or tribe buys bread cheaper than another,” he stated. “Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources; what we lack is the will to do what is right. Once we embrace justice, fairness, and merit, our nation’s greatness will naturally unfold.”
He commended Bishop Owen Nwokolo for his leadership and praised the organisers of the Golden Health Conference for promoting ethical values among Nigerian youth, concluding with his signature optimism: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
Comments