The former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stated that some Nigerian internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo boys,” possess exceptional creativity that should be harnessed for the country’s development.
Obi made these remarks on Saturday in Onitsha, Anambra State, while speaking at the Golden Health Conference with the theme “Money Beyond Wealth.”
“Some of our so-called Yahoo boys are geniuses who need redirection, not condemnation,” Obi told the audience. “Their creativity and courage, if properly guided, can drive innovation and national development.”
The former Anambra governor emphasized that his presence at the event was crucial because it addressed what he described as “a vice that has eroded our values — the greed for material possessions.”
He stressed that Nigeria cannot achieve greatness while celebrating corruption and rewarding dishonesty, noting that “money is necessary, but it is only a small part of real wealth.”
Obi elaborated on his concept of true wealth, stating it must be “built on integrity, character, and purpose.” He added that genuine prosperity “uplifts society, promotes education, reduces poverty, and creates opportunities for others.”
Warning about the consequences of moral decline, Obi said: “Leadership must lead by example, for a nation that rewards dishonesty cannot build integrity.”
He called on Nigerian youths to rediscover the dignity of labour, emphasizing that nations are built “not by miracles but by men and women who think, work, and build.”
Obi also advocated for justice and fairness in governance, stating that national development requires collective effort without ethnic or religious bias.
“No religion or tribe buys bread cheaper than another,” he noted. “Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources; what we lack is the will to do what is right.”
The former governor concluded by thanking Bishop Owen Nwokolo of the Diocese on the Niger and commending the conference organizers for promoting discipline and value-based leadership among young Nigerians.
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