The former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the inordinate pursuit of wealth by internet fraudsters.
Addressing a gathering of young people during the Golden Health Conference held at the Archbishop Patterson Auditorium, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha on Saturday, he described internet fraudsters popularly called Yahoo boys as “geniuses who need redirection.”
The conference, themed “Money Beyond Wealth,” brought together students, professionals, and youth leaders to discuss the moral, social, and economic dimensions of wealth creation.
Obi, while speaking during the event, stated that only money gotten through ethical means can be described as real wealth.
He said, “Money becomes real wealth only when it is earned through ethical means and used to uplift both the individual and society in an edifying manner.”
Obi observed that despite the fraudsters moral misdirection, many of them possess rare intelligence and creativity that, if properly guided, could drive innovation and national development.
“Looking at what they do, there is no doubt that many of them are geniuses. The challenge before us as a society is to redirect them, to channel their ingenuity into productive ventures that will not only dignify them but also edify society,” he said
Lamenting the state of moral decay in the country, Obi attributed much of it to leadership failure and the bad examples set by those in power.
“We cannot build a healthy society when those in authority glorify greed, celebrate impunity, and promote corruption,” he remarked.
He further stressed that rebuilding the nation must begin with restoring integrity in public life.
“Getting it right as a nation, must include getting it right in politics. When political leadership fails, every other sector suffers.”
“Encouraging young people to embrace productivity and hard work, Obi revisited a past controversy in which he was misquoted regarding night vigils. Clarifying his stance.
“There is nothing wrong with night vigils. What I said was that while Friday and Saturday nights can be for vigils, the other nights should be for productive work. We must build a culture that values creativity, diligence, and enterprise,” he said.
