11th August, 2023
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi has revealed that he is battling prostrate cancer that has kept him out of public glare.
Utomi took to his twitter handle on Friday to disclose that he has been brought down by the deadly ailment, which he said was detected last year.
“I am moved by this dawn of light to confront an epidemic under the carpet with great harm to men. Prostate cancer is bringing death and misery to many men. Had they been forewarned the misery containment and even chances of cure could be much enhanced, like women have with breast cancer.
“I agreed with the Gambian Real Estate Entrepreneur Taf Njie while I battled the disease that we should do more to create awareness. Nearly 30 years ago I went to Ibadan to speak and lend a hand to present Ondo First Lady Betty Akeredolu as she raised the breast cancer banner,” he said.
According to Utomi, when a biopsy showed he was positive last year, he began treatment with a cancer Centre with a branch in Ikeja and Victoria Island.
“I sometimes came from election campaigns to the Ikeja Centre near the Airport. The Doctors would try to smuggle me out from the back. The well known shielded?”
“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 come it seemed I went quiet because they controlled my phones to reduce stress,” he said.
Utomi added that he did not not see why it was taboo to say one is 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,” he stated.