The former Labour Party (LP) presidential aspirant, Professor Pat Utomi, has revealed his battle with the much-dreaded cancer disease.

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Utomi revealed that a biopsy he conducted in the year 2022 showed that he was positive.

He said that he thereafter started treatment with a cancer centre in Ikeja and on the Victoria Island (VI) in Lagos State.

“When a biopsy showed I was positive last year, I began treatment with a cancer centre with a branch in Ikeja and VI,” Utomi tweeted.

Utomi revealed that sometimes doctors would try to smuggle him out from the back of the centres to attend election campaigns.

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

— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) August 11, 2023

“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?,” he asked.

Utomi said he did not see why it was a taboo to say he was in a battle with cancer because the more he talked about it, the more he found many of his age in similar circumstances.

According to him, it almost seems like an epidemic for Nigerian men over 60 but he believes that 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,” he added.

“That is how come it seemed I went quiet cause they controlled my phones to reduce stress,” the political economist pointed out.

Utomi said he agreed with the Gambian Real Estate Entrepreneur Taf Njie while he battled the disease that more should be done to create awareness.

He added that nearly 30 years ago, he went to Ibadan, Oyo state to speak and lend a hand to present Ondo state First Lady Betty Akeredolu as she raised the breast cancer banner.

Utomi further stated that he is moved by this dawn of light to confront an epidemic under the carpet with great harm to men because prostate cancer is bringing death and misery to many men. (The Guardian: Text, Excluding Headline)

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