Prominent political economist Pat Utomi has issued a stern caution to Nigerian youths who serve as political thugs for self-serving politicians. Speaking through his official social media channel on Saturday, the academic highlighted the exploitation of young people by corrupt leaders who benefit from community unrest while offering minimal financial rewards in return.
What did Pat Utomi say to the youth?
Utomi challenged these young individuals to evaluate their life choices, questioning whether they envision themselves engaging in street-level thuggery, commonly referred to as agbero, at the age of 50. He also pressed them to consider the feelings of their parents regarding such illicit activities.
"To every young man doing agbero work for corrupt politicians, I want you to sit down and ask yourself an important question, Is this what you will still be doing at 50? Are your parents proud of what you are doing?" Utomi stated.
He further emphasized that greedy political figures exploit the vulnerable economic standing of youths, feeding them meager portions of resources while the politicians themselves amass wealth from the resulting local instability.
How does this relate to the upcoming elections?
Looking ahead to the political landscape, the expert specifically warned the younger demographic against allowing themselves to be deployed as tools of violence and destruction during the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
"Come 2027, please do not allow yourself to become an instrument of destruction in these men's hands. You deserve better," he cautioned.
Political thuggery has historically posed a significant challenge to democratic processes in Nigeria, with various civil society groups and leaders frequently calling for increased youth empowerment and vigilance to curb electoral violence.