If society accuses you of cutting corners to attain wealth, it’s because your rise to affluence is questionable.
Nobody will accuse Dangote of fraud or Ibukun Awosika of prostitution.
I was at a conference where one of the richest women in this country was a guest speaker
She was asked how she acquired so much wealth and she gave a very Nigerian answer “ By the grace of God “ and that was it.
This doesn’t cut it. We know how Gates made his billions, we know how even Escobar made his.
Spare us the “ Grace of God “ bullshit.
I once worked for a multi billionaire in this country and he was accused of stealing government funds.
Naturally, I wanted to help clear his name and I began asking him the same questions
How did you make your money ?
His replies were shallow and lacked any convictions
He told me tales of how he struggled as a young boy from a poor background.
How he sold Orkirika ( bend down ) and cement.
I kept asking one fundamental question “ what was your big break “
Because he wasn’t the only cement seller in the country at the time.
Questions were left unanswered and even I began to wonder that the inexplicable wealth on display.
I am not saying he is guilty of the crimes he is being accused of but his failure to account for his wealth continues to fuel these suspicions.
As a people, we must learn to explain our way of life and not feel offended when confronted with such questions.
Normalize answering questions relating to your affluence on display.
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