Why a Leg Up Isn't a Guarantee of Success

Hello and welcome. My name is Tavishma Aide. I'm the host of the podcast that I'm making today's recording at home. It's one of these late night recordings, so there might be some noise in the background. Now if you'd love to connect, you can call, send a text message or a WhatsApp message to me on 08064662140. Now today on the show, I want us to look at why looking at other people's fathers. It's not a good way to assess business growth or strategy.

I know some of you are confused, so let me repeat and explain why I'm looking at something like this today. So why it's not a good idea to look at other people's popsy and momsy and say that is the reason why so and so person is successful. Now the reason why I'm tackling this question today even though I've tackled it before. It's just that the thing has come up again. Oterdola, Femi Oterdola, Nigerian billionaire, released a book recently.

I can't remember what the title is called. And you know, so the usual, just like people were flogging down with it, they've not started flogging Oterdola. So basically they're saying that. One of the things I've heard just by looking at write ups on LinkedIn is Oterdola took £250,000 from his father to start his business and today he's a billionaire. So the scope people are saying is Otola took 250 K pounds, that's a hard currency to start his business.

So because Otola had a popsy who could afford to give him 250 K pounds hard currency. And that's the reason why, excuse me, that's the reason why the guy is successful. So those of you who've been listening to the podcast for a while, you remember that you know the podcast episode that I made where I was addressing the, you know, the Dempsey Dempsey in newspapers about Downward and how his uncle loaned him a couple of lorries when I was 12

lorries, I'd be 19 lorries or whatever to start his business. So that's how Downward started in logistics because his uncle was severely paid up and gave him a couple of lorries and then he started his logistics business and then now he's a billionaire. And so the argument is rich uncle with C capital to buy lorries equals to that's the reason why he's a billionaire today. So you can see the line that people are making Otterola, rich popsy.

That's the reason why he's successful. Dangwati rich uncle, that's the reason why he's successful. So the result is there's all this smoke going on on LinkedIn. You know, people are just saying that hotel and Dangote are not good examples of the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit or entrepreneurial grit because there was no need for grit as in they didn't have to struggle because they had name that can open doors or they had capital like an open doors.

So people say basically there's nothing that we can learn from Dangote, nothing that we can learn from Oterdola because they got a leg up, they got a boost from their policy. So that's one of the questions I want to tackle again on the podcast. Is that true? Is having a rich father a guarantee that you have billions in the future? The answer is no because in Nigeria, we have many, many, many examples of people who had a leg up but they were not able to leverage it for opportunities.

I repeat, I don't want to call any names. Just think about, you know, think about your tribe and in your tribe, I'm sure you remember some names of yester yesteryears, some families that they used to call, some heavy families like that. And then today ask yourself, where are those families? Is having a rich father a guarantee of billions? No, because there are lots of people who get a leg up and they're not here today.

I'll be your toddler. Yeah, that's what toddler senior epoxy He gave his 1250K. Is his son the only person he gave 250K? The other people that he gave C capital, where are they done with his uncle? OK, so he gave down with a Lego, is down with A the only person that he gave Lego? It was automatic. All the other people that he gave Lego should be they will all be billionaires today. It's not a guarantee. Now we all know former families,

rich families, powerful families, powerful dynasties, whether Yoruba, whether thief, whether Hauser, whether Ibu, Edoma Bureau. In fact, the Tea family in particular, I just don't want to call the name, you know, let me not disrespect people's families and people's legacies. You know, there's one particular family that the man was a Don was a big boy, she was a billionaire. He had a bunch of sons. I set up everybody. But today if you call the family, you know, you can't say where they are on the map, but Popsy was a billionaire.

And if you check your tribe is the same thing. They've been big families, big boys certified like large families. But today no millionaire among among their ranks. So it's not a guarantee that because Popsy is a big boy that you self you be a big boy as well. It's not that simple. So like I'm not saying you have to clap for these people or they have to be their fans. So there's no need to be clapping for all these daddies boys and daddies girls because there are also some women in Nigeria today who are large, if you understand.

And people will say it's because her popsy was large or she had one kind benefactor who gave her C capital. So we don't have to clap for all these daddies boys and daddies girls. We don't. But then we should not trivialize what these people have achieved just because somebody gave them leg up. Let me repeat, we don't have to clap for these people, but let's not trivialize what they've done except, you know, because somebody give them leg up.

Now, there's some clear cases where I understand if people want to shout too much, like this one particular African dictator. Let me not say it because you know it's them say them say is gist and I don't like to give something I've not verified. And this dictator had lots of holdings in his country, I think diamond related or something sharp mineral related. And of course, you know when the girl's out of the picture, you know his first son, you know,

inherited the whole thing. But you know those some state pressure. You understand this thing can be now your pop series is in charge, your popsy corner, everything using power of the state, Poppy is no longer in the picture. But all those things that they controlled using power of the state, everything has now been handed over to you. If you want to shout at people like that, I understand. I say OK, I understand because in that kind of situation, it doesn't really require much ingenuity as your popsy was military dictator, the guy cornered everything by force,

gave everything to you by force. You inherited monopoly, you know, by force. So that kind of thing, if I have to be an idiot to lose it, as you have to be completely stupid to lose it. So in those kinds of circumstances, I understand. But nothing we have to understand is it's not as if Nigeria is a wealthy country or I know people like to say giant of Africa and you know, you quote GDP and everything. But look, let's face it, Nigeria is not a wealthy company and so because of that, a lot of people who are complaining about Dangote and not a dollar.

One thing you guys don't realize, all of you are complaining. People can turn around and say the same thing about you because I've been seeing some names on people that are complaining. You're complaining about whatever that Popsy gave him 250 K pounds higher currency back in those days when 200 and when 1/4 of £1,000,000 was something. But you then you're complaining you have a father who paid for you to go for masters abroad in Stanford.

Then from there you entered into YC That's AY combinator and you're complaining. You don't know that in 20 years when you self you hammer you're a big boy. People can turn around and say and you had a rich popsy who sent you to America to Stanford. From there you get connect, you enter YC. That's the reason why you blow. People will now start diminishing the work that you put Abby. We shouldn't celebrate you because your Popsy was rich enough to pay for master's degree in America.

Does Sammy would diminish the hard work that you did because it's not automatic that you go to Jand for masters. It's not automatic that from there you will enter Y Combinator and even if you enter Y Combinator is not guaranteed their business will succeed. There are lots of Nigerians who have entered Y Combinator before and their business is in all blue. So it's not guaranteed. We don't realize all of you are just bashing on turtle and down with your up and down.

You don't know that tomorrow somebody can say the same thing about you. Or consider this one, One of my classmates, the guy comes from a poor background. His father was AI can't remember what they're called. Is it taxonomy or something like that? You know, these people that take you take animals and then you start creating specimen, you know, agricultural specimen like you do skeleton or you, you mount the you create samples,

samples of animals you now sell to laboratories. So that was the work that the guy used to do. But I admit, yes, the guy, he didn't come from a rich background, but because his Popsy now does is what his Popsy used to do is probably started making skeleton samples. And then my guy started taking these things and selling to laboratories and then selling to schools. So because of this family business now that is started with Popsy's skills, Popsy's training by the time when year 4

back then in OAU, this guy has several million in his bank account. Those one time I only have to go to the bank. I said let me just go and check my bank, you know, and the guy said no problem, he took you go and check. Back in those days we didn't have ATM and was well up where my where my bank that we had in in OAU back then above my World University. So there was one my bank there where my bank the branch was nearly was under underneath the amphitheater.

So that's where we went. So then you go, you give the cashier your account number, you write it on a sheet of paper, your balance, I give it to you. So it ripped my balance. I checked. I saw some money inside. I said correct. I said today I will flex. Yeah, I was curious. I said oh boy, how much is he on now? The guy showed me 7 point something million. I said. I said how come? And then that's why he gave me the back story about the horsewood and he and his pops you are doing all day.

In my mind I was thinking year 4, you already have self million, why are you staying in school? Resign and do this in full time. Although I didn't tell him Michelle, but that's what I was thinking. So. And of course now today the guy is a big boy. Should we in 20 years when the guy is a billionaire now, should we be shouting at him that's the reason why he started is because his father had unique skills that we could monetize.

So because of that now would diminish the work that was done. Because there are lots of people who have skills, lots of people that their popsy have unique skills but they have not been able to harness it. So should we shout at somebody like this and say is Popsy's, is Popsies Connect that made this thing happen? Well, I take somebody like me. That's one of the reasons why I'm public. You know, when people are talking about this and it's me,

I keep quiet because it's not as if I'm from a poor background. I'm not from a wealthy background, but I'm not from a poor background either. So I was master master's educated abroad, and while I was studying, I stole 200 lbs from Mumsy. That's what I used to buy my first camera. That's how I started. So in 20 years now when I'm a billionaire, is it that people should not celebrate me because the money that I used to starting business was not my own?

I stole it from Mumsy, so people should not celebrate me. So is everybody that can get the £200 from Mumsy or Popsy. So it's everybody that gets that kind. You know, the, you know, no matter how small is everybody that gets it that will now become a billionaire. It's another example. It's one of my classmates in secondary school. When is Popsy died, he was sad, you know, everybody's sad. You know when your Popsy died.

I remember when my own Popsy died, when mom, she gave me the gist, I could not believe it. She called me. She said, Tavish, where are you? Yes, I'm on my way home from work. So are you sitting down? I said, look, Mommy, what's happening? Just tell me. Say. Well, there's no easy way to say it. Your father has been shot. I don't know. I haven't got any information. Again, when I have any information, I'll tell you. I said OK, no problem.

I got home. I was confused. I said let me make some more and do me before I tear the sachet. Another phone call. Say yeah, I've just confirmed your father is dead. One more I cried like a bastard that day. So anyway, when is my friend Popsy died? You know you feel sorry and you know you remember your own your own loss as well now. But in his own case, that is my classmate. When he was crying, he said don't cry, don't cry.

The thing that they used to wipe his eyes was the fact that his Popsy left, his Popsy left a nice inheritance for him, a hotel plus some landed properties in Abuja. So you know, when you're crying and people say, yeah, don't cry, don't cry, then they're using title documents to clean your eye, to clean your eyes. So yeah, don't be crying, Don't be crying and sorry, sorry, sorry. And they're using the title documents worth millions and millions and millions to wipe your eye, you know.

So somebody like that, now that inherited, correct Bar serious cheddar in 20 years. Now, if he's a billionaire, are you saying that we shouldn't praise him because his father left him an inheritance? As if he's automatic, that if somebody's pops, he gives them inheritance, that they will be big, that they will blow. There's just one more. It's just like I remember the person's name. I'm not sure if it was Chino Achebe, but you know, back in,

you know, those of us who are late 70s, early 80s kids back then we had this African writers series, you know, like the book about or Concord, Things Fall Apart and all those things, Afghan writers series that we have to read. So I know that those one of those authors that, excuse me, how he got his big break was when he was, he was even one of the Ebo authors. When he was in in the village, people saw that this boy is bright.

This boy is very sharp. So what they did was the village contributed and then that's how they sent him to school and then from there, school scholarship, you know, UK everything. That's how the guy's destiny changed. He now became renowned author. So for somebody like that, we should not praise him because it's the village that contributed and got him started. We shouldn't praise him. You want to look at examples like this.

We'll keep going on and on and on and on. And in my opinion, this kind of beef is non constructive. It is not constructive at all. I'm not saying we shouldn't have these opinions. We can. But we're better off trying to see if the person started by selling skeleton samples and he and his pop see that's how they start a new business. Then try and learn how did you go from here to here to here to here to here, Take the principles and apply, that's all.

If you hear that person's uncle gave him 12 lorries, it's still the same. OK, you started with 12 lorries, How did you apply from here to here to here to here to here, Take the principles and then run it. If you hear that the person started because the whole village contributed together to send him to school is still the same thing. How did you go from A to B to C? Take the principles and apply. Try and learn from whatever legacy people have required.

What? This kind of beef is unnecessary and you're just wasting your time tearing people down. See how you can learn from other people's examples wherever they started from. Some people start at 0, some people start at +5, some people start at +100. Either way, there's a lesson that you can learn. And by the way, news flash, for those of you who have been hitting or downloading or hitting an Otterola, I said it in the other podcast and I'm saying it again, Downloading has this refinery going.

Apart from that, he's raising more cheddar. He wants to open a shipping port, another shipping port in West Africa. I'm sorry, in Nigeria, I can't remember where exactly Otterola is investing in power infrastructure. So for those of you who've been beefing, I'm just letting you guys know you think they have billions now with the moves that down with an Otterola are doing, they have many more billions to come. So those of you who are beefing will now go beef die.

I'm telling you this one is small refinery plus shipping port. What do you think this is going to become a certified boss and then the way that Nepal is useless in this country, just stressing out our lives or Ted and the others who are making moves to invest in powerful structure. If any of those plans click, what do you think is going to happen? In fact, Eve goes back to my point, are there not other Nigerians who have serious bar,

serious money, serious pepper but have refused to make this kind of bold plays? Is downloaded the first person to have enough money to say you know what, let me raise capital and open up a second port before downloaded did not. OK, well Donald Duke, Donald Duke was a governor. So that whole thing of Tinapa and HAM and free trade Zone and stuff like that. So these ideas are not strange, are they not other people who go Lego from their policy or Lego from sponsoring government but did not make this bold move.

Now these two are making these moves. Can we not see that there's some foresight for these two guys in particular? There is some foresight because what they are seeing other people have refused to see. For the people that saw, it's not everybody that had the gumsho to move forward and take the bet. Then I'm taking the Bet Hotel and I would say they're making big bets in African infrastructure. The other people who are richer than them before who didn't do that anyway, for me looking at them, I think they're sharp guys.

The lesson I've learned is that betting on infrastructure in Africa, I think is the way to go. You know, those the other billionaire from so excuse me, I've forgotten the guy's name now, the one from Zimbabwe. I made an episode about him as well. You know, so looking at these these guys and then Chairman Moore as well, making investments in mobile telephony infrastructure, looking at these big boys. And I've seen the game that they're playing.

I'm beginning to see that. OK, maybe that's the way forward. Infrastructure. So I didn't have hotel as dad as my proxy. I didn't have Dangote's uncle as my uncle. But the small that my mom and my dad gave me, I will do my best to build upon it. And you should do the best to build upon whatever you got to. If you're one of those people who started from zero, as in you were born under a bridge, your momsey was a beggar, Well, it doesn't mean that there's nothing in store for you because there are people who have risen from those circumstances who are born with absolute 0.

But it doesn't mean that we will now belittle somebody's accomplishments because it started with a leg up. And I'm letting you guys know ahead of time, 50 years from now when my sons are billionaires, if I catch any of you saying that the reason why they're billionaires is because me, I give them a Lego, I'll knock you guys on the head. It's not a guarantee that my boys will be billionaires just because of things that I've started today in 2025.

If they don't arrange themselves well, do you think won't click? If they arrange themselves well, do you think we click? And it will click exceedingly well. So. So excuse me. So when my sons are billionaires in 50 years, it will be not just because Popsy started something, but also because they grew up to become men of ambition, men of vision, and they had the backbone to execute. So when that time comes, none of you should be looking at my boys, I say.

And it's because of what Popsy did. And then the side note, because I've noticed that whenever these things start trending, if you create content on these things, it actually does trend. So the amount of opinion that Wendy don't create content on trendy stuff. So those of you joining the bandwagon on beefing Otterola because his book is out, you know they call it news jacking. When something is trending in the news and is newsworthy, you may comment the content about it.

Yeah, you can do that. You're trying for a while, but if you're on your content game to be long, all you have to do is focus on having a distinctive point of view in your professional space. Build content around that instead, and you'll be fine. Anyway, I have a little podcast here, so I'm not trying to new Jack because anyway, this is a business podcast anyway, so it is not the kind of thing that will trend or cause controversy or whatever.

But I'm just trying to speak to those of you who've been listening to my podcast, who follow the podcast, who you feel are safe. The things I say make sense. I'm just trying to speak to you guys for those of you who've been seeing some of all this controversy, you know, in forums and on LinkedIn and things like that. That's what I'm making today's episode. So don't join them. Let people news Jack and get their content to trend or whatever.

For now, you just focus on having a distinctive view in your your business, in your space and then you'll be fine. So it's like me and my podcast, you know, news jacking or news, news jacking. Things come, things go. But my core thesis still remains the same, that the only reason why people's destinies change, why people's family change, is because someone figured out the knack. Someone was able to figure it out. That to make progress, you need to be able to sell.

Sell your product, sell your service, sell your vision. You need to be able to get people on board with whatever the agenda is. And that's the reason why I'm making this podcast. Anyway, sorry that today's podcast was not directly sales related or marketing related. I just saw another one of those posts today and I was like, whoa, these people are just taking the piss. Anyway, So that's it and that's all. Remember if you'd love to connect, you can call SMS or what's happening on 08064662140.

Thank you very much for your time and attention. I'll catch you next time. Same place in your headphones or in your speakers. And don't worry, the next time you hear from me on this podcast, it definitely will be business related and not not another rant because of stuff I saw on LinkedIn. So I'll catch you guys.