Hello Ladies,
So there is this one saying we hear almost everywhere here, “Na who get money dey talk.” so at first, it sounds like one of those normal street truths, like yeah, money gives you influence, nothing new, but if you really sit down and think about it, that mindset has quietly messed with how a lot of people think and behave.
Because what that statement is indirectly saying is this if you don’t have money, your voice doesn’t matter, and that’s where the problem starts, I have seen situations where someone is clearly making sense, like real, valid points, but because they are not rich or successful yet, nobody takes them seriously, then someone with money comes in, says something half baked, and suddenly everybody is nodding like it os deep, Not because it actually is, but because of who said it.
That kind of thinking is dangerous because it shifts our focus from truth to status, Instead of asking, is this correct? people start asking, Who said it? And once a society starts doing that, you will notice people no longer chase wisdom or understanding, they start chasing money just so they can be heard, it becomes less about growth and more about validation, even worse, it can make younger people feel like they have nothing meaningful to offer until they blow, so instead of speaking up, sharing ideas, or even asking questions, they shrink themselves ,they wait until they feel qualified by money before they believe their voice matters, that’s a very limiting way to grow.
Now, when it comes to protecting younger people from this mindset, I think the main thing is helping them understand that value is not the same as visibility, just because someone is loud or rich does not mean they are right, so when I talk to younger ones around me, I try to encourage them to think for themselves. If they hear something, don’t just accept it because of who said it, ask questions, look at the idea itself, does it make sense? does it align with reality?
I also try to remind them that everyone starts from somewhere, the people we now listen to did not always have money, there was a time their voices were small too, so your current level doesn’t cancel your ability to think or contribute, as for me, resisting that pressure is something I consciously do, because let’s be honest, in a place like Nigeria, money carries weight, you will feel that pressure to agree with people just because they are doing well financially, but I’ve learned to separate respect from blind agreement, I can respect your hustle, your success, your achievements, but that doesn’t mean everything you say is correct.
I try to listen to ideas, not just people, and sometimes, that means standing alone in your opinion, especially when everyone else is following the money voice, but I would rather do that than lose my ability to think independently, at the end of the day, money is important, nobody is denying that, but it should never become the yardstick for truth.
Because if we keep believing that only the rich should talk, we might end up silencing the very voices that actually have something meaningful to say.