₦airaland Forum

The Apena of Egbaland and Oluwo of Iporo-Ake, Chief Alani Bankole has said only lazy people are hungry in Nigeria, insisting that the country is filled with opportunities to make money.


Bankole, who spoke on Wednesday during a media interaction, blamed parents and the system for encouraging laziness among youths, saying many young people have lost the culture of hard work.

According to him, the Bible is clear that anyone who does not work has no business eating, adding that Nigeria still offers enough legitimate opportunities for anyone willing to work not to be poor.

“There are too many opportunities in Nigeria for us not to be hungry. Most people who are hungry today are lazy people,” he said.


He said children should be exposed early to productive activities and taught the dignity of labour, recalling that young people of his generation often combined formal education with practical work.

The Egba chief, who clocked 85, maintained that many parents have failed in training their children, noting that instead of teaching them how to create wealth, they pamper them and expect the government to provide everything.

“Teach people how to make money, don’t give them money. Salary jobs are only meant to eat. When you learn how to create wealth, you become rich,” he said.

He, however, admitted that the system itself is largely responsible for the everyday calamity in the country, saying the British handed over a faulty system which Nigerians have continued to practise to oppress and suppress others.

“The system has encouraged a lot of nonsense. The system is responsible for our everyday calamity. Is it Tinubu that will go and farm for you?” he queried.

The traditional chief said the failure of governance is tied to a system where a President or governor is forced to pick aides from every state or constituency without merit, making it impossible to assemble the best team.

Bankole, who is the father of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, called for a deeper conversation on the structures governing the country, stressing that replacing one political administration with another would not necessarily produce fundamental change if the underlying system remained the same.

The octogenarian and former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, argued that the quality of leadership was inevitably influenced by the structures and resources available to those entrusted with governance.

“You can only give what you have,” he said, stressing the need for Nigerians to focus on institutional development and human capacity alongside political leadership.

When asked to advise politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections, the traditional chief declined, saying he had retired from the kind of politics being practised today.

“No, I can’t advise them because I’m not used to this type of politics. When we were in politics, you couldn’t find me in any township at this time. I would take my campaign to rural and border areas.

“But today, you don’t see politicians go to anybody. I don’t know how they do it. They are practising a type of politics which I’m not used to, which I don’t know about. So that’s why I cannot, because when I was growing up, I didn’t go through this nonsense,” he stated.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/17/only-lazy-people-are-hungry-in-nigeria-apena-of-egbaland

So many phoolish eleders in the country

Apena na Mugu Pro Max

I just have a few questions for the old man.

How much wealth have you created?

How many people have you taught how to become wealth creators?

The man may be right to some extent but then government should also take care of the people who are lazy. Even in advanced countries government take care of the lazy. In Canada there are some people who only depend on what government gives them. They are not ready to work . Our government at all levels should take care of us too. We have agreed we are lazy but take care of us.

That's a lot of stupidity from one person.

Country hard oo but it's true, no matter how hard it is as a husler you'll never go hungry

People from that part of the country aren't as smart as they claim to be
Look at the best they could offer as President
And they say Tinubu is the smartest man from the SW

The drugs Tinubu sold in Chicago, is that also a hustle?

Daguccizgreat:
So many phoolish eleders in the country

Lazy shallow youths like you hate the truth.

No one is coming to give handouts; think fast about how to become useful to society and make money while you do.
This is 2026, and the world has changed; no more crumbs for lazy people.

Too much insult for they hungry Nigerians

It seems the old man is not aware of what is going on in the country. Someone needs to take him on an extended guided tour of the four regions of the country.

This is a very wrong statement and insultive to all hardworking nigerians still struggling to survive and feed their families during these hard times brought upon us by the hopless apc government.

After reading this epistle, I can only agree with the saying that age is just a number

Daguccizgreat:
Your fada did a bad job on you. I have nothing but pity on your family

Your fada did a terrible job on you. I pity your family and the unborn kids that lazy people like you will bring into this world.

Children of hate n perdition will so much insult this man for saying the truth

MASTAkiLLAh:
Apena na Mugu Pro Max

hungry man spotted

Seun add d remaining characters

Daguccizgreat:
So many phoolish eleders in the country

Don't read the headline alone,go through the write-up before drawing conclusion.

When you live in a glass house, try as much as possible not to throw stones.

The legacy of Dimeji Bankole is a story for another day.

Daguccizgreat:
So many phoolish eleders in the country

The earlier u wake up there from your slumber,the better.If you're one of those youth in Nigeria,banging Bet9jA table from 8AM to 8PM,sorry is your CASE.The old man is right.There's opportunity,untapped money making biz in Nigeria. STOP WSHING AND START WORKING..

Rudeness because you are supporting your kinsmen.


Anything aside Tinubu

"The man who had his palm nuts cracked for him by benevolent spirits should never forget to be humble"

-Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart).

You can trace all these ridiculous statements to tribalism. They don't want to tell the president and others the truth. When another tribe occupies the seat, they will all find their corrupt voices.

adenigga:
Source: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/17/only-lazy-people-are-hungry-in-nigeria-apena-of-egbaland

Only dumb elders say something different from what the person responsible for the hunger and joblessness said.

anonimi:
May Day: Hunger, unemployment, insecurity real— Tinubu

According to him: “The theme demands our collective attention and serves as a stark reminder of the need to create an environment where every worker feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation. As your President, I assure you that this administration is committed to creating such an environment for the common good.”

On the economic hardship, he noted that while it is a global phenomenon, its effects on Nigerians are particularly severe.

Tinubu said: “I am aware of the peculiarities of the economic hardship Nigerians face—rising living costs, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, and the loss of livelihoods. These challenges are real and demand definitive solutions, which I am poised to address as your President.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/05/may-day-hunger-unemployment-insecurity-real-tinubu/

Some of the comments I have read here has actually confirm what the old man was talking about.

Obiedun:
The man may be right to some extent but then government should also take care of the people who are lazy. Even in advanced countries government take care of the lazy. In Canada there are some people who only depend on what government gives them. They are not ready to work .

So, the citizens are the ones who solve electricity problem, security that has made them to run away from farmlands?
Erosion crises
Gas supply
Water shortage in farmlands
Poor transportation system?
Exra concentration of country activities in Lagos
Dead ports
Terrible healthcare
terrible educational system?
I wish to interview him.. if them born him well, he should let people like me interview him. I dont have respect for anyone because of age, I respect u for the sense u have.
Most of these foolish elders still live in the past, the world has moved on from their small box thinking ability. Without enabling environment for striving indusralization, people will be poor and u need electricity for industrilzation, u need solid STEM based educational system for it, u need adequate supply of water and security, etc. These are the govt responsibilities. Is it citizens that will tackle the bias in this country? where mininerals in the north belongs to northern elites but oil and gas in my lands are for Nigerians and we could be killed for it?
Or citizens will fix corruption where FG will be budgeting 15billion for 39 SUV in a so called hungry country?
Abi na citizens go fix election rigging? Abeg, baba, let me interview u, I have zero chill for elders, I will bombered u with questions. Old age no mean sey u are above mistakes and corrections. Na so africa became a third world country because of fo!lish elders who reason upside down. Their mates created global solutions and tech products, they are here marrying 70 wives

This old man is not taking into account people badly affected by insecurity. Farmers killed or displaced or those denied access to their farms or those maimed and made crippled. Business shut down due to same reason. Millions of cattle rustelled( that is their only means of lively hood) from the villages with zero compensation from the government. That is the perspective of average Northerner irking out a living on thier land.

No be food only person need. Good no hard to get, transport to locations, improving yourself, rent, clothes etc. earning 300 fit try for person small. Na the so call minimum wage 70k worst so tey Na only food e fit provide..

Drsnives:
Country hard oo but it's true, no matter how hard it is as a husler you'll never go hungry

All these traditional rulers are voicing out ridiculous statements lately. We know what they are doing. Even with your hardworking, the system will reduce it to nothing.

ipobarecriminals:
The earlier u wake up there from your slumber,the better.If you're one of those youth in Nigeria,banging Bet9jA table from 8AM to 8PM,sorry is your CASE.The old man is right.There's opportunity,untapped money making biz in Nigeria. STOP WSHING AND START WORKING..

This gaslighting of Nigerian citizens just to make those inept leaders in power look good is past stale... Just stop!

No one in this universe works harder than most Nigerians...None!!!

I don't even stand to be corrected.

Yet, we remain the poverty capital of the world.

Such shameful and widespread penury and diminished purchasing power has absolutely nothing to do with the work ethics of average citizens.

All the young citizens of Middle Eastern nations combined have never in their lives known the level of hard work and efforts of their counterparts in Nigeria, yet Nigeria may never experience even half of the prosperity and wealth of those nations.

So, this gaslighting won't work oga.

jaxxy:
This is a very wrong statement and insultive to all hardworking nigerians still struggling to survive and feed their families during these hard times brought upon us by the hopless apc government.

WHAT HE IS SAYING IS 100,000% TRUE.

IN THIS SAME NIGERIA THAT FULL-GROWN MEN ARE COMPLAINING OF HUNGER, ONE SMALL GIRL FROM GHANA NAMED EFYI SOMETHING HAS BEEN TOURING THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THIS COUNTRY WITH NOTHING BUT HER PHONE.

FILMING SCENES FROM ABUJA, LAGOS, ENUGU, CALABAR ETC, AND POSTING ON HER YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

SEE THOUSANDS OF VIEWS AND COMMENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FROM PEOPLE SAYING THEY HAD NO IDEA NIGERIA WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

THE GIRL IS BANKING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES, RIGHT HERE IN YOUR BACKYARD BECAUSE SHE SEES BEAUTY AND RAPID DEVELOPMENT WHILE ALL YOU SEE IS NEGATIVITY.

SO REMAIN HUNGRY.

YOU ENJOY HUNGER.

RUBBISH.

THAT PHONE THAT YOU USE DAILY TO ABUSE "OUR LEADERS", USE IT TO MAKE MONEY.

YOUR PHONE IS GOLD, IF ONLY YOU CAN DEVELOP A POSITIVE MINDSET.

GO AND LEARN FOREX.

YOUR JUNIORS ARE AT HOME COUNTING DOLLARS BECAUSE OF FOREX.

OR GO ON CHATGPT AI AND SAY "OGA AI, ALL I HAVE IS MY PHONE. I DON'T HAVE SHISHI. I'M IN ABEOKUTA. OR I'M IN AWKA. OR I'M IN SOKOTO.

"GIVE ME 10 SOLID IDEAS FOR A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS THAT WILL PAY ME 5 TO 10 MILLION NAIRA A MONTH JUST USING MY PHONE"

WITHIN 2 SECONDS, AI GIVES YOU THE FULL LIST, PLUS STEP-BY-STEP ROADMAP FOR EACH OF THOSE 10 BUSINESSES, CUSTOMISED TO YOUR LOCATION.

BUSINESSES YOU'VE NOT EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT, THAT WILL MAKE YOU BIG MONEY.

SO, WHAT THE OBA IS SAYING IS TRUE.

TOO MANY OPTIONS FOR MAKING MONEY TODAY.

Sheuns:
I just have a few questions for the old man.

How much wealth have you created?

How many people have you thought how to become wealth creators?

Go to him and ask/learn . U can't have as many rags like elderly people. Be wise