Former First Bank Chairperson warns that appearances can be deceiving as high-profile Nigerians mask financial struggles behind luxury and extravagance.
Businesswoman and former bank chairperson, Ibukun Awosika, has revealed that several prominent Nigerians maintain luxurious public lifestyles while quietly struggling with debt.
Speaking during a preaching engagement, Awosika highlighted how outward appearances often conceal the true financial realities of wealthy individuals.
“I was chairman of a very popular bank, and you would be shocked if I told you that many wealthy Nigerians—very big names—are living in debt while maintaining a lavish public lifestyle. Until they die, their families often don’t even know the true state of their finances,” she said.
Awosika also shared personal insights from her own financial journey, explaining that for over a decade, she earned more than her husband while he worked diligently in the public sector. She emphasized that their approach to income differences was rooted in teamwork and mutual growth rather than conflict.
“So when I say do not make money an issue in your home, I mean it. Money is a tool. Use it to achieve things together, whether it comes from the man or the woman. One plus one is one. It is not mathematics,” she advised.
The entrepreneur, widely recognized for her advocacy in leadership, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy, urged couples—especially women—not to let money become a source of tension, emphasizing that it should serve as a tool to strengthen family and partnership goals.
Awosika’s remarks have sparked conversations about financial transparency, wealth perception, and the realities behind the glamorous lifestyles of Nigeria’s elite.
