Aniebiet Inyang @InyangBiet - Twitter Profile

Pinned Tweet

1 day ago

Breaking Circles Many young Nigerians are not just chasing wealth; they are running from a story they watched their parents live. Some of us were not just told that our school fees had not been paid; we were picked out of our classrooms in the middle of lessons and kept in an empty classroom away from our classmates for the rest of the day. While others continued learning, we sat there carrying a shame that felt bigger than our age. Some watched landlords throw their family’s belongings outside. Some saw their parents borrow money repeatedly just to survive another month. Some saw brilliant fathers and hardworking mothers struggle endlessly despite their best efforts. Those moments may have lasted only a few hours, but the humiliation, fear, and helplessness have followed many of us into adulthood. Years later, that child is now an adult determined never to return to that place again. The problem is that trauma does not always disappear; sometimes it becomes ambition, and other times it becomes desperation. In today’s Nigeria, relationships and marriage have become deeply tied to financial success. Many women openly desire a man who can spend on them, provide comfort, and offer security. There is nothing wrong with wanting stability, but the consequence is that many young men begin to feel that their value is measured by the size of their bank account rather than the content of their character. Marriage is celebrated when the man is doing well financially. The same man may be overlooked while he is still struggling, building, and finding his feet. Society rarely applauds potential; it applauds results. As a result, many young people are living under enormous pressure. The young man is terrified of becoming his father who could not pay school fees on time. The young woman is terrified of becoming her mother who spent years managing hardship and praying for miracles. Both are trying to escape a reality they once witnessed firsthand. Some choose legitimate routes. They acquire skills, build businesses, pursue education, work multiple jobs, and trust the process. Others choose shortcuts. Fraud, corruption, fake lifestyles, transactional relationships, and questionable deals become attractive because society often rewards the appearance of success long before it rewards hard work. When we see people making desperate decisions, we are often quick to condemn them without understanding what they are running from. Many are not simply chasing money; they are running from memories. They are running from the empty classroom. They are running from eviction notices. They are running from the shame of watching their parents struggle. They are running from a cycle. But every generation eventually faces a defining question: in your bid to break that pattern, are you dirtying your hands, or are you working hard and hoping your efforts will eventually be rewarded? Because not every wealthy person broke a cycle, and not every poor person failed. The true measure of success is whether you preserved your integrity while trying to change your family’s story. Breaking a circle is not just about escaping poverty. It is about escaping poverty without becoming the very thing you once prayed to be rescued from.

25

384

63

56

144K

InyangBiet retweeted

Aniebiet Inyang

@InyangBiet

Last Seen Users on Sotwe

Trends for you

Most Popular Users