Nepo or lapo kids: Which one are you raising?

My dear sisters,

Please come, let’s gist. Have you been scrolling through Instagram or Twitter lately? It feels like every other day, a new music star, actor, or fashion designer pops up, and then you check their surname and you’re like, “Ahh, I see. That’s Oga XYZ’s child.” The world calls them “Nepo Kids”—short for nepotism babies—the children born with the proverbial silver spoon, whose famous last name opens doors before they even learn how to knock.

We see them everywhere. Their path seems so smooth, so golden. They have the connections, the funding, the access. While the rest of us are fighting tooth and nail for a foot in the door, their own door is custom-built and waiting for them with a red carpet. It’s easy to look at them with a mix of admiration and a little bit of side-eye, isn’t it?

But then, Naija, being the undefeated champion of creativity and humour, came up with our own perfect response. A term that makes my heart swell with pride every time I hear it: the “Lapo Kid.”

You know exactly who I’m talking about. The Lapo Kid is the child of the Nigerian hustler. Their mother wasn’t a celebrity; she was the market woman who took a small loan from LAPO Microfinance Bank to stock her shop. Their father wasn’t a billionaire; he was the hardworking mechanic who used his savings to buy his own tools. The Lapo Kid wasn’t born into a mansion in Lekki; they were raised in a home built on resilience, prayer, and the sheer force of their parents’ will to give them a better life.

Their inheritance isn’t a trust fund; it’s a first-class degree in grit.

Their network wasn’t built at champagne parties; it was built in the community, among neighbours who looked out for each other.

Their MBA was watching their mother meticulously balance her account book after a long day at the shop, understanding the value of every single Naira.

The Nepo Kid’s advantage is their starting point. The Lapo Kid’s superpower is their journey. They’ve seen the struggle up close. They know that nothing is handed to you. This hunger, this drive, this deep-seated understanding that you have to work for everything you own—that is a currency more valuable than any inheritance. It’s a fire that, once lit, can never be extinguished.

So, the question everyone is asking online is: which is better? To be a Nepo Kid or a Lapo Kid?

But I think that’s the wrong question. It’s not about your starting point; it’s about the race you run. A Nepo Kid can have an incredible work ethic and build something even greater than their parents. And a Lapo Kid, if they’re not careful, can forget the hustle that brought them up.

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The real lesson here, especially for us as women and mothers, is about the legacy we are building. Most of us are raising Lapo Kids, and we should wear that badge with honour. The hustle you are doing today—the late nights, the early mornings, the sacrifices—is not a sign of disadvantage. It is the greatest inheritance you can give your children. You are teaching them resilience. You are teaching them character. You are teaching them that their surname doesn’t define them, but their hard work does.

So, whether you’re a Nepo Kid trying to prove you’re more than your name, or a Lapo Kid ready to show the world what you’re made of, remember this: in this Naija, no matter where you start, the hustle is what separates the women from the girls.

Stay strong and keep investing!.