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Let’s face it – surviving on just one income stream in today’s Nigeria is no longer realistic. The days when a single salary could comfortably feed a family, pay rent, handle school fees, and still leave something for savings, are long gone. We are living in an economy where the cost of living keeps soaring, but wages remain stubbornly stagnant. In this harsh reality, we need to start asking ourselves the hard questions: How do we safeguard our family’s financial future? How do we prepare our children to survive in this fast-changing world?
One clear answer is entrepreneurship – not just as an afterthought, but as a deliberate family value and lifestyle. In this sermon, I argue – and I do so unapologetically – that every Nigerian family, irrespective of social class or professional background, must own and run a business. Entrepreneurship should no longer be viewed as something reserved for the “business-minded” few; rather, it should become an integral part of every family’s way of life.
We must consciously shift our thinking. It is time to stop raising children whose only ambition is to graduate and seek a government job – children who grow up expecting to be handed opportunities. Instead, we must raise children who are exposed to the art of trade, innovation, and ownership right from their tender years.
Let’s make entrepreneurship a family affair. Let it be the air we breathe in our homes – not just a side hustle for dad or mom, but a collective family project that engages everyone.
Picture this: what if your child, as early as age 10, already understands how profit is made, how customers are treated, and how ideas turn into income? What if they learn these lessons not from a textbook, but from watching you run your family business? What if entrepreneurship becomes as natural to them as reading and writing?
I speak from personal experience. I grew up watching my parents manage their own business. The sights, sounds, and stories from their trading days shaped my mindset. Today, even as a university lecturer – a so-called “white-collar professional” – I run my own business. The extra income goes a long way in cushioning my family’s finances. But beyond the money, it is about the example I am setting. My children see firsthand that no matter how educated you are, owning a business gives you control over your financial destiny.
In an economy like ours, salary alone is a trap. A job can end. A business you build can outlive you.
That is why I urge Nigerian parents – no matter how busy you are with your 9-to-5 job – find a family business you can nurture. It doesn’t have to be big. It could be retail, online sales, farming, catering, photography, creative arts, consulting – anything legal and productive. Let your children participate. Teach them the ropes. Mentor them in practical business skills, not just in academic excellence.
We must stop raising children who grow up helpless, waiting for government jobs that no longer exist. We must stop producing graduates who are educated but financially illiterate. Instead, let us raise resilient, self-reliant, creative adults who know how to create wealth for themselves and for others.
In this difficult economy, entrepreneurship is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity. It is a survival tool. It is an inheritance you can pass on to your children that is worth far more than property or cash.
And here is the controversial part – and I say this boldly: families who fail to introduce their children to entrepreneurship at an early stage are doing them a disservice. They are setting them up to become dependent adults – graduates with certificates but no practical financial skills.
So, dear parents, don’t just teach your children to aim for jobs. Teach them to create jobs. Don’t just give them pocket money. Teach them how to make money. Let your home be a mini business school. Make entrepreneurship your family’s lifestyle.
In my house, that’s exactly what I am doing. And I urge you all – do the same. For the sake of your children. For the sake of their future.
Ewere Okonta is a family values advocate and chief executive, EOB Media. He writes from the Department of Business Administration, University of Delta, Agbor. [email protected]
