Empower Nigerian Youth: Support "Rich, Young & African"

Hello,

My name is JP Attueyi, and I am the author of the book, Rich, Young & African. Eleven years ago, I left the comfort of America and returned to Nigeria with a burning desire to contribute to the nation's growth. Nigeria is a land of immense potential, yet millions of its citizens are trapped in multidimensional poverty. I believe that the key to transforming our nation lies in empowering the younger generation with the right values, skills, and knowledge.

Over the past decade, I have worked tirelessly to demonstrate that success can be built on a foundation of integrity. I've shown that it is possible to rise through the ranks without resorting to corruption, kickbacks, or embezzlement. However, as I celebrated my 40th birthday, I began to reflect on how I could extend my impact beyond the people I interact with daily.

It was during this period of reflection that the idea for Rich, Young & African was born. Unlike most financial education books that are centered around the U.S., my book is tailored specifically to the African context. It addresses the unique challenges faced by our youth and provides practical guidance on integrity, skill acquisition, personal development, budgeting, saving, and investing. I embarked on this journey with a deep conviction that this book could help steer our young people away from gambling, fraud, and other vices, towards a path of ethical success.

However, When I first set out to write my book, I knew my target audience would include young people still in school. This raised an important question in my mind: How would they be able to afford this book?

As I pondered this, I stumbled upon a powerful message by Jim Rohn, who said:

"You don't get the answers to do well until you get the reasons. Reasons come first, answers come second. Life has a mysterious way of holding on to all the answers and only giving them up to the people who are inspired by reasons."

That struck a chord with me. I realized I was asking the wrong question. The real question was why I wanted to write this book.

I want to write this book because I look around and see too many young people struggling with hopelessness. In Nigeria, financial education is often overlooked in our schools, leaving our youth without the necessary skills to build wealth. Some have dormant skills but don’t know how to unlock them. Unlike the West, where there are safety nets, Nigeria provides little in terms of financial security for its citizens.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs tells us that basic survival comes before self-actualization. Nigerian politicians understand this and have weaponized poverty, leaving the average person struggling to meet their most basic needs. This is why, during elections, many are willing to sell their votes for as little as ₦5,000 ($3) or ₦10,000 ($6), resulting in cycles of bad leadership. The hunger for survival overpowers any thought of the future.

But I believe change is possible. My reason for writing this book is to ignite that change—to inspire growth in Nigerian youth and teach them how to take control of their financial future. Rather than give fish, I aim to teach how to fish.

My goal is to focus on tertiary institutions, where I can begin to plant the seeds of this change. Nigeria has approximately 600 universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. I want to place at least three copies of my book in the library of each of these institutions. This way, even students who can't afford to buy the book will still have access to it. Beyond that, I am developing courses on skill acquisition, skills identification, budgeting, and planning, to be taught at institutions in each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

To ensure these courses are affordable, they will need to be subsidized, and I’ll need to hire a team to help run these programs. This will require a significant commitment, both in time and resources.

I wasn’t sure how I would achieve this monumental task—until one day, during my daily walk, it hit me. The solution is crowdfunding. By reaching out to individuals like you, I believe we can raise the capital necessary to bring this vision to life. With your support, we can inspire a generation of Nigerian youths to embrace financial independence and personal growth.

If this mission resonates with you and you'd like to help, I invite you to donate.

Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a tangible difference in the lives of young people who need it most.

Thank you for your time and support. Together, we can be the spark that lights the way to a brighter future for Nigeria.

Thank you for your generosity and support.

Warm regards,

JP Attueyi

Author of Rich, Young & African