Steem4nigeria Accelerator Contest Week 106: If I were to be a Billionaire

You know, sometimes my mind just gets the better of me. I'll be just sitting there silently, and I'll think it: waking up one morning and checking a news site and seeing my name there with the world's wealthiest. It's a wild thought, one that instantly puts a grin on my face. But the grin always dissolves into something less amusing. The real question that remains with me is not the mansions or the private jets. It's this: if I ever had that kind of money, what kind of person would I become? Would I get lost in the glitter, or would memories of my roots keep me anchored?

I think about this in particular because I remember what it was like to grow up in a place where one opportunity felt like a miracle. I can still see the faces of kids in my neighbourhood—so smart, so much potential—having to leave school because the fees were simply out of reach. I’ve stood by and watched good people succumb to illnesses that shouldn’t be a death sentence, all for the lack of money for a simple treatment. Those aren’t just memories; they’re like a compass for my conscience. They’d guide everything I’d do.

So, if that billion-dollar day ever comes, my first move would be straight toward education. I’d start building schools not as cold, brick buildings, but as places where kids can actually breathe a sigh of relief. The fear of an empty notebook or a missing textbook would be gone. I’d want to fund scholarships that don’t just cover tuition but also give a child the peace of mind to actually focus on learning instead of worrying. It's giving them a chance to dream above their circumstances.

Then, I'd tackle healthcare. I've seen families sell their last cow, their piece of land, everything they owned, to be able to pay a hospital bill. And the worst part? Sometimes it still isn't enough. The idea that a person's life has a price tag on it that not everyone can afford is one that I just can't accept. I’d build clinics in areas where the nearest hospital is a day’s journey away. I’d set up programmes so that a diagnosis isn’t the beginning of a financial nightmare but the start of a journey back to health.

And then there are the farmers and small business owners. These are people who work harder than anyone I know, and they're always just getting by. I'd like to create a system that offers real help—not handouts. Low-interest loans, training in new techniques, and access to equipment that can turn a struggle into a success. They feed nations; the least they deserve is an equal opportunity at a good life.

Now, I'm not perfect. I'd certainly cut myself a share of that fortune for my own pleasure. I fantasise about travelling, not flamboyantly, but to really experience the world, meet people, and learn from other cultures. Life must be about balance, after all.

I look up to those who have gone through this path before. Elon Musk for his crazy ambition. Bill Gates for showing that giving back is the best power move. Aliko Dangote for building an empire right here in Africa. Warren Buffett for no-nonsense wisdom, and Oprah Winfrey because her journey from struggle to success feels like a personal guarantee that it's possible.

But let's be real. Money is a tool, not a wand. It can't buy a clear head or real love. That life's problems are real, too—the stress that's always present, the concern over who's really your friend, and the loneliness that can come with being at the top.

I don’t believe wanting to be rich is a bad thing. It’s all about the how and the why. If the money comes from honest work and is used as a force for good, then it’s a blessing. For me, being a billionaire would simply be the biggest platform imaginable to serve, to make a dent in the problems I’ve seen up close, and to hopefully inspire someone else to do the same.

In the end, the truest measure of that wealth wouldn’t be in my bank account. It would be in the number of children who get to finish school, the families who don’t have to choose between medicine and food, and the communities given a real chance to thrive. That’s the kind of rich I’d want to be.

I invite @ruthjoe, @sahmie, @lhorghic