Femi LazarusCEO at Femi Lazarus Consulting

Join The Public School with Femi Lazarus today for a class that will challenge your thinking.

28 Jun 2026 · 2 min

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1:52

Femi Lazarus argues that wealth determines access and opportunity, with poverty passing down through generations. He uses a story about students required to bring a cutlass to show how the poor face harsh realities, and warns against relying on luck or faith when making major life decisions like marriage.

There are things that makeup cannot cover up. If you speak, they know where you belong. Oh yes. If the elite is beneficial for the masses, to the masses, it's a mistake or is a strategy. If, if you are poor, you give birth to poor. And for the sake of your children, hear what ought you but change you.
Yes, sir.
The level of wealth determines your access, determines sometimes the rooms you can enter went to. One time I attended a public school like this, and, um, when they gave us the things that we had to bring to school, I knew it wasn't clear whether I just joined the school or a farm. Because part of the things you had to bring to school is a cutlass. They will just come and map. My hands will be— will have blisters here. Yes. They come and map and say from here to this place. Oh yeah, all of you here, take it like that. Don't dignify luck, and don't let anybody use religious antics to dignify it for you. Don't marry in hope. When you are marrying somebody, you are marrying what you are seeing. That's the way to get married. Yes, we're not saying things will not change, we're not saying— but at least what you are seeing now, is it what you can sit with? I just want to sound a note of warning that some of the things you're going to hear today can be quite offensive.
The Public School with Femi Lazarus, coming today by 8 PM Nigerian time. You can also join the Femi Lazarus membership on YouTube for access to all content available only to members.