Sometime this past weekend, social media caught fire… again. But it wasn’t over politics or celebrity drama. This time, it was about something far more personal: a spirited conversation comparing two categories of people that at first started as an unserious banter. Those born into advantage and those born into adversity.

They were quickly labeled: Nepo babies and Lapo babies.

Here’s a bit of background to get you up to speed. The term “Nepo baby” (coined from nepotism) refers to individuals who benefit from family influence, wealth, or status. They get a foot in the door before they even realize there’s a door. On the other hand, “Lapo baby” is a uniquely Nigerian spin referencing those born into financial hardship, often beginning life with limited access to resources, or as the abbreviation means “Little Access to Privileges & Opportunities.”It was funny for the most part. But underneath the banter was something incredibly sobering: a reflection on privilege, opportunity, and the silent gap between effort and access.

The Uneven Field We All Pretend Is Fair

To be fair, being born into privilege doesn’t mean you don’t work hard. In fact, many who grew up with financial security still hustle. They put in the time, they chase goals, and they build careers.

But what’s often left unsaid is that they do this with a cushion underneath.

If things go south, there’s a parent to call. If a business fails, there’s backup capital. If a job opportunity opens, that’s often because there was already someone on the inside. The road is still long, but it’s paved, well-lit, and comes with signposts.

Meanwhile, the other group, the so-called Lapo babies, are running a different race entirely.

They hit the ground running from day one. But unlike their pairs there isn’t the luxury of a safety net, nor is there a fallback plan. They’re often not even chasing dreams. They’re just fighting to survive. Every step forward is powered by sheer will, not inheritance. And the heartbreaking part? Even when the effort is equal, the results rarely are.

Speaking of effort, one of the most difficult things to reconcile in life is how it doesn’t always equal outcome.

Hard work is noble. Important. Necessary. But it isn’t everything. 

Timing matters. Background matters. Who you know matters. And in a society like ours, what you’re born into can quietly shape everything from your confidence to your connections.

That’s the uncomfortable truth sitting at the heart of this trend. It’s not about blame. It’s about acknowledgement. Because if we don’t admit that the playing field is tilted, we risk shaming those who are already doing the most just to stay afloat while crediting others for “self-made” success that had scaffolding all along, a beautiful lesson explored in Kemi Adetiba’s “To Kill a Monkey.”

So, What Do We Do With This Realization?

We don’t all start from the same place. But we can decide not to let that cycle repeat.

That’s the real power in this conversation. Not bitterness. Not resentment. But resolve.

Resolve to be the one who shifts the story. To be the ancestor who builds what they never had. To be the parent, uncle, aunt — or even stranger — who creates structure where there was once only survival.

And this is where the idea of legacy takes center stage.

Legacy isn’t just about leaving your children millions. It’s about leaving them options. The option to dream. The option to try and fail. The option to say no to desperation.

It’s about replacing panic with planning. Scarcity with structure.

And the truth is you don’t need to be a billionaire to build legacy. You just need to start intentionally.

That could mean:

• Setting up a savings plan for your child now, not later.

• Learning about estate planning before it’s too late.

• Investing small amounts with long-term vision.

• Teaching your family the value of compounding.

• Having honest conversations about assets, and not just income.

Because in the end, the legacy you build isn’t measured by what you left behind, it’s measured by how much further they can go because of you.

Bravewood provides Nigerian professionals with low-risk, high-return investment products, licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.