Money can get you a lot of things in Nigeria, but what happens when it follows you into the classroom? For some students, having wealthy or influential parents meant getting away with things other students would have been punished for. Others attended schools where family names and connections counted for nothing.

In this story, five Nigerians who went to school with children of the ultra-rich revisit their past and tell us what that experience felt like.

“They got away with everything” — Chinasa*, 35, F

I attended an all-girls Catholic missionary school in the heart of Garki, Abuja. Many of the students came from wealthy families, including those whose parents were politicians and ambassadors, and many people wanted to be close to them.

Their parents often donated large sums to the school, so the matrons and seniors seemed reluctant to discipline them. No matter how grave the offence, they were rarely punished.

I remember one incident where a senior beat a junior girl on the neck, leading to complications. The junior girl died a few months later, but the senior was never punished. Whenever things got out of control, their parents would just pull them out of the school. 

Many of the rich secondary school bullies I know have moved abroad and settled down. Things always seem to work out for people like that.

“I didn’t know how bad it was until I graduated” —Biola*, 29, F

My secondary school was exclusive and expensive, so most students had some level of wealth and access. We were all used to a certain lifestyle, and I didn’t think much of it at the time.

We disrespected our teachers a lot because we knew the punishment would always be detention. We got away with breaking a lot of rules because we had the means to bribe the house masters and mistresses. I didn’t realise how bad that culture was until I graduated and started my undergrad in Nigeria. I had to unlearn a lot of habits to avoid getting into trouble.

The only good part was that crimes like bullying were frowned upon. The chances that the person being bullied was also well-connected were quite high, so the school took zero chances. Bullies got suspended or expelled.

That school opened my mind to a new world of possibilities and instilled in me a sense of boldness and audacity. Wealthy people do not teach their kids consideration. Everything on the table is up for grabs.

“They treated all of us the exact same way” — Osinachi*, 25, F

I attended a missionary school that mostly catered to boujee kids, although you wouldn’t have guessed it from the outside. The school treated all of us equally and enforced a strict dress code. You couldn’t tell the difference between the kids of top government officials and regular traders. We all wore the same low-cut hair and ate the same crappy food.

Sometimes a parent would try to force the school’s hand to get special treatment, and our principal would say, “If you don’t like what we do here, you can take your child and leave.”

Outside school, the difference in our lifestyles was obvious. I love that the school never allowed gadgets or mufti within the premises. It would have led to bullying and unnecessary competition.

“Someone snuck out of school to meet a sex worker” — Joseph*, 29, M

I attended a Catholic school in Edo State, where favouritism was more about academic performance than about wealth or family connections. The smart students were given preferential treatment, while those who fell behind rarely got any perks.

One of the most outrageous things I witnessed was a “special” student sneaking out of the hostel in the middle of the night to patronise sex workers. He got away with it, but students knew they risked expulsion if they tried the same thing. Even when these favoured students brought contraband to school, their parents got them out of trouble.

I liked my experience at the school, though. It opened my mind to new possibilities and made me feel less guilty about what I wanted in life.

“Students smoked weed on the bus” — Aisha*, 19, F

I started my secondary school education at a government school, so I was shocked when I transferred to St Mary and Alfred School. Students could wear make-up, henna, and use phones. Instead of beating latecomers, teachers would stand at the gate to welcome them to school. 

The wildest part was seeing students get away with drug use. Some of them even smoked weed on the school bus, and the driver barely batted an eye. In fact, they paid him to help them run errands during school hours.

The only downside was the verbal bullying. I was a victim, and the experience still affects me till now. I find it difficult to put myself out there and mingle with my mates at university. I’d rather be on my own

I’m glad my dad sent me to both public and private schools, even though he was well off. Experiencing both environments helped me see how differently people navigate the world.

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