Mikel John Obi, a former Super Eagles player, has noted that entitled families are more common in Africa.
He stated that when one family member achieves financial stability, others in the family often relent in their daily efforts, putting the obligation of financial provision on the successful family member.
In an interview with fellow footballer Rio Ferdinand, the former Super Eagles captain noted how in Africa, relatives are frequently entitled to a person’s money.
Obi claims that when an African person obtains money, numerous relatives and cousins begin to make demands, and sisters and even married men believe they are destined to be a part of the family.
The football player remarked that these individuals have so many children and want him to care for them, so he has to be tough and put his own needs aside at times.
Mikel Obi revealed that his extended family believes he owes them money and has threatened to go to the press if he does not pay.
He said:
“When you come from Africa when you make money, it’s not your money. You have all these relatives, cousins, and your sisters go off and get married to some guy who just wants to get married into Mikel John Obi’s family because his life is sorted, and then you start looking after this guy, and before you know it, they keep having so many kids and you look at it like,
“Okay, you’re having this many kids, who are going to look after them?’ It’s you! It’s the culture because, for them, you owe them that, so sometimes you have to be strong and say, ‘You know what, guys, enough is enough; I don’t care’. They give you this thing whereby ‘if you don’t do it, we’re going to go to the press’. After all, what have I done for you guys? But this happens a lot in Africa. Not everybody comes out and speaks about it.”