How goat investment helped fund my education — Dino Melaye

Former Kogi State Senator, Dino Melaye, has recounted how an investment in a goat he bought at the age of 12 helped him pay his school fees through secondary school and his first two years at Ahmadu Bello University.

Melaye disclosed this in an interview with KAA Truths published on Thursday, where he spoke about his journey from a humble background to his investments in businesses and properties across several countries.

According to him, the experience taught him the importance of starting small and investing consistently.

He said, “At the age of 12, I bought a goat, and that goat gave birth, and I sold the offspring to pay my school fees in secondary school.”

Melaye added that proceeds from the goat’s offspring also funded his university education.

“From the offspring of that goat, I paid for my first and second year at Ahmadu Bello University, my school fees came through that investment,” he said.

The former lawmaker said he began investing internationally at the age of 18, stressing that people did not need huge amounts of money before venturing into investments.

At age 18, I was already investing internationally, not on a large scale. You don’t need to have all the money on earth to start investing,” he said.

Melaye recalled investing in a Eurobond about 27 years ago when the euro was worth N60, saying he continued to reinvest the dividends instead of withdrawing the proceeds.

“I did a Eurobond 27 years ago, when the euro was 60 naira to one. You can calculate what that investment would be worth today, because I didn’t touch it, even with all the dividends, I rolled it over year after year, and it’s still there,” he said.

He also disclosed that he invested in technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Uber and Zoom, saying some of his friends initially mocked his decision to invest in Uber and Zoom.

“When I bought my Apple shares, I bought Microsoft too. When I bought shares in Uber, my friends were laughing at me: ‘Uber, what’s wrong with you?’ Today, I know what it is.

“When I also bought some shares in Zoom, people were laughing at me, then COVID came, and Zoom went up 400 per cent. So just ask God for direction,” Melaye said.

Speaking about his property investments, the former senator said he started his franchise business investments in the United States with one outlet, which he gradually expanded.

When I started investing in franchise businesses in America over 20 years ago, I started with one, one gave birth to two, two gave birth to three, three to four,” he said.

Melaye said his investment portfolio currently spans Qatar, Oman, Dubai, the United States and Sweden.

He explained that his property investment in Dubai also began modestly, starting with studio apartments that he rented out through Airbnb.

“When I started in Dubai, I began by buying studios and giving them out for Airbnb. From studios I bought a one-bedroom, from one bedroom I bought two bedrooms, from two bedrooms I bought my own house, in Downtown Dubai, on the most expensive street of Dubai, the first duplex in a tower,” he said.

According to him, he has since moved beyond owning apartments to property development.

“From there I started buying properties. Today I don’t just have a portfolio of apartments in Dubai, I’m a developer. I’m building,” he said.

Melaye, who served in the Senate between 2015 and 2019, urged Nigerians to develop the habit of investing regardless of how little they had.

He said wealth creation required discipline, hard work, tenacity and making the right decisions.

“Just be sincere with yourself. Believe in the supremacy of God over the universe. Be hardworking, be tenacious, make the right decisions, and have a second address,” he said.

He also distinguished between being rich and being wealthy, saying the latter involved having money generating income without the individual having to work for it directly.

“The difference between richness and wealth is that when you’re rich, you’re working for money, you go to work from 9 to 5, you have to attend meetings, you’re rich, but you’re working for money. But when you’re wealthy, money works for you,” Melaye said.

He encouraged young Nigerians to begin investing with whatever amount they could afford.

“You don’t need trillions, millions, or hundreds of thousands to start investing — however small, start it,” he said.

Melaye said his own financial journey was driven by a desire to have a vision for the future and to remain committed to achieving it.

The former senator also said his background had shaped his appreciation of his current circumstances, adding that he regarded his achievements as a result of divine favour.

“I came from a very lowly background, but God, in his infinite mercy, out of his grace, out of divine favour, I am where I am today. And I should not be ashamed of it,” he said.