Stop buying ‘aso ebi,’ build wealth, Reno Omokri urges Lagosians

Former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has advised Lagosians to reassess their lifestyle choices, particularly the cultural pressure surrounding ‘Aso Ebi’ and frequent party attendance, as a means of improving their financial situation.

Aso ebi is a Yoruba term that translates to “family cloth” and refers to a coordinated outfit worn by a group of people, usually family members, friends, or associates, to show solidarity and support at social events such as weddings, funerals, birthdays, or traditional ceremonies. It is a deeply rooted cultural practice in Nigeria and parts of West Africa, symbolising unity, love, and communal identity.

Typically, a celebrant or their family selects a specific fabric—often lace, ankara, or george—and distributes or sells it to invited guests who then sew their preferred styles from the same material. While it adds colour and uniformity to occasions, aso ebi has also evolved into a social trend that can create financial pressure, especially in urban areas where individuals may feel compelled to participate in multiple events within a short period.

In a post on his official X account on Wednesday, Omokri called out what he described as a self-imposed financial burden many Lagosians carry in the name of social appearances.

If you are in Lagos and have a job or business but are not making it, consider eliminating Aso Ebi from your life. Honestly, you won’t believe how much Lagosians spend on Aso Ebi. And the pressure can be stifling,” he wrote.

Omokri criticised the growing trend where individuals neglect savings and investment opportunities like cooperative societies, known as Esusu, in favour of buying expensive fabrics for parties.

“People who are not taking part in Esusu (cooperatives) yet are participating in Aso Ebi. Which means that they are not cooperating to grow their money, only to blow it. And they wear the clothes once, and all that money is gone.

Where did all these CBEX people get influenced to invest in that Ponzi scheme? Is it not at one of these Aso Ebi parties?”, he quizzed.

He, therefore, urged young Nigerians to adopt a minimalist social life and redirect their attention to wealth-building tools such as stocks and cryptocurrency, stressing that financial success requires intentional lifestyle changes.

“Do yourself a favour. Put a pause on attending parties. Whether Owambe, Obito, or Trado. Be a ghost for one year. Join an Esusu. Use your digital scarcity to gain social currency. Let people say, ‘Where have you been’, instead of ‘you done come again o’.”

Continuing, Omokri underscored the importance of surrounding oneself with the right atmosphere and avoiding toxic environments masked by social glamour.

“Rather than the latest dance step, get involved with the newest stock and crypto. Life is not that complicated. Success is not that difficult.

“It is you who just makes things hard for yourself by carrying yourself to every party where your energy and atmosphere are poisoned by different people who do all manner of evil things to make money and then pretend as if it is that small shop where they sell lace that they are making all those billions from”, he concluded.