What to Know About NEPO and LAPO Babies

The terms “NEPO Babies” and “LAPO Babies” are concepts that have been trending for a while now on the Nigerian Twitter space. A lot of issues and controversial concepts have been raised about these two topics.

In Nigeria, both terms are used to describe two different possibilities regarding children that are born into various families in our contemporary time. The children who fall under either of the two categories enjoy some form of privilege; however, they are not the same.

This article will dive into both concepts and clear our misconceptions while solidifying our understanding of the topic. Let’s get right to it.

Table of Contents

Who are NEPO Babies?

Before we understand who a NEPO baby is, let’s first get a comprehension of the word “NEPO” itself. Some audiences online have opined that the term “NEPO” was derived from the word “nepotism,” which is a form of favoritism that is shown to family members, friends, and close relatives when a job opportunity or job offer is opened.

The term “NEPO” stands for “Never Ending Possibilities and Opportunities”. From the full meaning of the acronym, we could see that it blends with the word “nepotism”.
From what we have understood, a NEPO baby is a child who is born into a family with a high measure of influence, wealth, or fame. These children automatically enjoy access to unlimited opportunities and privileges that the average child in a society does not have.

As a result of the kind of parents they have, NEPO kids often get the privilege of getting admission into top schools, landing a well-paying job, and also meeting people who are very important in society at a very young age. Apart from this, some of them also have the opportunity to get internships to work at big companies, scholarship opportunities to study at prestigious schools, and leadership positions to run big organizations.

The Criticism Against NEPO Babies

The category of those born under the NEPO Babies umbrella has been receiving a lot of criticism lately. The fact that most of them just get to see the sweet side of life without working for it does not sit well with a lot of people.

Some critics have also made it known that the presence of nepotism in society has reduced the rate at which fairness is given when it comes to different opportunities. They have opined that a position or opportunity should be given to a person who has earned it either through hard work or talent, rather than giving it to someone who has connections without qualifications.

Who are LAPO Babies?

Before we unveil who LAPO Babies are, let’s first understand where the term “LAPO” was derived from. As regards the context of finance in Nigeria, the term LAPO stands for Lift Above Poverty Organization. This is an establishment that has been put in place to help struggling people and businesses grow and improve their lives.

Now, that’s not all. Relating this to the concept of privileged and unprivileged children, another meaning has been coined for LAPO. The new acronym, as regards our topic today, stands for “Lack of Access, Possibilities and Opportunities”.

From what we can see from the acronym, we can regard LAPO babies as children who were born into a family consisting of parents who worked hard to achieve success. Most of the parents of these children came from humble backgrounds, and the success they attained is a result of pure hard work and resilience.

Most LAPO babies are not born into a rich family; however, they still enjoy the shelter and comfort that their parents give them. A large number of children who fall under this category don’t have access to various opportunities and privileges, and therefore, are always compelled to work hard so they can make it in life.

Challenges Faced By Both Groups

Everything in life comes with its own set of challenges. Even though NEPO babies have access to a lot of privileges and opportunities, they are always pressured to live up to their family name to avoid criticism from the general public.

LAPO babies, on the other hand, also have different challenges they face; however, the major one is the challenge of working hard to prove that they are capable of becoming independent without depending on their parents for anything.