From Millionaire to Labourer: Farooq Oreagba's Journey

Businessman Farooq Oreagba, known as “Mr Steeze,” shared his story about going from a dollar millionaire at 30 to working as a labourer in England at 35 after losing his banking job.

Oreagba talked about this during the MENtality show hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu and co-hosted by singer Banky W. They discussed topics like wealth, materialism, and what really matters in life.

The show was uploaded on Ebuka’s YouTube channel on Friday.

Using a scenario, Oreagba asked Ebuka how much money meant to him. “How much is money to you? Give me a number. Just pick a number. A billion dollars?” he questioned.

When Ebuka said he was not looking for happiness in money, Oreagba asked, “If I gave you $10 million now, what would you say?” Ebuka joked back, “What would I say? I would call you from Miami to thank you.”

Then Oreagba posed a serious question. He asked if Ebuka would still take the money if it meant only living for 24 more hours. “If I told you you can have it, but not live more than 24 hours, what would you do?” he said.

Ebuka replied, “I mean, I could make $10 million, so it’s not worth it.” This conversation made Oreagba think about his own financial journey.

“Right. So then all of a sudden, living actually has a lot of value to it. I was a dollar millionaire at 30. At 35, I was working as a labourer,” he shared.

When asked where he worked as a labourer, Oreagba said, “In England.” He explained that his life changed after he lost his banking job while chasing another dream.

“I had a dream, something I wanted to do, and I lost my job as a banker. And to maintain that lifestyle, I was hustling, doing all kinds of things, but nobody saw it. The Porsches were still outside. I had my priorities wrong,” he explained.

Oreagba said this experience changed how he views wealth. He believes many people focus too much on money and status, ignoring health and relationships.

“I’m going to be 60 next month, and my lifestyle has not changed. All that has happened is a viral photo brought me to everybody’s attention,” he mentioned.

He added, “We place value on the wrong things. I’ve said this before, you may have 99 problems, but the minute you have a health problem, you only have one problem.”

Oreagba gained more public attention after his stylish look at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival went viral, earning him the nickname “Mr Steeze.” Since then, he has become a well-known figure in lifestyle and business discussions.