The world of inherited wealth often appears seamless, but as Nigerian media personality Kidd Waya (referred to as Kid Wire in the interview) revealed on the TREND CENTRL show "Off the Record," living life as a "man of leisure" is a "difficult" full-time job. For Kidd Waya, the challenge is managing immense privilege, constant public scrutiny, and the internal battle to find self-worth beyond his father’s fortune.
Kidd Waya, 32, describes his existence as a continuous cycle of travel, decision-making, eating, drinking, and partying, which he performs 24/7, January to January. His transient lifestyle means he rarely spends more than four days in London at a time, having recently arrived from Dubai, where he plans to return for Christmas to be with his father. He stated, "I live life for a living," explaining the difficulty lies in perpetually deciding "where to go, what clothes to wear, what club to go to, what girl to be with".
His family's wealth originates from his father, Terry Wire, a self-made Nigerian billionaire. Terry Wire began networking with powerful people in Kaduna (associated with the army) when he was just 18 or 19. By leveraging connections, he built a fortune by dabbling in agriculture, construction, politics, and oil, establishing himself so prominently that people say, "He is the company". The extent of Terry Wire's success fuels rumors, including that he discovered Banana Island, a fact Kidd Waya claims he only learned after his Big Brother appearance in 2021, as his father avoids discussing his own achievements. Kidd Waya hopes to create a documentary or biopic someday to capture his father's "immense life and career".
Despite the perception of unlimited access, Kidd Waya emphasized that the reality is different; he does not have free access to his father’s wealth. While he can spend £6,300 on a diamond-encrusted gold dildo as a spontaneous gift, major purchases, such as a £2 million flat, still require approval from American Express to his father.
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Kidd Waya openly accepts nepotism, stating he has "no choice" but to live off his family's strength. However, he claims he works hard to maintain his integrity and dignity, arguing that many people in his position struggle to cope with the wealth and fame, often leading to scandals. He prides himself on the absence of a single public scandal linked to his name.
The celebrity status brings frequent public backlash, particularly regarding his spending. Kidd Waya addressed the controversy over appearing to spend $30,000 on jollof rice, clarifying that he was supporting a friend's hospitality business, and the jollof rice was merely the public-facing concept that drew attention. He allowed the public to "run with the story" instead of fighting it.
He also faces criticism for seeking donations for the Kidwire Foundation, which supports education, agriculture, and life-saving health surgeries in his home state of Benue State. Kidd Waya defends his fundraising efforts, comparing his actions to the practices of Western charities like the Bill Gates Foundation. He characterizes the criticism as an "African mentality" that suppresses intellectual thinking about how charities function, emphasizing that most of his donations come from his wealthy friends. He refutes the idea that foundation money funds his lifestyle, noting a single private jet trip costs $20,000, far exceeding what the foundation contributes.
In dating, Kidd Waya stated that he and most men do not care about a woman’s status or class, often enjoying the role of "up-lifting" a woman into a "queen". However, he noted a major "con" when dating women from a "lower class" and introducing them to his world: entitlement. He has observed women changing after a few months, losing their initial gratefulness and becoming demanding. For a lasting relationship, he seeks three traits: faith in God (not religion), a good attitude (especially toward those perceived as "beneath" them, like waiters), and being "down for whatever," often involving spontaneous travel.
Finally, the most profound challenge for Kidd Waya is the one money cannot solve: gaining his father's attention and respect. He felt his father initially saw him merely as "a rich kid". Today, his primary fear is "not becoming the man that I know I can be," a struggle linked to his difficulty in curbing his partying and drinking to commit to fitness goals, reflecting a gap between "knowing and doing" that he finds frightening.
