“At 12, I bought a goat to pay my school fees” – Dino Melaye opens up on how he became wealthy

Former Kogi State senator Dino Melaye has opened up on how he built his wealth, revealing that he started investing in livestock as a 12-year-old and used the proceeds to fund his education.

In a video shared on social media, Melaye said he bought a goat at the age of 12 and began selling its offspring to raise money for his school fees.

According to him, the investment eventually helped him pay for several major stages of his education, including his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination and university education.

“At the age of 12, I bought a goat, and this goat will give birth, and I will sell the offspring of the goat to pay my school fees in secondary school. From the offspring of that goat, I paid for my WAEC, I paid for my JAMB, I paid for my first year and second year in Ahmadu Bello University. My school fees was through that goat investment.”

Melaye also claimed that he began making international investments at the age of 18, suggesting that his financial activities predated his political career.

He said people who were unaware of his early financial activities often made assumptions about the source of his wealth, particularly because of his involvement in politics.

“At 18, I was already investing internationally. But for people who do not know what you do, they will call you names. They will say your money is from politics or anywhere, but I have been out of office since 2019.”

Melaye’s account has generated discussions online, with some social media users focusing on his claim that livestock investment helped fund his education, while others debated his explanation of his wealth.

His comments have also renewed conversations about the importance of starting financial investments early and building wealth through different income streams.