Former Golden State Warriors big man Festus Ezeli recently shared a story that sounds impossible by Western standards.
The 2015 NBA champion revealed he grew up in a household that housed 41 people under one roof in Benin City, Nigeria. The 6’11” center didn’t realize just how wild that number was until viewing it through adult eyes.
Ex-Warriors Big Man Festus Ezeli on Feeding a 41-Person Household
Ezeli spent three seasons with the Warriors from 2012 to 2016, missing the entire 2013-14 campaign with a knee injury. But he had played a key role off the bench during the 2015 championship run.
Growing up in Nigeria, young Festus had quite a unique childhood. His parents were financially stable enough to support an extended household. Family members regularly came from the village to stay for extended periods, which was completely normal in Nigerian culture.
During one summer, curiosity got the best of Ezeli and his cousins. They decided to count every single person living in the house at that moment. The final tally shocked even them.
“What? How did you get this information from?” Ezeli said in utter disbelief before continuing on the recent episode of One54 Africa.
“Alright, let me tell this story properly… It is very normal for your family members to come live with you. So, I grew up with my cousins living with me, people would come from the village, and my parents were good enough where they could take care of other people.”
The retired center added context about what life was like growing up, saying, “At the time, young Festus wasn’t familiar with who was rich and who was not; the only thing he knew was that he always had a full house of people. Both from family and other villagers.”
“One summer, I and all my cousins, we counted everybody, and there was 41 people. People were sleeping everywhere, but it was so normal. Now, thinking about from an adult… How the hell did you feed 41 people? I don’t get it…” the retired center added.
Ezeli’s parents ran a successful household in Benin City, Nigeria’s fourth-largest city. His father and mother prioritized education and community support above all else. They maintained a school in Nigeria that still serves 1,500 students today.
Looking back now as an adult, Ezeli marvels at the logistics his parents managed in a chaotic environment. Feeding 41 mouths daily required serious planning and resources.
The sheer number of beds, meals, and daily coordination seems impossible. Yet his parents pulled it off consistently. When he tries to remember those childhood days at this time, his brain stops working because it is impossible in modern times.
