Content creator, actor and entrepreneur Samuel ‘Banks’ Bankole joins Chude Jideonwo on #WithChude for an honest conversation about self-worth, family, ambition and the determination to rise beyond the circumstances of one’s upbringing. Reflecting on growing up in a modest home, watching his mother work hard to provide for the family, and navigating the realities of class and status, Banks shares the experiences that shaped his drive to build a different life. “I have never asked my dad why he left. I still love him either way despite his absence,” he says, sharing his thoughts on fatherhood, forgiveness and the complexities of family.
Banks also speaks about the difficult lessons behind building his public image and career, from losing his Instagram account to confronting classism in the entertainment industry. He reflects on the people who supported him along the way, including Yhemolee, who he says believed in him in his early days, and his collaboration with Wahab Okoya, which gave him the confidence to enter rooms he once thought were beyond his reach. “I lived a fake life to build myself, doing it to impress others is where people get it wrong,” he says, drawing a distinction between deliberately improving one’s circumstances and living for other people’s approval. He also recounts walking away from Peller’s livestream because he knew his worth, and how Enioluwa inspired him to return to school to develop himself intellectually.
At the heart of the conversation is the idea that where you begin does not have to determine where you end up. Banks’ story is one of resilience, personal growth and learning to recognise his worth while remaining grounded in the experiences that shaped him. He also shares the significance of taking his family to Cape Town for the first time and why being on #WithChude matters to him. “Being on this show is part of my mission in life. It is very educative and I learn a lot from watching videos from this show,” he says.
Watch episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ria-OwXv5w
