‘My grandfather had 48 houses in Lagos but willed nothing to us’ – Actress Funmi Bank-Anthony
The granddaughter of late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, also dispelled claims of riding on the name of her late grandfather to achieve some level of success in the movie industry. She said in the interview with The Sun,
Yes, the name is household but I don’t think it has had any impact on my life and career. I can’t go to any bank and withdraw money with that name. He has done his bit when he was alive. He had his name and I am trying to make mine too. I am not even half way where I want to be, even though it is a name people can easily associate themselves with.
Funmi Bank-Anthony further revealed that her grandfather willed his 48 houses in Lagos to the motherless, as she talked about taking up the philanthropic course;
It started with my grandfather, Sam Mobolaji Bank-Anthony. When he died, he wrote in his will that all his belongings be donated to the less privileged, even including the spoons. He had about 48 houses in Lagos and he declared that all be given to the motherless (children) and that is so huge for me, because I see it that he left us to suffer. If he had left the houses in Lagos for us, I would be a multi-billionaire today, even as a grandchild. He was one of the richest men in Nigeria and he didn’t leave anything for us. That was deep for me. I see it that the things you boast of today can be taken away from you within the twinkling of an eye. It then dawned on me that I could lose the things I have. So, philanthropy came out of the fear of losing the things I have. So, I would rather give it out than lose them when I am gone, though some people take you for granted when they know you are excessively nice.
