Okechukwu’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Africa

  • Nigeria

    If you had a free round-trip ticket to anywhere, where would you go? Nigeria That’s easy. I’d go home to Nigeria. It’s been a while since I traveled home. I’ll probably do some things I’ve never done before in Nigeria, like touring important landmarks across West Africa, from Burkina Faso to Liberia and from Nigeria…

  • Bible

    What’s one thing you own that holds deep sentimental value? Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far. Theodore Roosevelt This Bible, gifted to me by my mom just a few days before leaving Nigeria, reminds me to remember where I came from and never to depart from the values I grew up…

  • Travel Light

    What’s one piece of travel advice you always follow? During my master’s at UC Berkeley, I’ve always traveled light. I return with gifts or things I’ve purchased. Once, I bought wood carvings of the Big Five animals at Nairobi Airport in Kenya; another time, on my way back from the University of Vermont in Burlington,…

  • Sleep

    How do you manage stress? How do you manage stress? Simple: I sleep! While some people meditate and others hit the gym, I close my eyes and make a triumphant escape from responsibility. I always say that if sleeping were an Olympic sport, I’d be racing for gold! Afternoon naps, weekend lie-ins (oh, very important),…

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 16 (Big Cat on the Prowl 2)

    The land wasn’t exactly everyone’s friend, as the folktales told. Just as one of the grannies taught us, the land was sacred, and every living thing owed its existence to Ala, the land. I knew that anyway. I always wondered why our stories started with a particular place—land and time. It now made sense to…

  • Goodness

    What does it mean to be a good person? I can’t speak for everyone. Perhaps the question is whether goodness is about how we treat others when people are watching or who we choose to be when no one is. Being good doesn’t mean being perfect, always making the right decisions, or pleasing everyone. It…

  • Freelance

    What are your favorite side-hustle ideas? Freelance writing has been one of my favorite side hustle ideas in Nigeria. Imagine earning money for something you might already do for free: writing! You can craft articles, blog posts, newsletters, website content, or help others with great ideas who struggle to get started. You can also proofread…

  • Five Exercises

    What are five simple exercises to do at home? I don’t need a gym to stay active. All it takes is a little space at home and a few minutes for myself. Here are five simple exercises I try: 1. Squats – Simple and effective for the legs and lower body. 2. Push-ups – A…

  • Atilingo

    If you could start a new business right now, what would it be? If I could start a new business right now, I would launch Atilingo. Well, technically, I already have! Atilingo is a project close to my heart. It focuses on preserving African languages, stories, and cultural knowledge and making them accessible to future…

  • Life Hacks

    What are some life hacks that you practice? I don’t know if I would call them life hacks, but over time, I’ve adopted a few habits that make life easier, more meaningful, and sometimes more enjoyable. Some are learned from experience, while others have become part of my daily routine. Here are eight that come…

  • Echoes

    Do you believe in karma? I believe that the good or bad we put out comes back, but not always in a dramatic, movie-like way where someone does something terrible on Monday and gets punished by Friday. Sometimes, karma is simply the energy we put into the world coming back to us in unexpected ways.…

  • Unfiltered

    How do you write what people actually want to read? I don’t usually write to appeal to what others want to read. I write about what grabs my attention, makes me laugh, stays with me, or simply what I feel like saying. Sometimes it’s a serious thought; other times, it’s something completely random. For some…

  • Freestyle

    What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? I write poems out of the blue. It usually starts with writing a poem without knowing where it’s going. No theme, just a blank page and whatever shows up. I like freestyling poetry because it feels like a conversation with myself. One thought leads to another, sometimes…

  • Olympic Sleeper 😒

    How do you make time for self-care? Self-care doesn’t always have to involve candles, face masks, or spending money on something I probably don’t need. Sometimes, it’s simply going to bed early or taking a noon nap because my body has clearly submitted a formal complaint. Sleep is underrated, and I’d probably win gold if…

  • Lafia: A Place That Felt Like Home

    What’s a place you visited that felt like home? Where have I visited that felt like home? For now, I’ll answer this question by taking you to Northern Nigeria. One place that has stayed with me is Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. The Hausa word lafiya means “good.” Say hello to a Hausa speaker,…

  • Eat In

    What’s one thing you wish you had started doing earlier in life? I wish I had started cooking my own meals sooner. I used to eat out so often that the restaurants probably thought I was furniture. Then I began cooking at home and realized I could make the same meals for less money—and I…

  • Rwanda

    What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken? The longest trip I have ever taken was to Kigali, Rwanda, when I was a master’s student at the University of California, Berkeley. In January 2024, I traveled to Rwanda as the UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholars Representative to represent scholars at a global meeting with Scholar Representatives…

  • What’s Up Dude?

    If your pet could talk, what would be the first thing it says? If my pet fish could talk, I believe the first thing my angelfish would say each time he sees me is, “What’s up, dude?” That’s exactly the personality I picture him having. Every time I walk toward his tank, he swims around as…

  • Triangles

    What’s the most annoying trope in books or movies? The most annoying trope for me is the unnecessary love triangle. I understand that romance can add tension to a story, but sometimes it feels like the entire plot becomes about choosing between two people. Even worse, the characters often spend more time going back and…

  • Possibility

    What’s something you do completely differently from how you were raised? One thing I do differently from how I was raised is how I see life. I don’t dwell too long on negativity or let difficult moments define my view of people or situations. Even when something goes wrong, I try to find the lesson,…

  • Look what I found!

    What’s the best thing you’ve ever found randomly on the street? This blog responds to the prompt above and is also a condensed version of a longer blog I wrote a few months ago. The best thing I have ever found randomly on the streets of LA—or rather, during an ordinary morning commute—was an unexpected…

  • The Gift of Time

    What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you? I think about the people who have been genuine with me—the ones whose honesty, laughter, and authentic presence made me feel comfortable enough to be myself as well. I am also thankful for those who challenged me to improve, because sometimes believing in someone means…

  • Fiction

    Share a hobby you’ve picked up recently — what got you into it? Well, I wouldn’t say I recently picked this up; rather, I would say I have been writing a lot of fiction through imagination. Lately, I’ve been dedicating more time to working on a creative fiction project I started a while back when…

  • Serendipity

    What’s the weirdest coincidence you’ve ever experienced? What a word serendipity is! This post is in response to the prompt above. I’ve often wondered whether some coincidences are truly coincidences. Reflecting on my life, I’ve been fortunate to encounter opportunities, people, institutions, and moments I could never have planned or orchestrated intentionally. One opportunity unexpectedly…

  • Diary of a Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 15 (Big Cat on the Prowl 1)

    The sudden, strange news of a prowling big cat changed the atmosphere in the village for the following days. Mornings were unusually quiet and peaceful, except for the constant noise of insects, birds, and noisy groups of monkeys living in the trees near the forests on the outskirts of the village. Noontime was warmer, but…

  • Jurassic

    If you could go back and witness any historical event, which one would you pick? If I could go back and witness any historical event, I would choose to see dinosaurs in their natural environment. I’d want to quietly observe these incredible creatures as they move through forests, hunt for food, and interact with each…

  • Labels

    The image above contains human language; that’s why we can understand these labels. But animals don’t recognize themselves as ‘dirty,’ ‘stupid,’ or ‘dangerous.’ Those are meanings we create and assign to them. Now, think beyond labels; think beyond humans, think beyond societies, think beyond ourselves.

  • Diary of A Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 14 (Tales by Moonlight 4)

    Before asking everyone to leave, the messenger made sure the little children were gathered first to prevent any commotion. The evening wind rolled out, like a sudden whiff, embracing the entire village. The suddenness added drama to the already vulnerable situation. I saw the younger men whisper into each other’s ears, with some frightful, calming…

  • Uncertainty

    How do you deal with uncertainty? I manage uncertainty by reminding myself that I don’t want to live my life in fear of what might or might not happen. I choose courage—to try new things, like pursuing a doctorate, embracing the unknown, like starting a business, and being fully myself—unapologetically, even in the face of…

  • Home Chef

    Which is the best restaurant in your city? Okay, so this is a response to the blog prompt above. The best restaurant in my city? I’d say it’s my kitchen. I’m not the best chef around, but I can cook something that will make you scratch your head and forget your name. 😋 Update: I’ve…

  • Kindness & Kingmakers

    What’s a moment when a stranger completely restored your faith in people? Great men maketh great men Many people have impacted my life in meaningful ways. Still, when I think about moments when strangers became more than strangers and completely restored my faith in people, three individuals immediately come to mind. The first is a…

  • Pets

    Share a photo of your pet and tell us one thing that makes them uniquely them. Fun fact: Frankie, the goldfish, and Angel, the angelfish, appear to enjoy watching TV when it’s on. Their favorite show seems to be SpongeBob SquarePants. I have caught them several times hovering near the front of the tank, completely focused…

  • Presence

    What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore? I used to go above and beyond for people and water myself down to make everyone feel seen or appreciated. However, this often led to disrespect and, at times, entitlement because people thought I couldn’t stand up for myself. Now, that’s not sustainable, is it?…

  • Wanderlust – Africa

  • Gratitude

    What is your favorite quote? Gratitude requires humility. Of all the virtues, humility is perhaps the most lacking among us moderns — Susan Buck-Morss

  • Respect is Reciprocal

    What’s a skill you consider basic, that most people don’t actually know how to do? One of the most overlooked basic skills is respect. Many people mistake kindness for weakness and think that someone patient, generous, or forgiving can be taken for granted. True respect involves valuing others regardless of what they can do for…

  • Rain or Reason

    Do you think everything happens for a reason? Some moments come like gentle rain; others hit like lightning. We celebrate victories, mourn losses, and often ask ourselves the same quiet question: Did this happen for a reason? I want to think about this through a simple example: rain. When rain falls, it may seem like…

  • My Concrete Jungle

    What’s your home decoration style? Small Ocean in the Corner

  • Traveling with Sunsets

    What’s your biggest dream? My biggest dream is simple enough to fit inside a sentence, yet vast enough to outlive me: to travel the world and watch the sun set in every climate and nation. I don’t want to collect countries like stamps, but to gather evenings. To learn how the same sun speaks different…

  • Around the World in Eighty Days & Passport of Mallam Ilia

    What’s a movie or book that inspired you to travel? Around the World in Eighty Days made me believe the world was one giant invitation waiting to be accepted. Phileas Fogg hilariously raced across continents with his French valet as if delayed trains and missed connections were merely suggestions. Long before that, though, I had…

  • Nature & Nurture

    Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are? My answer: yes. I’ve always been curious, which is why I keep stumbling into adventures. My life has also gone through a lot of remodeling. Growing up in Nigeria taught me resilience. Moving across continents helped me develop adaptability. Graduate school…

  • Big Cats

    If you had to be an animal for a week, which one would you be and why?

  • The Go-Giver by Burg and Mann

    Which book have you read more than any other? One book I often revisit is The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. Its main message is simple but powerful: meaningful relationships are formed when we focus on what we can give rather than what we can get. Whether in friendships, family, or romantic…

  • Cactuses and Roadrunners

    Are you a lifelong learner? Strange New Mexicans: Cactuses and Roadrunners Before I left for New Mexico, I feared I would be among the only a few people there. I imagined stretches of arid desert land, barren and dying of thirst. However, there were more people than I could count, along with wildlife encounters and…

  • Green Spaces

    If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? If I could live anywhere, I’d choose a city where gardens are woven into daily life—where green spaces invite slow walks, quiet reflection, and a stronger connection with nature. But in the end, my heart hopes to return to Africa, where I’d love…

  • Bloom Again (America)

    What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently that shifted your perspective? I thoughtonce something stopped blooming,its story was over. Then a wildflowersmiled from dry, stubborn ground,and now my certainty softened. Tell meof the orchid on my windowsill—bare stems, silent months,nothing to admireexcept the patience, water,of care unrelenting. One morning,I saw a green promise. And today, it…

  • Anchored

    What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts? This poetic piece below is a response to the blog prompt above. Good night. I do not wrestle every shadow. Some thoughts arrive like uninvited birds, landing briefly before taking flight. I have learned that not every visitor deserves a home. When fear whispers, I answer…

  • Part of my Bargain

  • The Spider: The Things We Almost Miss

  • Names and Identities

    Names have long influenced how others perceive people and places. At a conference I once attended, I had the opportunity to discuss naming and power. One example that stood out was the term “Middle East.” For many residents of the region, the name itself carries little meaning because it is defined from an outside perspective.…