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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,…
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Eat In
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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…
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What’s Up Dude?
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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Fiction
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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 that I could never have intentionally planned or orchestrated. One opportunity…
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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…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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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…
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Home Chef
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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…
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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…
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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?…
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Wanderlust – Africa
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Gratitude
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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…
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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…
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My Concrete Jungle
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Big Cats
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Part of my Bargain
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The Spider: The Things We Almost Miss
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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.…
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Treasured Belongings
What personal belongings do you hold most dear? This is a response to the blog prompt Some of the personal belongings I cherish most are those that carry memories rather than monetary value. Photographs, old messages, handwritten notes, and gifts from loved ones mean the most to me because they remind me of different moments…
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Faith in Christ
What gives you direction in life? By the waters that still my soul, my heart will trust in You! Hillsong What guides me in life is my faith in Jesus Christ. In a world filled with uncertainty, distractions, and shifting expectations, my faith keeps me grounded and reminds me that my life has purpose. When…
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Across the Ocean, Toward Myself
Describe a risk you took that you do not regret. This is a response to the topic above. One risk I took that I do not regret was crossing the ocean to pursue my studies in the United States. Leaving home meant stepping away from everything familiar—language, family presence, cultural comfort, and the everyday certainty…
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From Zimbabwe, with Love and Stories
Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you. One morning, on the bus to school, I was fully prepared for my usual routine: sitting quietly in a corner, checking off items on UCLA’s student newspaper Sudoku column, staring out the window occasionally, and mentally debating whether I was awake enough…
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Four Poems of Oke Iroegbu
(i.) The MoonThe Moon is following meAnd with her light I seeWherever I walk she stalksBehind my shadow she followsAnd how she sweeps the landLooking for me in the quiet clan. (ii.) Village SquareThe nights dancing festivalBrings all, big and smallThe farmer, the wine tapperThe cobbler and the dancerA night of skewered meatAnd one, were…
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Frankie, Angel & the Six Musketeers
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April
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Laughter
What makes you laugh? This is a response to the prompt above. Laughter, for me, often begins in the small, unexpected moments that gently break through the seriousness of everyday life. A thoughtful joke shared at just the right moment, a friend’s playful honesty, or even recalling something slightly embarrassing can suddenly lift my spirits.…
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Whimsy
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Actually
What was the best compliment you’ve received? This is a reply to the prompt above. The best compliment I ever received wasn’t about my looks, eye color, my singing, my style, or even my cooking (which, for the record, deserves its own award). No—someone, or rather multiple people, always told me this. However, one time,…
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Small Ocean in the Corner
Small Ocean in the Corner A quiet tankBreathing blue lightin the corner of the room. Pebbles hold small storiesof water and waiting,plants sway like soft thoughtsno one hears. The lamp hums gentlyabove a glass horizon,turning an ordinary nightinto a small ocean. Outside, the room sleeps—couch, curtain, shadow. Inside,a world floatsin patient silence. Developing My Concrete…
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What is the last thing you learned?
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Before America: Musing of All Places I’ve Become
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A House I Built Within, Without a Map
