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Avoid Drama
What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you? Stay true to yourself. Avoid drama at all costs; focus on your own life, always work hard, stay humble so you can be teachable, keep learning–no knowledge is a waste—help others when you can, be gentle with yourself and others, don’t listen to naysayers,…
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Shelter
What’s one thing that would instantly improve your city? One effective way to quickly improve Los Angeles and Albuquerque is by providing more shelters and support services for people experiencing homelessness. Beyond offering a safe place to stay, city leaders should also create part-time job opportunities that help people earn income, stay productive, and regain…
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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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SquarePants
Who is your favorite cartoon character? My favorite cartoon character is SpongeBob SquarePants. I genuinely can’t understand how he can be so cheerful, diligent, and full of silliness all at once. His best friend, Patrick—a starfish—somehow makes SpongeBob seem like the brightest mind in Bikini Bottom. When they are together, you can count on nothing…
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Cringe
Have you ever regretted reading a book — which one and why? I thought carefully about whether I’ve ever truly disliked a book, and honestly, I couldn’t think of one. The prompt above asks about books, but I chose to write about a movie I nearly regretted watching instead. Sometimes, you finish a movie and…
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Petrichor: rain in LA
Preamble I’m genuinely envious of my friends and relatives in southern Nigeria every time they complain about the daily rain. I understand what that feels like, and I miss the rain so much. I grew up experiencing both rain and sunshine. When I talk about rainfall or sunshine, I mean the weather conditions that can…
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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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Home Chef
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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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Live and let live
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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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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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Los Angeles Nights
“Los Angeles Nights” I’ve encountered Los Angeles long before I lived in it. After high school, during my National Diploma days in Nigeria, I spent far too many hours playing a mobile phone game called Los Angeles Nights. It was one of those interactive games where you created a character trying to survive in Los…
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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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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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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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Four Languages: The Good, the Better, the Bad, and the Ugly
Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life? When people ask me how many languages I speak, I usually say four: English, Igbo, Nigerian Pidgin, and French. Before any French speakers get offended, let me clarify: I speak English reasonably well, Igbo proudly, Nigerian Pidgin enthusiastically, and French courageously. By “courageously,”…
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A Soul’s Garden
What’s a common misconception people have about happiness? They said happiness was somewhere out there—waiting in the distance,hidden behind achievements,recognition,and the things we hoped to one day possess. But I discovered a different truth: Happiness was a seedalready planted within me. A garden of the soul,watered by gratitude,nourished by love,and growing through purpose and faith.…
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Listening: The Skill I Wish I Could Instantly Master
If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why? If I could instantly learn any skill, it wouldn’t be speaking another language, writing a bestseller, or mastering an instrument. While those skills are valuable, I believe the skill I would choose is the ability to listen truly—to listen deeply, compassionately, and…
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What I’m Passionate About
What are you passionate about? “Your real education starts now, with friends you’ve made and friends you get to meet, with stunning successes and miserable defeats, and with a humble acceptance that your greatness comes from the mess around you, not despite it.” Conan O’Brien. People often ask what motivates my work. Central to my…
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Unmoved
If humans had taglines, what would yours be? It doesn’t matter what others think as long as you are doing the right thing and are at peace with yourself. Talking about peace: I was nominated for the Paul Bartlett Ré Peace Prize, administered by the University of New Mexico Foundation. I’m very grateful to the…
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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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When Stillness Calls
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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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Between Cold and Comfort
How do you feel about cold weather? This is a response to the prompt above. I’ve visited several American states, including Nevada, Georgia, New York, and Illinois, mostly during winter or spring, and it was always cold then. In this blog, I’ll focus on these three states known for their cold weather: Vermont, Oregon, and…
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Beyond Mentorship
Share a story about someone who had a positive impact on your life. One person who had a lasting positive impact on my life was a professor who believed in my potential long before I fully recognized it myself. Beyond the classroom, they took the time to mentor me, guide my academic growth, and open…
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Muse: You feel like a hug
I was thinking about summer while writing this, not because of a break from schoolwork, but because of the hot weather. I don’t know if it’s too early to start worrying about a warm summer, though. I’m considering going somewhere, maybe taking some train trips, and writing about it, or camping somewhere remote and also…
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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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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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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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What is the last thing you learned?
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A House I Built Within, Without a Map
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Becoming Time
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Below—apparently
They call it sub-Saharan—as if Africa were a submarine,ducking politely beneath elsewhere,periscope up, waiting for permission. Excuse me. Sub like “less than,”like a footnote that forgot it was a library,like history that somehow happenedbefore it was discovered. I’m thinking out loud. A desert becomes a ruler.A line in the sand gets tenure.Everything south of it is “sub,”as…
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Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting. This is a response to the prompt above. I’ve always hoped to travel to Yosemite and the Grand Canyon National Parks in California and Arizona, respectively, to experience their vast, breathtaking landscapes, towering red rock formations, and intricate canyon…
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Less is More
Where can you reduce clutter in your life? For a long time, I believed clutter was just about possessions. Extra clothes, crowded desks, piles of books I intended to read. But I’ve realized that the most draining clutter isn’t always visible. It’s the kind that quietly builds up in attention, time, and thoughts. I first…
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How Tumbleweeds Teach: Humor as Pedagogy
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My UCLA Study Space
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Perspectives: So Big, So Small
