Woman in hijab and face mask leading a protest with a statue of liberty-like solidarity gesture.

#EndSARS: The World Belongs To Fighters

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If there’s any lesson to be learned from the events of the past week, it is that every individual must possess an appreciable level of fight in them. The cojones to say enough is enough, the willingness to risk it all if need be in pursuit of what they want. The gumption to speak up when it matters despite natural temperament. What will happen if you do not toe this path, you may ask. Well, you will most likely live a life of dissatisfaction as a result of your docility. And you may tell yourself that’s fine, but deep within…many years down the line, you will rue your cowardice.

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Oloture: A Poignant Story That Begged To Be Told

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Oloture did not bother to do the cinema rounds unlike other big-budget movies, it went straight to Netflix, and this might be the reason for the low awareness that heralded its premier. Not sure what to expect, I tempered my expectations of it. After happening upon the synopsis of a review that tagged it “A Very Good Disappointment,” and one or two others that were mostly complimentary, my interest in the motion picture was sufficiently piqued to make it my first activity in the wee hours of Saturday.

Different colours and shapes of leaves representing different seasons

The Strength In Every Season

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As a child, I was desperate to grow up and start doing adult things. And by adult things, I mean having my own money and make my own decisions. I thought adults were the luckiest people on the planet. They could come and go as they pleased, nobody could question them on how they spent their money, and the best one—they did not get spanked. How cool was that? Those were my thoughts as a kid. By my judgement, childhood was all about people telling you what to do, and that sucked. Until I grew up,

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A Nod For Motivational Speakers

Opinion Pieces2 Comments

They are one of the most derided professionals in the cyberspace. Introduce yourself as a motivational speaker and you’ll probably hear a wave of giggles or sniggers. The prevalent notion is that motivational speakers are frauds. Sweet-mouth con artists who have mastered the art of creating rhymes out of a slew of words. They are all about bourgeoisie suits and impeccable grammar. Tools they employ to bamboozle their gullible audience with their gospel of ‘aspire to perspire’. As a result, it has become not just unfashionable, but also embarrassing to be called a motivational speaker.

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The Burden Of Labels

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I had a friend who thought I was a genius. Each time we were in a gathering and there was some knotty issue or a word everyone was struggling to understand, he would turn to me and announce that Lolade would have the answer. When it came to words, he saw me as a walking dictionary. I warned him that he would one day embarrass the both of us when I came up blank after one of his random “Lolade would know it” episodes. Thankfully, that never happened. But it could have because my friend couldn’t have been more wrong.

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How To Gain Stans On Reality TV Shows

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Anyone who spends a considerable amount of time on TV is likely to have fans. Admirers who appreciate and follow their work. Artistes, Presenters, and Actors all have fans who cheer them when they are doing well and lend support to them by way of patronising their work. And fans are quite powerful. By their sheer numbers, they possess the influence to determine how their subject of adoration is perceived. Popular people know this, and that’s why they never fail to acknowledge the crucial role their fans play on their journey to sustained stardom.

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Cultural Appropriation And The Gatekeepers Of Black Culture

Opinion Pieces4 Comments

Bretha was dad’s colleagues’ daughter. She was 23 years old. A white blonde with the most charming smile my ten-year-old self had ever seen. It was the first time she and her dad were visiting Nigeria, and indeed the African continent. Before then, dad had told us how Bretha’s dad presumed Africa was a place where people still lived in huts with thatched roofs, where there were no tarred roads, and monkey swung on trees. Dad hadn’t tried to convince him otherwise. Instead, he had fuelled his anxiety as the time he would be coming drew closer by telling him we also ate worms straight from a baby’s buttocks.

Birthing Purpose: My EBook For Writers And Content Creators Is Out!

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Today is a special day for me.

I’m thrilled because a book whose concept I conceived about a year ago and worked to bring to reality over the last couple of months is birthing. My journey to the world of creating art through words was borne out a nagging desire to find my path in life. At some point, I was so discontented with my career path and where it was headed that I knew if I failed to take charge of the situation and find something I truly loved doing, I would sink into depression. I had to find purpose or die trying. It was that critical.

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You’ve Got This! How To Regain Your Self-Esteem After a Setback

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Every person on the planet has bad days and setbacks they are ill-prepared for.

Nevertheless, a setback does not have to define your future negatively. It’s what you do with yourself after the setback that determines if it takes hold over your life or not.

Understand that the most successful people do not advertise their setbacks and failures, they highlight their wins. This is true in any field and it’s obvious on social media.

If people were more open about their struggles and setbacks the same way they are about their wins, we would see more social media posts about time spent healing in alcohol treatment programs, or seeking help for overeating, relationship problems, and other issues.

Black shirtless man cradling a white rose

The Impostor

Flash Fiction, Stories6 Comments

He was due to arrive in a couple of hours.

Mum had worn her wig and that floral scent she reserved for those times when dad was coming from one of his regular trips.

“Guys, I know I promised we would go to grandma’s place this weekend, but I’m sorry that won’t be possible anymore…”

Before he finished, Ire had yanked off the arm that held him on dad’s lap and flung himself on the blue Persian rug in the middle of the living room.

My younger brother was only seven years old, but already, everyone knew about his legendary emotional reactions. He was quick to get hurt and throw a tantrum, but that was just because he had a soft heart.