Ayo Obe (née Ogunsola), legal practitioner, trustee of Senegal’s Gorée Institute, trustee of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group and a massive member of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign is incredibly modest about her epoch defining role in the shaping of Democracy (with a capital ‘D’) and Human Rights movements in modern day Nigeria.

Intelligent, lazy (lazy?) and efficient – her words - Ayo Obe’s CV is one many would envy. She has been President of the CLO (Nigeria’s first indigenous human rights organisation), been chair of the TMG (an election-monitoring/democracy-building coalition of independent NGOs), on the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy and Nigerian Civil Society’s panel on Police Reform, the list goes on.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The fight for democracy, the funding and evolution of the Civil Liberties Organisation and the heroes of the day – Olisa, Abdul Oroh, Chidi Odinkalu …;
• Bring Back Our Girls, End Sars, and no, Ayo doesn’t believe there was a massacre at toll gate;
• Salvation Army, feast to famine (and back again), Tufnell Park to Seascale, the parent as Deus ex Machina. In there lies the moving tale – Nope, Ayo suffers no angst, thank you very much;
• AWO, Gaza and famine as a weapon of war. Yes, heroes do sometimes have feet of clay;
• Peter Tosh – Equal Rights, Down Pressor Man – Ayo CAN hold a tune;

The back story, the present one, the continuing activism and, yes, the soft-spoken modesty; this episode is one for those of us with much to be modest about.

Links

Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Down Pressor Man, Equal Rights – Peter Tosh

Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price

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Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, (B.A. Hons English, U.I, M.A, Ph.D. Dramatic Lit, NYU) started out with full commitment to academia. Somehow (fate? luck?), he segued into journalism and the rest, as they say, is history.

Born in Kano to a Yoruba father and Igbo mother (he was the original WAZOBIA), that early search for ‘home’, of being ‘the other’ translated into a super power, well, two super powers, actually – three languages and a deft hand at winning friends and influencing people.

Committed, engaging and forgiving (his words), Dr. Ogunbiyi is that enigmatic open book. Fulfilled man, deep thinker, great reader, friend to all and foe to none. Non, Il ne regrette rien.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Pre-civil war Kano, Igbo masquerade songs, the Yoruba Oriki and the search for identity;
• Great Ife, those halcyon days and the absolutely forgivable name dropping – Soyinka, Aboyade, Kole Omotoso, Biodun Jeyifo, Niyi Coker, Akinwunmi Ishola, we could go on….and we do;
• Babangida, Daily Times of Nigeria and that recurring juxtaposition of high points and low;
• Ghadaffi, Bhutto, Sankara, Mugabe, Thatcher, Shimon Peres, Kaunda - Dr. Ogunbiyi has interviewed them all. And he has the book to prove it;
• AWO (or to the uninitiated, Chief Obafemi Awolowo), the man, the ‘Royal WE’ and yes, the definitive book – Dr. Ogunbiyi is writing it;
• Playing Boswell to Soyinka’s Johnson? – there’s one for the bucket list;
• Fela, Jazz, the funny ha-ha story and, naturally, it involves another iconic figure.

The ready wit, the telling anecdote, this episode will invoke, perhaps, a smidgeon of la recherche du temps perdu. And, as he is a believer, 2 Samuel 1:19-21.

Links:

📘 Encounters with History: The Road Never Forgets – Yemi Ogunbiyi

📕 Adventures in Power: My March Through Prison – Obafemi Awolowo

📗 Fugitive Offender – Chief Anthony Enahoro

🎭 Death and the King’s Horseman – Wole Soyinka

🎬 The Battle of Algiers – Gillo Pontecorvo

🎞 Memories of Underdevelopment – Tomás Gutiérrez Alea

🎶 Water, Trouble Sleep, Lady – Fela Anikulapo Kuti

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Stephanie Busari, award-winning journalist, tri-lingual story teller and soon to be media mogul (from our mouths to the ears of God), believes journalists are born not made. She got her first byline on her first assignment and hasn’t looked back since.

Friendly, happy and kind (her words), Stephanie does not believe in hiding the female light under a bushel. From that award winning, career defining Chibok girls’ story to turning the lens on to other women with her latest project ‘HERSTORY’, Stephanie Busari straddles the information landscape with, she hopes (no prays) truth, faith and a touching incongruous gentleness.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The CHIBOK GIRLS story and the juxtaposition of high points and low points;
• LA LAW, big energy and being blinded by ambition;
• Her next power moves – HERSTORY, the Story Telling Academy and ….. (stay tuned to her channel ….)
• The scramble for African minds, African Stream and the Western news machinery;
• Legacy media, alternative facts and our bewildering post-truth present;
• Church, faith and yes, Nathaniel Bassey (again);
• Mother as the favourite person vs ‘How to Talk So Your Teen Will Listen’ - that sweet agonising circle of life;
• The challenge of finding the ready joke or even anything for the Bucket List – O to be an award-winning journalist!

As Stephanie steps into her next chapter, the sun in her face, the world at her feet, HerStory is now for the telling. This episode will get you thinking about stories and narratives, how they are framed, how they are told and who does the telling.

Links:

HerStory – Stephanie Busari

How to Talk so Your Teen Will Listen, Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

Nobody Wants This, Netflix

Trevor Noah, Born A Crime.

Nathaniel Bassey – Greatest Hits.

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Kingsley Moghalu, the newly minted head of the newly minted African School of Governance, presents his super impressive backstory with pride, with the conviction of a man who believes he is walking his destiny and manifesting the strategy he (and his much-revered father) laid out. A proud Igbo, this is a man whose Chi has clearly said YES, when he proclaimed that YES for himself.

Just a few months after his birth in Lagos, he was beginning the globe-trotting that would mark his journey – Switzerland, Washington, Cambodia, New York, Croatia, Tanzania, Geneva and now, Kigali. More of that later. To ‘strong, visionary and kind’ (his own words), one could add STRATEGIC and tell no lie – he fully owns it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Nigerian political and economic landscape – borrowing (or not), FDI (or not), the UN and closing disillusioning chapters;
• NewsWatch, Ray Ekpu, Prof. Akinyemi, Prof. Yemi Ogunbiyi, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi + excellence + hard work + God = carte blanche to write your own story;
• Mindset, World view and the all - important work to write a new African story;
• The African School of Governance (ASG) – no, it is not just a relabelling of the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy;
• EAS, Ecowas, PAPPS, pick your acronym;
• Democracy vs The Benevolent Dictator – the jury is definitely out;
• The BBC and agenda laden news sources;
• Israel, Palestine GENOCIDE, Kingsley has a view;
• The highs, the lows, the Bucket List;

An evangelical Christian, Kingsley doesn’t mind being controversial and owns his words with his full chest.

Longer than usual, this episode will get you checking out your Bible and pondering Mark chapter 6 verse 4.

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Links:

NewsWatch - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newswatch_(Nigeria)

Emerging Africa, Kingsley Moghalu - https://bookcraftafrica.com/single/view/69

Dead Aid, Dambisa Moyo - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/56126/dead-aid-by-moyo-dambisa/9780141031187

Rema, Calm Down - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQLsdm1ZYAw

Prosper Ochimana, Ekwueme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBRg3hsvcBc

Michael Scott – Baumann - https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/michael-scott-baumann/the-shortest-history-of-israel-and-palestine/9788119300402

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Juwon Ogungbe marches to the beat of his own particular Classico Euro/African drum (yep, we made that one up). He sings, composes, hosts his own radio show and describes himself (faux?) modestly as a content creator.

Curious, creative and considerate – (the jury is still out on the last bit, after all, which young person really is considerate) – Juwon has lived his life unapologetically and on his own creative terms, but always, always, with music, theatre and creatively.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Being black in 70s UK;
• Inter-racial fostering and the dislocation of relocation;
• Great Ife, the under-age thing and meeting kindred spirits;
• Theatre, Soyinka, Chuck Mike, Niyi Coker, Biodun Jeyifo, the creative greats, in that one place, at that one time, and we didn’t even name drop them all;
• The inevitable segue into music, Black Dust (IYKYK), dropping out and searching for your purpose;
• From Asa, Burna, Buraimo to Haruna Ishola, Ebenezer Obey and the ubiquitous Fela. The richness, breadth and variety of Nigerian music. Absolutely incredible!
• Stephen Sondheim v Quincy Jones – Juwon educates and, shock, almost convinces.

Yes, Juwon has a bucket list and yes, it does involve music. Quelle surprise!

He has led, he is living, a fulsome life, on his terms and reached autarky and peace and yet, still, perhaps paradoxically, still craves more creatively, of course.

This episode will take you on a musical journey with a creative soul and get you wondering if you have really found what you are searching for.

Links Mentioned:

Asa – Asa (Asha)

Soyinka – Opera Wonyosi:

Brymo – Good morning

Haruna Ishola – Oriki Social Club

The News Agents - Podcasts

The Rest is Politics - Podcasts

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Biola Alabi is definitely not one for imposing limits on her own possibilities; she thrives, no, revels in re-invention. From public health to super TMT (tech, media and telecom) impact investing (with a serendipitous detour into marketing), she has lived, loved, lost and thrived well enough to wear the t-shirt with her full chest. 

Kind, resilient and determined, Biola navigates her complicated, ultra-high achieving tri-coastal, hyphenated life with a hard-won lightness and, yes, even joy.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Multi-generational Japaing and Japadaing; no, we didn’t coin that;
• The seven-year itch, reinvention and that Naija can do, ‘shan’t gree’ thing;
• Separation, divorce, shame and the loss of voice, of dignity;
• IVF, adoption and getting through it all with dignity (that word again) and poise – now that’s a tough call.
• Katy Perry, Whitney Houston and girl power – WE STAN!

Biola moves with a hard-won deftness in the grown-up TMT world and gives generously; with her time, her talent and investment advice.

This episode will give you back your voice and you will wonder how, why you ever let yourself lose it.

Links Mentioned:

Dr. Robert B. Caldini – Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Katy Perry – Choose Your Battles

Whitney Houston – The Greatest Love

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Anyone claiming to know anything about the art scene in Nigeria who hasn’t heard of Jess Castellote really needs to get out more; or perhaps just get out of the art scene altogether. Jess himself is rather more self-effacing, self-deprecating and ultra-low key. He arrived in Nigeria as an architect volunteer in 1984, fell in love with ART (the capital letter is the story) and, fast forward forty years, he has conceived, designed and built probably the best university museum in West Africa. Oh, and managed to write six art books and obtain a Ph. D along the way.

Impatient, passionate and incredibly driven, Jess is driven to live that elusive purpose-driven life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Art in Nigeria – a view; from the panoramic to the vignette;
• The dummy’s guide to actualising your dream – the story of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art;
• Collectors, gate keepers and dealers – the market as a measure of quality;
• Churching and chilling – stay with us on this one, it will all make sense;
• Football, Lamin, Luz Casal, Teresa (not the Mother T) and the art of turbo charged multi-tasking.

Jess’s admiration and reverence is not for the obvious or usual. He is a builder – of people, ideas, structures and yes, of self.

This episode might just trigger some angst-ridden navel dissection.  But so, so worth it.

Links Mentioned:

Arthur C Brooks – Build the Life You Want

Luz Casal -  Piensa En Mi

Jess Castellote - Contemporary Nigerian Art in Lagos Private Collections

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Dr. Wole Odedun’s life story has been truly epic! He really could have ended up as a motor mechanic, eking out an existence on Lebanon Road, Ibadan, Nigeria. Instead, he went back to school, went abroad, studied medicine, worked jolly hard and struck gold; no, hit the mother lode.

In this episode, we discuss:

·      Ode Omu, Ibadan, Malta, Harley Street? Not the most obvious of trajectories surely;

·      God, fate, serendipity, making your own luck? Take your pick;

·      Education, education, education/property, property, property and, of course, location, location, location;

·      Aston Martin DB7 Volante, 1958 Jaguar XK150 and the classic car bug;

·      Records dear boy, records – keep, keep, keep;

·      Putin, patriotism and the world order;

. Giving back, doing good and heck, living well - because you've earned it;

·      Fela, Bob James, Spirogyra and Taylor (Ms. Americana) Swift – from the sublime to the ……

·      The bucket list - the rich also wish.

Dr. Wole tells a joke but wryly, one that gets one worrying about the future of the motherland.

This episode will get you thinking about Shakespeare, Brutus and that thing about the tide in the affairs of men..

Links Mentioned:

Joseph Stiglitz – The Road to Freedom

Fela and the Koola Lobitos

Taylor Swift Netflix – Miss Americana

Spirogyra – Morning Dance

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With nearly 30 years as an international civil servant working with the UN, Yewande Odia has been in all the hotspots - Somalia, Haiti, Goma, Tchad and yes, even New York (the original hotspot)!  

In this episode, we discuss:

• UN or bust - how to get your foot through the door;
• Trevor Noah, Chris Rock and the attraction of the educated comic;
• Theatre arts, school band, UN? Not the most obvious of career paths;
• Dangerous situations and intense friendships - the correlation;
• Korean dramas, Old school R & B and the turgid book that doesn't bear finishing;
• The bucket list - and yes, even Yewande who has done it all and seen it all still has things to tick off.

Yewande finds a joke, a pun that needs some thinking about but that, surely, is the point. This episode will get you thinking about resilience, perseverance and the changing nature of friendships as we grow older.

Links Mentioned:
Barack Obama - A Promised Land
D' Angelo-  How Does it Feel?
Robin Thicke - Lost Without You
Her Private Life - the movie

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As if Sarah Boulos’s backstory (past imperfect?) was not epic enough, her present continuous one merits its own Hollywood (or is it Nollywood?) biopic. Born in Burkina Faso, schooled in France and US, Lebanese father and  French mother; living in Nigeria for many decades, Sarah has truly bloomed where she was planted.

Vibrant, passionate and a muse, Sarah’s life has been one of great highs and horrible lows, heady peaks and shattering troughs, filled with sublime moments and truly ridiculous phases. And still she rises.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Being white in Africa - privilege or albatross?;
• Yes, trust fund babies also cry;
• Losing multiple family members within 24 hours;
• That epic marriage cum merger - yes, that one;
• The soul preserving discovery of faith  - for Sarah it’s all encompassing;
• SPAN (Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria) and finding your purpose.
• The bucket list - step aside Oprah;

Between Chat GPT and Google’s Bard, Sarah tells a joke, or rather, finds a joke and tells it sweetly. This episode will give you a whole new respect for that delicate high wire oxymoronic space between supreme confidence and touching humility. Yes, the future is conditional.

Links Mentioned:
Clint White - Tattoos, not Brands
T Y Bello -  The Morning Songbook
Chevalier - the movie.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitvah - the movie

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Blessing Adesiyan established WorkLife Africa, a think-tank focussed on transforming the continent's workforce and work spaces. She has made quite a journey from tech to care, not the first pivot that springs to mind  but as the mistress of making lemonade from lemons, she now sits comfortably in her own skin.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Finding yourself pregnant in Uni and making it work;
• The incredible power of a loving father;
• Growing up in Nigeria, being fearless and that unquantifiable super power;
• The squeezed middle, the never ending care giving age and the sheer soul sapping burden of care;
• Japa, japaing and japadaing - hmmm;
• The pastor's daughter way to spirituality (and no, it doesn't involve church);
• Powerlifting, weights and we are in awe!

Blessing tells a joke, actually a true story but an absolute cracker.  This episode is a close up of a mega motivated person and one that just might get you lifting weights.

Links Mentioned:
Peter Attia - Outlive
Asake - Work of Art
Adekunle Gold - Ogaranya

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Ugoma Ebilah is a polymath - she has been an economist, successful financier, clothes designer, art dealer and now, one word which might just work when trying to box the unboxable would be 'creative entrepreneur'. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• The corporate lane, having an eye, wanting more and the side hustle mission creep. 
• Clarity vs choosing not to know.
• The indefinable attractiveness of being light.
• The secret dream job, the Mercedes Benz dream car and that most un-pc of creatures - the petrol head.
• London, the Barbican, then and now.
• Women vs men - and a new take on the us/them dynamic?
• Nina Simone, Davido and Wike - from the sublime to the ridiculous?.
• Mbari Mbayo - Mbayo + Kola = Mbari Kola; clue - it's members only.

Ugoma's joke is smutty, graphic, laugh out loud but, thankfully, coded - you have been warned!
This episode is a mega eavesdrop - it will get you turning up the volume.

Links Mentioned:
I. E. Echeruo - Expert in all Styles
Nina Simone - Ain't got no/I got life
Davido - Feel
Warning by Jenny Joseph

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Only the paranoid survive! Only the paranoid survive? 

Yes! Tokunboh George - Taylor lives by that mantra and she really should know. She is THE foremost PR strategist in Nigeria and founding Managing Director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Nigeria. Served her and her clients well (very well) and in this episode, we discuss:

• branding, self branding and positioning;
• that line between branding and pushiness;
• knowing what you want and getting ready to get it;
• Ikoyi Club, Golf and strategising;
• Charity work and image laundering;
• Korean dramas (help - can't get away from them);

And Snoop Dog!! Nope, that's one we definitely didn't see coming!

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Uzo Nzeogu, a talented artist who studied Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka with greats like Bruce Onobrakpeya and El Anatsui seemed all set to claim his place as a fine artist. But then, he did the maths, ditched paint and chose pragmatism. 
Pragmatism led him to Newswatch, to Dele Giwa,  to Ray Ekpu, to Dan Agbese and to 'the happiest time of my life'. The newsroom rush, the boardroom manoeuvring, the tragic, shocking murder of Dele Giwa, Uzo was in the thick of it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Pragmatism and paying the bills.
• The halcyon days of Nigerian news magazines.
• There but the love of God and barely dodging the bomb.
• The Nigerian war and PTSD.
• IPOB and the lessons of Rwanda.
• To repatriate or not to, Uzo has a view.

And choosing to ditch the Nigeria project.... and here we agree to disagree.
Nope, no jokes in this episode but Uzo admits to listening to BIL podcast. What a gent!

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Helen took a short trip away from university and came back as Miss Nigeria 1979! Sharp, shrewd and always impeccably turned out, Helen Prest Ajayi neatly turned the beauty currency into entrepreneurship, into businesses way ahead of the times. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• using what you have to get what you want.
• spotting trends way ahead of time.
• Buka (yes, that Buka) and the fast food thing.
• SPARE, Prince Harry and telling your own story.
• Jogging in Banana Island really can inspire you - no, honestly.

And Helen tells a joke - a good, groan-inducing joke. This episode will have you upping your glam game and then start spotting trends.

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Eku Edewor is many things but one thing she definitely is not is a slacker. Not just a pretty face (and what a pretty face), she believes in grafting and earning her flowers. In this episode, we discuss:

• 9 years old and catching the bug (yes, do put your daughter on the stage Mrs. Worthington).
• 53 Extra, Castle & Castle, Netflix and longevity in the business.
• UK or Naij? - would I?, should I?, could I ? and the angst of choice.
• Identity and name change.
• Not black enough v not quite white enough - you know, that bi-racial actor conundrum.
• Ambition + graft = winning combo?
• Producer or bust - not quite bucket list but yeah...

Eku is versatile and her funny ha ha joke shows just how versatile.
This episode will have you surfing the net - to catch one more glimpse.

Links Mentioned:
53 Extra
Castle & Castle
Britain's Next Top Model

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A lion in the den who has made his mark on the property landscape. Paul Onwuanibe is group chief executive officer of Landmark Africa Group. With  formal education in Architecture, Property Development and Construction Management, together with a London Business School MBA with a merit in “Value Engineering”

Paul  is one of the renowned lions on the  Nigerian business reality show "Lion's Den" and in this episode, we discuss:

• the Lion's Den and choosing winners (or not).
• that initial funding - friends, family and fools?
• dodging death in the World Trade Centre.
• the 'where's your boss?' dance.
• the Nigerian mindset - priceless and world beating.
• making sure your kids are Naija centric.
• Pele and Carl Lewis and the Olympic mindset.
• Kenny Rodgers, Dolly Parton and the country music vibe.

Paul tells jokes too. Self deprecating and good news ones. This lion is a nice and warm tabby. A thoroughly nice one.

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For years, Dr. Ayo Aderinwale lived and breathed African political science. He has been in exile fleeing Abacha's regime, been a key figure in the plans and preparations for the United States of Africa, been Deputy President, Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union, established and became executive director of the African Leadership Forum... and then on a flight from Addis, after a particularly frustrating  episode, he had his damascene moment. He was done! Bye bye political science. Hello private sector. And boy has he made his mark!

Now with 19 stores in South West Nigeria, Dr. Aderinwale is chairman and owner (along with his wife) of Justrite chain of stores. With turnover in billions of Naira, he brings his formidable intellect to retail and the landscape changed for ever.

In this episode, we discuss:

• the dream that turned into a mirage.
• the power of a positive mindset.
• who needs Ikoyi and Banana Island?
• Data is king, queen and joker.
• Nigeria still the best place to make it bigly.
• Sunny Ade vs. Ebenezer Obey

And Ayo does jokes, tells a great one and we share a cracking one from one of our regular listeners. This episode will get you doubling your hustle (and saving the jokes for Christmas lunch).

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Old Gregorian, avid Banana Island Living listener and serial entrepreneur, Adeyemo Sodipo, has embedded himself in the community he migrated into - St. Louis, Missouri. He has set up businesses, serves as a trustee of that most WASP of WASP American institutions, the private Prep school, been a union employer and sits on the board of his local Crime Victim Advocacy Centre. 

Adeyemo represents that most conflicted of individuals - the diaspora Nigerian. In this episode we discuss:

• Once a Gregorian, always a Gregorian;
• 3.9/4 GPA and still wanting;
• How to survive as a diaspora entrepreneur in the US (what you don't learn in business school);
• Naira/Dollar values and the perennial whinge of the diasporan;
• Nigerian politics and the lesser of all the evils;
• Staying and building vs. running away and doom and glooming - nope, we don't judge;
• Dad, daddy and father - love, legacy and the binds that last.
• And Fela - Lady, Shakara and no, water no get enemy. IYKYK.

QI!

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Continuing our series unveiling the experiences and memories of the generation before ours, how they lived, loved and explored, our guest is none other than The  Original Original, the legend in her own lifetime, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye.

An absolute one-off in the art and craft space and an all-round wonderful personality, Mama Nike shares incredible awe-inspiring stories spanning six decades.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The 14-year-old runaway bride.
• Serendipity vs making your own luck.
• Mbari Mbayo and those halcyon days.
• Female solidarity, empowerment and financial independence.
• The deep, rich, unwritten language of Adire symbols.
• That bucket list thing.
• and, believe it, yams and fecundity have a thing going (cryptic, yes, but listen and all will be revealed).

This is one heck of a life journey. Absolutely riveting!

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