And today, I’m 65 years old. My journey has been messy, brilliant, painful, and beautiful, all at once. So, let’s just say this: Happy Independence Day to me.

But even with the struggles, I can’t deny something, every year, my birthday is celebrated. Loudly and Joyfully, Whether I’ve met my full potential or not, people still gather to remember the day I arrived.

I feel too talented, too gifted, to be where I am. I’m not trying to be too ambitious, or maybe na imposter syndrome wey dey do me but how long will I wait for my gifts to pay off? I’m growing older. The patience is thinning. The promises feel like distant echoes.

life itself no be beans. But truth be told, my eye don see shege pro max. Blood, sweat, and tears have soaked my roots. Still, prophets kept assuring me, “It will be better one day.” Yet sometimes, the African in me wonders: did someone, somewhere, rub off my glory?

Growing up wasn’t easy. I was tossed from one guardian to another, each with their own hands and their own intentions. Sometimes I wonder what their fingers left behind on my destiny. Did they polish my crown or dim its shine? I’m not here to blame them...

From the start, I carried an aura of greatness. You didn’t need to be told before you saw it. My peers envied me, my friends boasted about me. I was distinct, special, different... and I knew it. But greatness, like palm wine, can be sweet yet heavy to carry.

that the diviners had foretold a child of destiny. In Yoruba, they would call me Omo Òlogo - a child of glory. My parents knew the battles were coming, but they faced them with sweat and blood, believing I was worth every scar.

My birth wasn’t an ordinary one. It was forged in fear, tears, and prayers. When I came, the drums beat louder than usual, and the air smelled of hope. They said my birth shook the ground. The elders whispered that the womb-watchers had already seen me coming...

My birth wasn’t an ordinary one, it was a product of so many battles. Come along👉

Because Lagos has taught me this much: peace is beautiful, but sometimes you need just a dash of “cray-cray” to survive. 😂.

Now I catch myself praying for enough success to skip Lagos public transport altogether. And I wonder: when I have kids, how do I raise them with the love and gentleness I knew, while also preparing them for a world that isn’t so soft?

I eventually returned to my soft-life Ibadan, but Lagos pulled me back as an adult and whew, the city is a jungle. From danfo drivers ready to crush your toes, to co-workers who bully in polite, corporate ways, everyone seems to test your limits.

Before I finished,Punches flew. I didn’t even wait, I swung back. The shock on his face was priceless. He clearly never expected me to fight. And just like that, it was over. I stood there, heart racing,feeling like a champion. From that day on,he never raised a hand to me again.

One afternoon, my chance came. His older brother had just finished giving him a proper scolding, and he was fuming. I walked up, fist shaped like a microphone, and asked in my best newscaster voice, “So, sir, how do you feel about the fight that just ended?”

That’s when I met a 13-year-old distant cousin who loved punching my shoulder for fun. I was 12, quiet, and honestly got tired of dodging him all the time. I started by fighting him in my head for weeks until I was sure I could handle him.

Then Dad passed and I moved to Lagos. Whole different planet. Kids drew lines on the ground for fights, siblings wrestled while neighbors cheered. At first it was an horrible sight, but after a while it started to look normal.

I grew up in a house where fighting was basically a crime. No raised voices, no name-calling. If a sibling annoyed you, you reported to mum and dad, they served justice and that’s the end.

The first time I truly realized I could face my fears and win was the day I squared up with a boy a year older than me. Let me tell you the full story 👉🏾

How Are Nigerians Coping With The Housing Burden?

Sometimes it’s not lightning bolts or loud miracles. Sometimes it’s a gentle nudge, right when you need it most.