Author: Osmond Agbo

It’s also easy to dismiss this memoir as the musings of someone born into privilege, destined to succeed regardless of effort. And yes, Otedola’s background undeniably gave him a head start. But this line of criticism collapses under closer scrutiny. For every privileged heir who becomes a billionaire, there are dozens more who squander their advantages and end up struggling to pay their bills. Privilege may open doors, but it does not guarantee resilience, vision, or the capacity to recover from crushing failure. What Otedola’s story illustrates, whether one admires or resents it, is that success, even when aided by…

..the unpalatable reality is that in Nigeria, institutional checks and balances, the very scaffolding of democracy, are now a mirage. The judiciary, legislature, police, and electoral body have been reduced to instruments of regime entrenchment. The only force that could realistically disrupt this entrenched order is fear, the fear, on the part of those in power, of mass, unpredictable, and potentially violent public backlash. I was minding my own business, staring dismally at Delta’s underwhelming low-budget Jollof rice and resigned to the dreary choice between chicken and fish, when a man, leaning forward from the row behind, tapped me on…

In 2017, the Nigerian Immigration Service disclosed that over 10,000 Nigerians perished in a mere five-month span while attempting to flee. Nearly half drowned in the Mediterranean; the rest succumbed to the desert’s merciless embrace. Such figures, while staggering, cannot begin to encapsulate the sorrow of entire communities emptied of their youth. A few days ago, a haunting image surfaced on my Facebook feed that I cannot unsee; sun-bleached human remains lying half-buried in the arid vastness of the Sahara Desert. No plaques. No mourners. Just a silent testament to lives extinguished by thirst, exhaustion, and despair. These were not…

So while I agree that men have contributed their fair share to the commodification of female bodies, I think it’s overly simplistic to suggest that women are helpless victims of male fantasy. Many women are powerful agents of their own choices, sometimes tragically so. The desire to look like “that girl” on Instagram and “pepper” them or to stand out in a friend group as the flyest babe often drives decisions just as forcefully as any man’s gaze. It was sometime last year that I first encountered Funke Egbemode’s writing. Though I cannot recall the precise title, the thematic current…

True growth demands courage not cowardice. To acquire a new skill, especially in a rapidly evolving world shaped by younger, more agile minds, we must be willing to look foolish. To accept instruction from those we once tutored. To admit ignorance in spaces where we were once experts. Sometimes, the younger teacher will mock your slowness. Sometimes, the digital platform will remind you of your obsolescence. And yet, this is the heat that tempers steel. This is the pressure that creates diamonds. In a previous essay, I explored a debilitating cultural affliction I termed the Beggar’s Mindset, a condition rooted…

…We must stop rewarding laziness and entitlement with guilt-laced generosity. There’s nothing noble in enabling irresponsibility. Instead, we should uplift those who are trying, those who are willing to learn, to build, to work. I found myself seated beside an American woman on a flight bound for Nigeria recently. Stephanie (not her real name) was making her second visit to the country, having connected online with a young Nigerian man. This time, she planned to spend several weeks deepening their relationship. Over the course of our nearly 12-hour journey from Atlanta to Lagos, we had ample time to engage in…

Why is it that when violent religious extremists ravage communities, burn schools, kidnap schoolchildren, and behead soldiers, the state preaches understanding and forgiveness, but when an Igbo man calls out injustice, he becomes a threat to national security? It’s been over two years since Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office as Nigeria’s president. For many of us who had grown tired of the vindictive ethnonationalism that defined Muhammadu Buhari’s reign, Tinubu’s emergence sparked a flicker of hope. For all his flaws, Tinubu had always styled himself as a bridge-builder, a master political negotiator, a man who built coalitions across Nigeria’s fractious…

While society extols “hustle culture” and valorizes perseverance, it too often overlooks the vital scaffolding that supports real success, namely, mentorship, access, and social capital. Even the most revered figures had help. Steve Jobs had Mike Markkula. Oprah Winfrey had Maya Angelou. Barack Obama had David Axelrod. Jeff Bezos began his venture with not just a grand vision but also a network of former Wall Street colleagues who believed in him and funded his dream. Success, in truth, is seldom a solo act. There is something inherently captivating about the underdog narrative; the solitary visionary who, by sheer tenacity and…

So if you desire to be remembered, to be trusted, to be embraced, don’t just parade your strengths. Tell your awkward stories. Laugh at your own missteps. Offer your flaws, not as disclaimers, but as gifts. Because when you lend your imperfection, you empower others to reclaim their own. And that, more than brilliance or polish, is what makes you unforgettable. I love comedy clubs. Always have. My wife calls them my happy place and she’s not wrong. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to attend one recently, I often find myself immersed in stand-up clips from the likes of…

Perhaps, then, the deepest truth is that there are many truths, each shaped by the vantage point of the observer, each colored by the language, history, and emotional fabric of the person who holds it. Truth, in this sense, is not a singular mountain we all climb toward from different paths, but a vast landscape of perspectives, each revealing a different contour of reality. Last week, as yet another tragic chapter unfolded in the intractable and ever-escalating Iran-Israel conflict, I found myself in the midst of conversations, intense, impassioned, and sometimes uncomfortably raw. The participants weren’t diplomats or scholars. They…