It is so easy for people to posture and say come back home. Why is this not an option for people? Simply put, there's nothing to go back to. I used to be a part of the bandwagon till it indeed became me. Now I speak from a place of understanding. When you hear people just upped and left, a lot has gone into it. Selling properties, leaving a well-paying job, leaving family behind, or sometimes no family. Going back home is the last resort. We move in search of a better life - security, a working system when citizens are valued, good roads, electricity, and peace of mind.

After four months of moving from different medical facilities and getting the wrong diagnosis, I finally met a neurologist who understood the problem. Unfortunately, it was a little too late to save my legs. Two years down, I’m stuck for life with a chronic disease that has no cure. A disease that wakes up and decides if it’s time for me to lose a new part of my body.

I used to be called extra. Looking back, it’s funny how all the things I was looked down upon for being and doing have helped shape me into such an amazing person.

Entrepreneurship is difficult but be courageous. Keep going. It’s important to never give up. Take it one day at a time and trust yourself.

I tell people this a lot: No matter how hard things get and no matter how weak you might feel going through the process slowly, one day, you will be amazed at how much you have grown and learnt.

Asking yourself certain questions will also help you to grow. Why do I do what I do? What drives me? What footprints do I want to leave along the way?

You were living until the thing you dreaded the most happened, and you stopped living. You simply floated through the day without noticing anything or anyone. You became a distant shadow, and people who knew you said you had changed. You didn’t care, you were exhausted. You had little patience with anyone and had to stop yourself from screaming at people sometimes.

Even though I am investing time and money to release a quality book, part of me still succumbs to the voices within that say I’m not a real author because I couldn’t get a traditional book deal all those years I tried to.

Apart from the rejections I faced from agents with my book, I also experienced a difficult start to my career. This was shocking because my parents and teachers always emphasized the importance of good grades in the real world. Yet even after graduating with a first-class, I really struggled to find my career footing, which is something my novel’s protagonist also faces.

I was determined to find a backup plan. I couldn't return to my parents to say, "Oh, I don't want to do Law, but I also don't know what I want to do" because that would be unacceptable. I needed something solid. I focused on practising and becoming a better graphic designer at university. In 2020, I took a graphic design course that helped me expand my knowledge on a larger scale. I met my current mentor through this course. I had decided that after school, I would work as a graphic designer, and I did just that.

Since Sisterly HQ kicked off in 2021, tens of amazing women have worked with us as volunteers. To the work of Sisterly HQ, they have brought commitment, energy, and passion for impactful storytelling, women’s empowerment, equal opportunities, and the success of Nigerian women.

Many of these phenomenal Sisterly HQ alumni have gone on to start their own initiatives, passion projects and purpose-driven communities. These incredible women have created non-profits, recorded podcasts, written blogs, built communities, and so much more that have impacted the lives of hundreds of Nigerians and people across the world. And, this is that story.

There was a bit of pushback during negotiations. My age did not match the demands I made. Why should a 26-year-old ask for an assistant manager position (that’s what a senior 2 is)? With the help of my mentor, I aced the interviews and got the position I wanted. I conceded the pay, but overall I have no regrets. My transition process was largely smooth, and I had great team support to make integration fast and easy.

Try to be shameless, my sweet sisters. Don’t be ashamed of the five likes or zero engagement you may get. Don’t even be afraid to make your mistakes in public. That’s how you grow. I made (and still make) mistakes when I started my fashion brand. Then, I had to cope with people telling me stuff like, "Your photography looks poor, your finishing is tacky, your designs are too edgy, this that." But one thing I always do is to take criticism, let it sink in, shake it off, and look forward to becoming better.