2026

Here we fucking go :)

Happy New Year.

When I look back at 2025 even though I didn’t achieve the biggest thing on my to do list, it was still a great year by very many markers.

Two things I’m super proud of myself of last year 1- Dipping 7 times. When I was looking for a job, someone looked at my CV and my linkedin and said, delete your linkedin and change your name on your CV. I wanted to resist but I remembered Naaman and was like that’s super easy. It worked.

The first week I started applying I got a job offer.

What can I say the world is really as it is. Follow who know road.

The second thing I am very proud of, being patient with people who are my friends, a friend of mine posted a photo of him with his beard dyed and had a cheeky song playing, I thought it was 1- a filter and 2- an extremely hilarious play on words with the song lyrics and I laughed and kept it moving but he asked me what was funny, The old me would have been like nothing but I’m realizing that 1- people are not mind readers and 2-some people even if they love me think I could be judging them- which is un true but we’ll talk about it later. Anyway, I explain that 1- the song & video are so cheeky & witty and I thought the beard was a filter and the whole thing was a play on Santa Clause. He was like - OMG I didn’t think of that, I’m sorry I was defensive and I said well I am happy you said something because I’d hate for you to be simmering with annoyance thinking I was judging you. This long story is to say- I’ve really grown. And I am so proud of myself for that growth. Because I know how quickly that could have gone left.

I already told my book club girlies but I will tell you people here, that my word for 2026 is move/motion/movement. I find that movement/motion causes momentum and truly when you start walking the path appears. The word was inspired by my favorite immigrant in the bible -Moses. Long story short God met Moses in a foreign land and asked him to go and get his people out of slavery in Egypt. The prince of Egypt is a fantastic movie telling this story I’m about to tell.

Anyway Moses leads all the people to exit Egypt and they get stuck between the red sea and their captors - who changed their minds after them them go. The people seeing the situation start to whine Moses, talking about- were there not enough graves in Egypt why have you brought us here to bury us? Moses with nerves of steel asks them to stand still and that God will fight for them and the Egyptians they are seeing today they won’t see again.

God responds- why are you crying to me? tell the people to move. They move forward, he raises his hand, the sea parts, the people are free & the Egyptians drown.

The movie is really good and the sound track is 10/10.

So yeah my word for 2026 is Move/Motion/Movement because I really hid behind “waiting to hear from God” as a mask for a lot of my indecisions in 2025.

This year though we are movinggggggggggggg.

As should be customary but is probably not, here are a few of my favorite things from 2025 in no particular order

1- Sinners the movie. What a delightful work of art. What a sensational story. 10/10 I left the cinema with goosebumps and I was so inspired to get creative after that movie. I told a few people that Sinners was a Christian movie and they were like-?? and I was like - YESSSSS. And no I wont be explaining.

2- LOVE ISLAND USA SZN 7- Nicolandria. Enough said, you just had to be there. One weekend I went to Toronto for my friends baby’s birthday and then had one of my little cousins over and she played it for us and when I tell you I was sucked in? I watched big brother Nigeria during Covid lock down but this? the production of the show was so good. I can probably never watch big brother Nigeria again.

3- Finishing school- I love education. I have 3 degrees and like 3 professional qualifications in finance, but when I tell you this program had me fighting for my life every single day? Honestly I can’t recommend adult education for anyone who is interested in immigration- just learn French from the comfort of your home country because- hmnnn.

4- The Violet- My Husband is a film maker and I produced a short film for him and it got into a film festival which is really great because I really enjoyed working with him on it and just seeing how much work goes into these things make me a little less critical of Nollywood. They are trying their best. But there is such a long way to go in terms of technical knowledge that I don’t even know if that gap will ever be bridged.

5- The Book club- I love love love running that book club because books are the foundation of everything #itiswritten. I watched a show on Netflix recently that was adapted from a video game that was adapted from a book. Books are the ground zero for creation and I love all the books we read this year. Interestingly I was invited to serve as a literary fellow for the Sahara Center’s Book club which is being launched next year along side their monthly film club and I was so honored because I do believe a lot of indigenous knowledge holds the solution to most of our issues. My Favorite book we read was Love after love by Ingrid Persaud.

6- Mexico City- I do not think I will get over that city in a long time. CDMX is probably one of my most favorite cities in the world. CDMX is who people think Paris is. The food, the sights, the art, the drinks. OH MY GOD- the drinkssssss. Mexico city is one of the first cities that I actually can not wait to get back to because of how much fun it was. If you are looking for a city to get lost in. CDMX is the one.

7- Friendships- The older you get, the more you realize that you are not supposed to do life alone, and if you are lucky like me you’ll find your tribe early and they’ll be by your side through so many things. This year my friend group from uni fixed biweekly whatsapp calls where we’d catch up with each other and it’s been so rewarding to see how that intentionality has brought us closer and more involved in each others lives.

8- Aslan- The dog I dog sit occasionally when his parents have to travel. i am obsessed with that crazy dog and the love is mutual because he cries when he has to leave our house. I know you might think people can never change but I need you to realize that me getting paid to look after a dog is the biggest evidence in this life that people CAN and will change. Exposure therapy works I guess. LOL

9- Hosting People- Because my city is unreasonably expensive when it comes to short term accommodation, being able to have people over and feed them and just generally hang out really makes me happy. As some one who has been a beneficiary of hospitality from friends & family being able to do the same makes me so happy.

10- Myself- 2025 me is really my favorite version of myself. Second to 2017 me. For now. I kept a lot of the promises I made to myself, I was a better friend, Daughter, sister ( probably not employee), I tried out so many things I thought I’d hate but turns out I was so/so about them eg- hiking (LOL), all in all 2025 was a great year.

Do I have grand plans for 2026? YES. Have I started taking the steps in the grand pans 2026?

Also Yes.

Can I wait to share them with you? Actually no, I’m bursting at the seams but it is what it is o.

Here is to a fulfilling 2026

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move.

Ex 14:14-15