The More Sibyl Podcast

무한한 은혜| The One with Grace Mulenga - On Grace Beyond Borders: Episode 25 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One with Grace Mulenga - On Grace Beyond Borders

WE MADE IT TO 200 EPISODES!!!

In this episode, we’re joined by Grace Mulenga, a good friend who was born and raised in the beautiful country of Zambia, aka the smile of Africa. I met Grace in Austin, Texas, over five years ago, and she still lives and works there with her husband, Chiluba, and enjoys serving their community through various initiatives.

Among her many accomplishments, Grace is delighted to serve and uplift others. She is a public speaker on various platforms and a keynote speaker at charity fundraisers, church ministry, and community youth programs. She has served on the alumni Bootcamp panel for first-year MBA students for several years and recently published her first book, Audacious Destiny, an inspirational spiritual memoir of a journey of resilience and faith. 

Grace moved to the US at the tender age of 19, but she didn’t have it easy in Zambia, but that has not stopped her from making a success of her life in the US. She had to put in the work, and her focus and direction, even from a young age, helped set her apart.

The last of eight girls, she shared her experience with her sisters and as a black immigrant woman in D.C and Texas and how she has surmounted her challenges. 

 

Mo! and Ayomide

Resources:

• Read blog post here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/grace-beyond-borders-faabc11f1249

• www.gracemulenga.com

• Grace’s Book - Audacious Destiny

멋진 가나인들| The One with The Oseis - On Building Love, Family & Careers: Episode 24 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

This episode is a LIVE one! And we are doing something else differently; our guests are a couple! I met Nana Osei first as a student at my university who was leaving as I started as an assistant professor. A mutual friend connected us, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

The Oseis are from Ghana. Nana is a pharmacist (PharmD), while Richard has a Ph.D. in computer science and is very passionate about sharing his knowledge with the next generation. He started at church and is currently a full-time assistant professor teaching computer science courses at Langston University. He also volunteers to teach young black kids to code. As a teacher, he’s very passionate about sharing his knowledge with the next generation.

They shared how they met, moved to a new country as a newlywed couple, and then went on to have kids. They also shared their experience raising Cassie, who is on the autism spectrum. We discussed how our home countries, Nigeria and Ghana, are hurting, our leadership issues, and other issues that need to be worked on for our countries to experience progress. They also shared how they are building their careers, volunteering for causes they are passionate about, and still giving their family and children the required attention. 

Finally, we discussed the implication of the recent passing of the Queen of England on colonized countries, whether the monarchy is still relevant, and whether we should even be having conversations about the monarchy in light of all the African artifacts and money still in their possession. 

Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/a-saturday-with-the-oseis-59d24a0465b9

 

자폐증의 우주 및 작업| The One with Chioma Nwokolo - On Space & Work in Autism: Episode 23 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

I met Chioma in secondary school (Federal Government Girls’ College, Oyo). We didn’t talk much until later, although I would see her a lot on Facebook doing her thing and being inspirational. Since I  shared my experience with my daughter Ariife, Chioma has been one of her most loving online aunties. We recently got into a conversation and talked more about what she’s been up to, and I knew she had to come on the podcast. 

Chioma is a child development tutor and therapist who specializes in helping kids with autism. You feel so much passion when she talks about these topics. We started by talking a bit about her experiences thus far, and she shared about being born in Lagos and why she moved to Jos and then Abuja, where she has been for the last eighteen years. 

Chioma shared her experience at FGGC Oyo, the values she instilled, and how they have formed her into the woman she is today. An educationist, she shared the challenges and possible solutions to the failing Nigerian educational system. She shares ideas and strategies for effecting the change we all want to see. 

How did she begin working with children with special needs? She tells us and shares how to care for children with special needs and how the Nigerian government might build better structures to support children with special needs and their parents. 

 

Resources:

• Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/on-space-and-work-in-autism-bc2db7649700 

• The episode with former FEGGO girls.

• The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism: https://a.co/d/9VdK7JM

 

부르키나파소 과학자 되기| The One with Farida Yada - Being Burkinabe and an Immigrant Reproductive Health Scientist: Episode 22 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

This week’s guest, Farida, is from Burkina Faso, a country with the highest population of elephants in Western Africa, also known as the “land with the honest men.” She speaks a little Korean; you already know how special Korea is to me.

She describes herself to be a daughter of God, a wisdom seeker, and a soldier of Yahweh. An international scholar with a master’s degree in public health and health services research, focusing on maternal and child health, especially in African populations. She is interested in immigrant reproductive health.

Farida spent her first seventeen years in Burkina Faso and took us through her experiences when she was there and even her perspectives after she left for the USA. Like every African country, Burkina Faso has its own distinct challenges, especially as they still have a lot of allegiance to its colonizers, France. From winning awards for being the most peaceful country in Africa, the country, painfully, has become a shadow of herself. We have similar issues between Nigeria and Burkina Faso and explored these areas. 

She shared her experience with moving to the USA at the young age of 17, the culture shocks, how she has been navigating dealing with personal issues, and her perspective of the USA since she moved here 12 years ago. 

Farida is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Maternal and Child Health, and she is an overachiever. She shares her educational journey, research, work, and motivations with us.

사명을 가진 남자| The One With Dr. Henry Olamiju - Man On A Mission: Episode 21 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

사명을 가진 남자| The One With Dr. Henry Olamiju - Man On A Mission: Episode 21 (2022)

In this episode, we have Dr. Henry Olamiju - our dear friend from Uni days! It’s also the first podcast he’s featured on, so yay!

Henry, a minister of the gospel and medic, grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and currently lives in the UK. He’s the first child of three boys and graduated from the University of Lagos, where Ayomide and I met him independently. Over the last twelve years, he’s worked in medical missions and has held many leadership positions in the last twenty-six years. 

He shared how Lagos was when he was growing up in the 80s, giving us heartwarming stories of his experiences and the difference from what it is today. He gave a few examples of what amazed him about being in the UK, the cultural and fundamental problems and challenges his home country has, and how he thinks they can be solved. We also dwelled on the grief that comes with living abroad.

We talked about punctuality in various places in the world, contrasting how these countries have developed promptness or not and the things we have lost due to migrating to the West.  How has he been building a community and bonding in a new country? How has he been raising his family with intentionality in the UK.

미국에서 남아프리카로| The One With Essence - From New York to Johannesburg: Episode 20 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: The One With Essence - From New York to Johannesburg

How does one buy the house of their dreams in New York and then suddenly move to Johannesburg? That’s Essence Hayes' story. Essence is a returning guest who I met through a community of podcasters on Facebook and who has helped me with Livestream questions during the pandemic. 

Born and bred in New York, she recently moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, after first going on a yearly trip with friends and then being convinced by one of them to move. In this episode, she takes us through why she moved and her experience since, especially as a Black American in a country like South Africa, where identity politics is hugely relevant. 

We discussed the difference in cost of living between New York and Johannesburg, the challenges in both cities, and how she has been building a community for herself and her child in a new environment. 

 

Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/from-new-york-to-johannesburg-a-move-to-the-motherland-7184b6222e7e 

나이지리아에서 캐나다로| The One With Lamide - From Nigeria to Canada and Other Stories: Episode 19 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

나이지리아에서 캐나다로| The One With Lamide - From Nigeria to Canada and Other Stories: Episode 19 (2022)

Hi everyone! Welcome to this episode. Today, I have a returning guest and a special one at that - Lamide! She was on the podcast some years ago. She is someone who, despite all she has been through, still chooses to be joyful. She is a dentist, entrepreneur, event planner, and newbie tech sis whom we met in Nigeria in medical school and are currently in different countries. She lives in Canada with her family, and it’s been a good experience for her. 

How has she been settling in, making friends, building a reliable and supportive community, and her career? How was she able to move to Canada during the pandemic? How has she been dealing with loneliness, moving from a sociable environment to a more independent one? Or the type of loneliness that came from the pandemic? How did she deal with the step down moving from Nigeria to Canada? 

Lamide has been through a lot - losing her parents being the most painful of all, and she shared how she’s been able to rise above everything and what keeps her going. 

미스 마블| The One With Munjireen - On Life As A Muslim Bangladeshi-American Academic: Episode 18 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

Munjireen is a dear friend and brilliant colleague whose degrees and work experience speak for her. She is passionate about neuropsychology, mental health, and wellness.

Munjireen shared her experience as a second-generation Muslim Bangladeshi- American living in America with her parents and the culture shocks and differences she went through. We saw these similarities even as Nigerians. 

We learn why her parents migrated to the USA, her experiences as an academic and how those have been shaped by her religion and nationalities, and how and why she is in public health, mental health, and refugee care. 

Oh, and listen to how she and Ayomide gushed on and on about Ms. Marvel and all things nerdy!

Listen to the full episode here.

 

Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/life-as-a-muslim-bangladeshi-american-academic-458b4f4af7dc

 

아프리카의 아름다움과 성장| The One With Muloongo - On The Beauty and Growth of Africa: Episode 17 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

We have a returning guest on the podcast! Muloongo was last with us in 2018, and it’s great to have her back.

Muloongo is a fierce advocate for Africa, a pan-African thought leader who blogs about African and global issues on her platform, ONGOLO, and her mission is to change the narrative about Africa as a continent with little to offer. Her blog provides news, insights, and analysis on business, economy, lifestyle, people, politics, sports, and travel. She has a global audience of people with a passion for Africa. She also has experience across many sectors, including oil and gas and management consulting, from her 17 years in the corporate space. She shared what she’s learned about switching and growing careers. 

Muloongo also shared her experience since returning from Singapore to  London and the other seven countries she has lived in, and the inspiration behind ongolo.com.  As African arts and entertainment go ever more mainstream and global appreciation for Africa grows, there remains more work to be done, and we discussed with Muloongo about Africa’s politics and passivity, ideas and challenges, leadership, and strategies, and what each of us can to do help our continent more influential. We also hear about her books, career, and what she’s working on next. 

Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/the-beauty-and-growth-of-africa-98f3f74d171c 

 

관계의 동력 역학| The One With The Two - On Power Dynamics In Relationships: Episode 16 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 

 

In this episode, Ayomide and I talked about power dynamics in relationships and the forms they may occur. People often hesitate to talk about power dynamics in relationships–many perceive power as negative or manipulative.  But power can be helpful–even beneficial–for both parties in a relationship and can come in many forms: a friend who helped bring you out of a tough season, a teacher who helped form the values that have shaped you, or a friend you admire and who gives you good advice. But simply not talking about power makes it easier to be abused in relationships.

 

What exactly is power, and how does or should it affect relationships? What forms does the power take? How do we ensure we are using it for the good of others and just ourselves? When do power dynamics go bad in relationships? What do you do when you feel intimidated? This episode addresses all of these and more. 

 

Listen to the full episode here:

 

Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/power-dynamics-in-relationships-b786682ed9a5