6.3K
Downloads
274
Episodes
The More Sibyl Podcast is hosted by Mo! Sibyl - a Nigerian-born, US-educated, Korean-speaking, Struggling Intellectual. The More Sibyl Podcast is a podcast about culture and culture nomads designed for Blacks and Asians and those who love them. On The More Sibyl Podcast, Mo! talks mostly with an invited guest, who she is inspired by, on a variety of issues, related to cultural experiences or other lived experiences related to third culture. If your concept of home is fluid, you feel like you are neither here nor there, or you consider yourself a cultural hybrid, then this podcast is for you. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mosibyl/support
Episodes
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
Our guest for this episode is Nancy Mulelwa Siisii, a fellow podcaster who shares her immigration story from Mongu, Zambia, to New York City, spanning 20 years!
As a dreamer, she had and continues to have a passion for making substantive bonds with audiences and helping to inspire people to reach for their dreams. Being an immigrant has been one of her life's most challenging and extraordinary experiences. It inspired her to start her podcast “Concrete Pastures: An African Immigrant Story” as a platform to reach out to fellow immigrants and dreamers.
Nancy started out as a babysitter in New York before transitioning to McDonald's and Bloomingdale’s and finally making her way as a branch manager in one of the top financial institutions in the world.
Currently separated from her partner of 15 years, we explored the pains of failed relationships, especially when children are involved. Most importantly, gaining clarity on the part both individuals play when relationships don’t work out anymore.
Read blog: https://mosibyl.medium.com/concrete-pastures-from-mongu-zambia-to-nyc-e2caf60528a6
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
In this week's episode, we (Ayomide and I) interview Ugboaja Nkechi Blessing, popularly called Kosi. She is a medical laboratory scientist in her early 30s and married with two adorable young daughters. She was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, and we talked a good bit about how this has changed the trajectory of her life as a wife and young mother of two with no medical insurance.
We often have our life planned; unfortunately, life sometimes happens, and we need to soldier on. Life happened for Kosi, and she shares how this new information concerning her health has impacted her and the loved ones around her. We had a conversation about cancer and what it means, how she and her family are handling the diagnosis, how she detected it early by herself, and her next steps.
Please donate whatever you can by clicking on this gofundme link
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/breast-cancer-diagnosis-at-39-96bb9c46c82a
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Friday Oct 07, 2022
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
In this episode, Ayomide interviewed me (again), but from the perspective of my relationship with anxiety. We talked about how I have been struggling with anxiety and the relationship between my anxiety and my parents. For context, my mum had me at 21, before marriage, and she was from a typical Christian home. I have struggled with anxiety as far back as I can remember—I cannot remember any time I wasn’t. Ayomide went through my experiences with me, and we discussed how I could be better going forward, especially in light of how I view myself and rub off on my daughter.
Of course, this is my own story, and your mileage may vary. Still, I have often found the stories of others helpful. Hopefully, you’ll find something to take away from my stories of living with anxiety, handling complicated relationships and cases, dealing with childhood trauma and its later effects, and coming out positive.
- Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/the-one-with-my-anxiety-e01cb6983aba
- Recommended Song: “Anxiety” – Jason Isbell (2017)
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Friday Sep 30, 2022
The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
It’s our 200th episode! Forgive us if we feel a little proud of this major feat! For context, only 1% of podcasts make it past 20 episodes–we’ve just hit ten times that which puts us in the stratosphere! (We certainly feel that way!)
You can blame our excitement, then, that the guest on today’s show is–me! I get to be interviewed by Doc Ayomide on the journey thus far. We thought it would be a good time to chat about the creative process and the consistency it took to get here. Getting to 200 is way past being creative; it has become a lifestyle. I won’t lie, I was nervous when we first discussed it–I am used to asking the questions–but it turned out to be a lot of fun!
Ayomide’s questions made me think: I got to advise my younger self when she was about to begin a podcast and shared my best episode and episodes I thought wouldn’t connect but did.
We also discussed the changes in my life since I began the podcast and how I have responded to them. I started this podcast to learn more about people's cultures, but I ended up gaining the wonderful community that is you all. I also talked about the future and expectations. Words don’t suffice, however, so…. listen!
P.S: We are celebrating 200 episodes with a virtual party! It’s happening on the 1st of October at 10 am CST/4 PM WAT. Lots of cash prizes to be won!
- Join in with this link at that time!
- There is also a giveaway ongoing! Cash prizes are up for grabs! Use this link to share your entry.
-
Ayomide and I are now accepting: personal, random, odd, bold questions. Any kind of ask 😀. Send them ahead here: www.slido.com Code #1498235, and we will answer them during the live show tomorrow
Sunday Sep 25, 2022
Sunday Sep 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:
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 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
Friday Sep 09, 2022
Friday Sep 09, 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 Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism: https://a.co/d/9VdK7JM
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
Thursday Sep 01, 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.
Friday Aug 26, 2022
Friday Aug 26, 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.
Friday Aug 19, 2022
Friday Aug 19, 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