2023 — The year I moved with the cheese and enjoyed it.
“The end
, or is it a new beginning?”
I like to see myself as Haw in the famous best-seller book, “Who Moved My Cheese”. Even after discovering a massive supply of new cheese, he often went out into the maze and explored new areas to stay in touch with what was happening around him. He knew being aware of his real choices was safer than being isolated in his comfort zone.
That’s the summary of the year for me. I challenged myself right from the start and was flexible with whatever came my way. Late in the year 2022, the crypto company I worked with woke up one day and told about 80% of the staff that the journey we had just started with them was over. I have always worked two jobs. While they are both great jobs, the remuneration is like night and day. So you could imagine the pain when I lost the most rewarding one. As a remote worker for 3 years, I have always somehow survived when I lost a job. I have this belief that I will always see another one. In fact, there’s a trick to that, and I can let you in on that for free.
So when I get a new job, no matter how rewarding, I’m up the same day looking for the next. And honestly, I know what you’re about to say. It’s something around; what else are you looking for when you’ve already gotten what you wanted? I didn’t know why I was doing that, but I was doing it. It is something Yoruba people say about “Ija wa, Ija o si, always guiding”. And honestly, I did a lot of guiding, and I am still guiding . It is more about looking for another cheese while eating cheese, like finding lunch while having breakfast. I don’t know if it makes sense, but who needs that if it always works? So that was how I secured 3 jobs all at once. I dropped one of those because the challenge didn’t equate to the pay, and I was about to work to death on top of how much. I was left with two jobs and at peace while enjoying the work I churned out for both companies.
00.00
I got a text from my mom.
“Happy New Year! I pray the Lord I serve will answer all your prayers”.
I said Amen and returned to “Please, find a link to my Resúme + work portfolio, and I am glad to hear back from you”. The desperation was crazy–I needed a second job pretty fast. I wasn’t about to start earning in Naira again after tasting what a foreign currency is like. I wasn’t going to go out without a fight. I write my new CV daily and always update my LinkedIn. I even became active on the platform to be seen more through searches and posts.
I had several interviews later, a flood of rejection at home and abroad. I never believed anyone would see my work and still typed that long-ass email. I thought I was the best thing after ice cream. At least, my team and my friends always tell me about how I inspire them to do more. Anyway, the more I tried, the more I was rejected. You know that thing they say when you see me talking to myself? Just mind your business; it is a team call. That was me every morning, afternoon and night. I always ask questions about what went wrong and what I should do better.
One evening in February, after my shower at 10 PM, I was in my chair doing my team call when my phone lit up. It was one notification, then two, and then three. It was weird to me because it was messages from a group chat. I have all group chats muted on WhatsApp, so which of them escaped jail and dared to show me messages? Out of curiosity, I picked up my phone, and to my surprise, my friend “Izzie” was the group administrator. She had mentioned my name in a room I wasn’t in. She had texted me privately and called (the phone was on DND) before adding me. I didn’t respond to any of those, yet she added me. I wouldn’t have minded either way because it was a good cause.
Next, I was in the same group with a startup CEO, his co-founders, and my friend. He asked me how the company can build an active community for their product. I gave a very satisfying answer and illustrated what I have done in the past. The next thing, foreign currency is back at 10:15 PM. More rewarding than the one I lost the year before, and it was fully remote like the others. It was too good to be true, and I didn’t believe it until I received the first salary in Joe Biden’s USD.
Peter Obi
Something led to something, and I stumbled on Peter Obi’s talk on TV about how the election is very important to us as Nigerians. I was surprised at his audacity to want to wrestle the power from the hands of the lacklustre but stubborn ruling party. When they said no gree for anybody this year, it was him they were talking about. I watched more of his talks on YouTube, and the rest, they say, is history. He ignited my passion for the country after the disaster we had experienced for 8 years. I became a fan of Nigerian Politics and also wake up to Arise TV every morning. I love his perspectives on governance and Nation building. Another thing that caught my fancy was how he was focused on problem-solving rather than ethnicity and tribalism like the other guys. I liked that he was someone I could emulate and support with my voice, and it was the first time I had been loud about a candidate. I knew he meant so well for the country.
Even though where I lived was the current government’s stronghold, I went out to cast my vote and support others, too. I knew I was done when the election result was announced, and he didn’t win. I wasn’t surprised, and I did not react in any way. I knew the time was up to move to what was next in life. I should write more about this man, but there’s no need. We move.
Japa
Sometimes, in 2022, I watched many “Japa” videos on YouTube. I learned how to complete my application myself without using an agent. I talked to myself and decided to pursue a Master's in Digital Marketing and Advertising. To put it out there, I have always been self-taught as a Content and Digital Marketer and have done marketing for various companies across FinTech, Web3, HealthTech and more. In fact, my feats in the past years still surprise me whenever I think about them. Who I be?
So, in 2023, I continued. I have had the japa plan in motion whether Peter Obi won. Even though I wanted him to win so that I could leave my family in the hands of someone I trusted to mean well for the country's common good. However, I was at the crossroads for a long time waiting for the traffic light to turn green so that I could go. As much as I wanted it to turn green, I wouldn’t have minded it if it stayed red. I really loved the country, and I was comfortable with the life I was living. But I felt I had more out there to achieve. If I can make money in foreign currency from here, imagine how much I can make in their system with my almost 5 years of experience in Content and Marketing. Mind you, I didn’t think about the tax system or the bills that come with living within that system. I have always been a numbers guy. If I can get 3,000 USD a month from Nigeria, imagine earning 10K+ USD a month while actively playing in the system. The more the merrier, yeah? I have both generational and institutional poverty to defeat.
I received admission, and I went to the University of Hull. Originally, I was offered “Marketing and Advertising Communications”. However, the school board did a review and renamed the course to “Digital Marketing and Advertising”, which is what I have always wanted. All thanks to the USD-paying job I secured and my friends, I funded my Japa dream by myself.
Flight Ticket, no Visa
I remember buying my flight ticket on the 27th of June because what could go wrong? I have done all my homework and carefully made myself proud with my application. I said a word of prayer and picked Thursday, August 25th, as the flight date. It was my first time booking a flight. Before that, I had never had a reason to book any local and international flight, so I consulted my friend who works at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. He guided me, and the process was smooth. I made payments and received emails from Qatar Air with all the details. I was too excited to wait for my visa to return so I could start the farewell fest with choice friends and family.
I received a response from the Home Office on the 30th of June that my application was unsuccessful. I had just woken up that morning to open my email, and to my surprise, it was a rejection. I am used to rejections from job hunting, but this one is a different pain level. I was confused and cried for the first time since 2018. Where do I start from? I have spent a lot already, so imagine reapplying for your visa all over again. I remember telling my friend, who took me to our favourite Amala spot. For everyone who knows me, I love Amala, which has plenty of meat and ponmo. My love for it made me write a story on Amala sometime in 2020. But I didn’t feel good eating it at our favourite eatery on this particular day.
I called my friends to break the news, and we immediately swung into action on what to do. There is no time to be moody or sit around for too long. They crowdfunded for me, and I soon raised 2,000,000 Naira from my circle of friends. I reached out to the school and explained my situation. After a series of emails and no response, I was tired. Like Bruh, this is not going to plan. Thanks to my friends again, we devised a plan that worked like magic. I had drawn up a schedule and prayed to God that he should keep my flight date for me. He did, lol. I received a new CAS from my school and applied for another Visa. The visa came out 5 days just before my flight. Mind you, I didn’t have to move the date from August 25th. It was a miracle, and if at any point I doubted God, that moment proved to me that there is a God who listens to prayers. I was too happy to pick up my passport on the Friday it came out. I had to postpone pick up till Monday. At exactly 8 am Monday morning, I was among the first people to arrive at the passport office. I have never been punctual like that in my life. It soon reached my turn, and I signed on the dotted lines after writing the usual “Original copy received by me, Joshua Owolabi”. I saw my passport and visa, and I wondered why it took so long. Why didn’t it come the first time I applied? But then, it came either way. That’s enough to make my day. The joy of having that piece of paper on your passport is second to none. I called my mom to break the news. Hearing my mom excited over the phone is one of the best things I love to experience. She deserves more of these moments. Well, as for me, the rest, they say, is history.
Lagos Uber Stories
I stumbled on my medium page later in the year, and it was all cobwebs like Spiderman lives there. I promised to start writing anything that comes to mind. Japa provided me with the perfect opportunity to get started. Sometimes, in October 2020, after the End Sars Protest ended, I promised to always use Uber/Bolt as the only means of transport anywhere I went. I would have been super proud of the growth if I had started writing since then, but nothing spoiled it.
I started having many conversations with people, and generally, these conversations turned to the stories you have read since August 2. It was also when I was in a deep mess due to the visa issue. The series was my escape from reality, and I genuinely appreciated comments, claps, shares and saves. The support helped me write more and tell great stories of the good people I have met. Also, sometimes in the year, Osadumebi of Stories are…., a Podcast that shares stories written by Nigerian Writers and Authors, reached out to me to have my stories turned into audio. At first, I wasn’t sure what it would look like or if the execution would be satisfying, but it came out so good. I had stories like Women Wicked (18+), Sports Betting is Evil, Life’s Bitter, Life’s Sweet, Ex Big Man and Regrets Lives Here. They came out so well that it felt like the narrator was there while the conversations happened. They have other beautiful stories for you to check out.
Bye 2023
It’s the last day of the year, and I am super grateful for what I have achieved this year. There’s a lot more that I did but didn’t make it to this piece, but I promise to capture it in another piece I have in my draft. I have had straight wins and losses that came back as wins after another try. I learned never to give up regardless of what life throws at you. I had written goals, and I managed to strike out 50%. I am not cancelling the remaining 50%, they are going with me to the next year. I now have 100% +50% to achieve for next year. I am open-minded and will sit down and work harder to achieve these goals while life plays its game.
Cheers to 2024.
Thank you to my friends for pulling strings when my fingers were too weak to strike a note. And to everyone who has been supporting me here on Medium, I wholeheartedly appreciate all the gestures. I look forward to doing more next year by engaging with your stories and creating beautiful stories as I have always done. Stay limitless in 2024.
May I ask a special favour from you? If you enjoyed reading this, please clap 50 times, highlight any interesting part, comment, add it to your reading list, and share it with your network. Thank you for your continued support.
