Mo' Sibyl

나이지리아의 선지자| The One with Akinola Akinlawon – On Community Service, Male Vulnerability, and Self-Care: Episode 19 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

나이지리아의 선지자| The One with Akinola Akinlawon – On Community Service, Male Vulnerability, and Self-Care: Episode 19 (2020)

My guest today moved to the US from Nigeria in 2012 to bag a college degree. While at college at the Cameron University in Oklahoma, Akinola Akinlawon, popularly referred to as “AK,” served as a leader in various capacities, was recognized for his visionary involvement, community building, and academic excellence. As a student, his deep-rooted passion for helping others achieve their dreams inspired him to launch a first-ever student-driven tuition scholarship in 2015 aimed to assist Nigerian non-immigrant students in the US. He also founded his IT consulting business called Digital Designs and Engineering, which he runs to this day.

Currently, Akin is completing a Master’s degree in Management of Information Systems at the University of Houston and is the president of one of Houston’s largest graduate student networks, The Bauer MBA Society.

In this episode, Akin shares his motivation for starting the scholarship scheme for Nigerian international students in the US and gives an update of its current status. He also talks about self-care from a man’s perspective using his life as a reference to offer lessons. He advocates for male vulnerability and prioritizing one’s self.

The good news is that Akin, a TFH (Tall, Fair, and Handsome) single guy who writes love poems, is ready to mingle. He gave details of his ideal “spec” and where interested single ladies can shot their shoots. But you wouldn’t know this if you don’t listen to the podcast.

So download and enjoy it!

PS: This show was taped in 2019 BC (Before Covid-19).

Best,

Mo!

인도계 중국인의| The One with Han Seth Lu – On Cultural Richness, Leadership, and Mental Health: Episode 18 (2020)

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인도계 중국인의| The One with Han Seth Lu – On Leadership, Biracial Identity, and Mental Health: Episode 18 (2020)

There is no doubt that a person’s mental development is linked to the environment in which he was raised; however, it is essential to highlight that irrespective of the surrounding environmental condition, it is possible to rise above the hindrances and pursue a better life. My guest today is one who was determined to rise above the limitations of his environment but instead allowed it to propel him into the life he now lives. Everyone meet Han Seth Lu, the young man who is positively influencing his community.

Growing up in Myanmar, Han faced the challenge of poor quality education resulting from the military rule and was discriminated against for being biracial. Despite these, his desire for personal growth and dedication to his community drove him to pursue better education in the US and co-founding the Noor Education and Community Center in Bago, Myanmar, where other young people can be empowered to achieve their goals through leadership training.

Talk about resilience! Today, Han is a senior at the University of Central Oklahoma, studying Early Childhood Education with a minor in Leadership. He once served as the president of the University of Central Oklahoma International Student Council, UCO Global Leadership Ambassador, and was Mister UCO International 2019. He is a youth activist and has hosted four editions of the Myanmar YouthSpeak Forum between 2015 and 2019.

In this episode, we talk about the impact of his biracial identity on his childhood, cultural identity, his passion for leadership education, mental health advocacy, and sexuality.

Han shared a gem on how he manages his mental health struggles, listen to this episode to find out how! And yes, to MENtal health!

Go do great things,

Mo!

열셋의 순간| The One with Aarushi Gupta – Life of a 13-year-old Indian Podcaster: Episode 17 (2020)

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열셋의 순간| The One with Aarushi Gupta – Life of a 13-year-old Indian Podcaster: Episode 17 (2020)

Can you reflect on your 13-year-old self, to a time when life was much easier, and you had no worries about bills or responsibilities? To a time before the internet's popularity and social media was a thing? To a time when your most significant life's challenge was making good grades and fitting in with friends? To a time when lip gloss was the ultimate make-up product, and the school gossips were about who liked who in class?

Today, life has evolved in so many ways, so much so that a 13-year-old girl from India now has keeping up with her podcast show as a thing to worry about!

My guest today is an amazing and inspiring young lady who has just turned 14. She is Aarushi Gupta, a 10th-grade student from Gurugram, near New Delhi, India, and guess what? She is a podcaster! This is definitely a WOW moment. On her podcast called "When I Was 13", Aarushi interviews various people and asks them about the world when they were 13 years old. In doing so, she gets to know about how people make life choices, the varied environments in which people grow up in, and the life lessons that they pick up along the way.

In this episode, she shares with us the surprising inspiration behind her podcasting journey, how she balances it with her academics, and the future she envisions for her podcast. Aarushi talks about her love for music, family life, and gives us a unique glimpse of India from her point of view. She also shares valuable insights into how adults can better interact with teenagers.

Download this week's episode to find out more about this phenomenal 14-year-old whose future I am so excited about and the spaces she will occupy.

13 over 33,

Mo!

이중언어미| The One with Michaella Mutoni – On Acculturation, Identity, and being Pan-African: Episode 16 (2020)

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이중언어미| The One with Michaella Mutoni – on Acculturation, Identity, and being Pan-African: Episode 16 (2020)

There is no doubt that the Rwandan genocide birthed tales of woe, but today’s guest is a product of a marriage between two Rwandans who found love in a Burundi. Their family of five would later embark on a global journey cutting across Africa, Europe, and finally, settle in North America.

My guest today is Michaella Mutoni, a Burundi-born Rwandan who has lived in Germany, Senegal, Eswatini, and the US and is currently based in Canada. She is a global solution manager for a software company and also serves as the host of a bilingual (FR/EN) podcast called “Jase Avec Moi” that highlights the stories of African professionals in the diaspora. In this episode, she opens up about acculturation, adjusting to life in different places, and the tips that have helped her adapt to new environments.

She also talks about her identity as a third culture kid (TCK) and mistakes TCK parents should avoid, thoughts on returning home, telling African stories for the coming generation, her views on grad school, traits necessary for success, career switch, and her purpose here on earth. And we also talked about why Nigerians are more pronounced (read: loud) compared to other Africans in the diaspora.

Michaella was also kind enough to give us a sneak peek into her upcoming wedding. Do well to listen to the podcast to find out where and when we are all turning up!!! COVID be gone! Amen!!!

Learn more about Michaella here: https://jaseavecmoi.com/

Be curious and empathetic,

Mo!

해외 나이지리아인| The One with Mr. Felix Ofiwe – On Fostering Community & Engaging Nigerians in the Diaspora: Episode 15 (2020)

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해외 나이지리아인| The One with Mr. Felix Ofiwe – On Fostering Community & Engaging Nigerians in the Diaspora: Episode 15 (2020)

As a Nigerian living in the diaspora, I am sometimes saddened about the relative economic contributions we make in our resident countries, often at the expense of the Motherland. For example, in the healthcare and engineering fields, Nigerians have made a lot of advancement to the U.S. economy but have hardly been given the due recognition we deserve. And as a group, we are yet to leverage and harness our collective strength together to improve governance and effect changes back home. It’s why I engaged in a dialogue with Mr. Felix Ofiwe, a Nigerian who has been living in the U.S. since 1991! Before his move to the U.S., he was a news and sports reporter with The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Benin City, and The Guardian Express and Punch Newspapers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Since arriving in the U.S., he has written for or edited several Houston, TX news publications including African World News and the now-defunct African American Focus newspaper where he served as the founding Editor.

Borne out of a desire to help Nigerians living in the U.S. know what is happening around them so they can make the right decisions, every day, he and his wife started The Nigerian Community (an online website).

In this episode, we also talked about practical tips to engage Nigerians in and outside the diaspora to build the country and so much more. You can find out more about Mr. Felix and his mission on his website - https://nigerian.community/

God Bless Nigeria!

신앙심이 깊은 여자| The One with Mom – On Faith in God: Episode 14 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 신앙심이 깊은 여자| The One with Mom – On Faith in God: Episode 14 (2020)

See that beautiful woman in the flyer? Yup, that’s my mother. For real! Yeah, I know what’s exactly going through your mind. I know. Like how come she’s sitting down but there’s no chair? Yeah, there’s an online app called background remover that makes your picture pop like this, and no, I was not adopted. Haha. I was super excited to bring mom back on this show to talk about something she’s super passionate about – her faith.

My mom has always been that person who helped me lay a strong foundation of faith, and she still remains a woman of faith and prayer (it’s one of the reasons I can sleep soundly at night because she is always praying). But the process of laying that foundation was undoubtedly not easy because of the many church tantrums I threw over attending church and some questions I had over the whole religion thingy (yeah, I started out as a rebel, haha, no shock there). But like many African moms, Mother Dearest never gave into my wily ways. Instead, she tried to answer many of my questions, instructed, and instilled the word of God in me. I can say this foundation was useful during the period I left the faith.

In this episode, I played the role of a skeptic (hey, God isn’t done with me yet, haha) and had my mother answer questions on raising kids without religion, how to cultivate one’s faith after a protracted period of being away, and what the big deal anyway is about Jesus. We hope you enjoy this episode. And mom will like for me to let you guys know to send in whatever faith or life-related questions you may have as we plan to have more iterations of this.

건강한 경계| The One with Olabimpe – On Boundaries: Episode 13 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 건강한 경계| The One with Olabimpe – On Boundaries: Episode 13 (2020)

Let's talk boundaries! Especially the ones we need to have with friends, families, around sex, money, as well as with ourselves. Just as I had to learn how to navigate grief, setting boundaries has been an enormous learning curve for me. But indeed, there have been gains in the learning, and I have this book by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life to thank for getting me started. I have since been encouraged to stand up for myself and also rethink the seductive lure of "loving relationships" that often drain the life out of me and often leave me with the feeling of resentment. Here's the hard truth, to experience deep and authentic connection, you need honesty! And setting boundaries in one way to get started.

So to do justice to this topic, I brought back an old friend who also happens to be very wise – Olabimpe – back to the show. It's an episode infused with mirth and abundant examples of potential boundary issues including how to avoid being a pushover at work amid work politics, or a dormant Nancy in a relationship with a s/o, inlaw, friend, or family member. We also tackled a listener's question involving a dilemma about a house pest, sorry guest, who has overstayed their welcome and has refused to move out.

세계여행자| The One with Ramblin’ Randy – Radio Show Host, World Traveler, & Music Aficionado: Episode 12 (2020)

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세계여행자| The One with Ramblin’ Randy – Radio Show Host, World Traveler, & Music Aficionado: Episode 12 (2020)

Imagine being 15 and landing your first and dream job as a radio DJ, which then leads to a cascade of events that led to a primetime radio show that’s syndicated globally? Today, that radio show, Sunday Night Slow Jams, has grown from being aired in just three radio stations to about 200 stations in 14 countries, including Lagos, Nigeria =, and Kenya! This is Randy’s (R Dub) story, and he shares a lot of tips on turning one’s passion into a reliable source of income.

In this episode, we talk about his life’s passions and missions and all the numerous lessons he has learned along the way. Randy provided a lot of travel tips on traveling on a tight budget with a busy schedule. We also talked about his most recent trip to Lagos, Nigeria, and why we encourage more Americans to travel out more!

결혼기념일| The One with Mo! & TDawg – The 9th Wedding Anniversary: Episode 11 (2020)

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결혼기념일| The One with Mo! & TDawg – The 9th Wedding Anniversary: Episode 11 (2020)

What does a nine-marriage look like? Many things that are hard to explain or even try to fit into a pod episode. But that didn't stop us from trying. In this episode, which began with a fight (yes, at the very beginning), you will hear TDawg and I respond to answers sent in by our top supporters/fans (thank you, Sanket, Tope, Linda, Adebola, Tutu, and Irene). The questions ranged from our couple goals, what we think of couple's therapy/counseling, how we set healthy boundaries (find out who's more prone to emotional cheating), and how we balance relationships with our in-laws, and so much more.

Above all, this deeply flawed couple owes everything to God, therapy, and godly third-parties. For without them, we would not have made it this far.

내가 과부였을 때| The One with Dr. Tosin Odunsi – Life by Tosin: Episode 10 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 내가 과부였을 때| The One with Dr. Tosin Odunsi – Life by Tosin: Episode 10 (2020)

Wow! That’s the only word I can use to describe this guest’s story. Meet Dr. Tosin Odunsi – an OB/GYN who has had a non-traditional path to becoming a physician.

She took the MCAT (medical entrance exams) three times, took Step 1 USMLE (required to enter medical residency) three times (she failed one of them by two points), and took Step 3 four times before finally passing on her fourth attempt. Unfortunately, Tosin became a young widow during her intern year of OB/GYN residency in June 2015. This significant life experience has given her the courage to be transparent on her Instagram page (@lifebytosin) and serve as a life motivator. She is a coach to many and encourages people to live a full and intentional life now!

Know anyone who has ever struggled with taking or passing professional exams? Or perhaps, a widow/widower, especially those younger? Kindly share this episode with them, as Tosin did not hold anything back in talking about the long, unwinding grieving process as well as the importance of not letting exams define our identity. She also shared how she’s navigating her remarriage, rising above abandonment issues, and giving love a second chance. So WOW, Tosin! You are a ball of amazement.

올리비에가되기| The One with Olivier Day – On Awakening the Awesome in Us: Episode 4 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 올리비에가되기| The One with Olivier Day – On Awakening the Awesome in Us: Episode 4 (2020)

Let’s take a trip to Haiti, everyone, with today’s guest – Olivier Day. Olivier is the host of Awakening The Awesome Podcast where he talks on personal insights, showing people that you don’t have to be a superstar to be a SUPERSTAR. He truly strives to awaken the awesomeness in all of us.

Haiti is known to have a rich cultural history, and its people are resilient people having been through a lot together from natural disasters to economic hardships and corrupt, inept governance, and yet still stand strong. They are known to be entrepreneurial, warm-hearted, fun-loving, positive, uncomplicated, welcoming, and also a HUGE sense of pride. Could that be the pride that made our guest face adversity and still come out strong? As a Nigerian, I could not help but draw the parallels between my country and Haiti.

Olivier and I also talked about his marriage; how he purged the toxicity that almost damaged his marriage and the need for men to be more open and vulnerable with their partners. I also asked about parenting tips – the ones he’s recycling from his father and things he’s doing differently.

Spotify Playlists featuring songs from Seasons 1, 2, 3, & 4! Enjoy!

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Episodes

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

나이지리아의 선지자| The One with Akinola Akinlawon – On Community Service, Male Vulnerability, and Self-Care: Episode 19 (2020)

PS: This show was taped in 2019 BC (Before Covid-19).

Best,

Mo!

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

인도계 중국인의| The One with Han Seth Lu – On Leadership, Biracial Identity, and Mental Health: Episode 18 (2020)

Go do great things,

Mo!

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

열셋의 순간| The One with Aarushi Gupta – Life of a 13-year-old Indian Podcaster: Episode 17 (2020)

13 over 33,

Mo!

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

이중언어미| The One with Michaella Mutoni – on Acculturation, Identity, and being Pan-African: Episode 16 (2020)

Be curious and empathetic,

Mo!

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

해외 나이지리아인| The One with Mr. Felix Ofiwe – On Fostering Community & Engaging Nigerians in the Diaspora: Episode 15 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 신앙심이 깊은 여자| The One with Mom – On Faith in God: Episode 14 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 건강한 경계| The One with Olabimpe – On Boundaries: Episode 13 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

세계여행자| The One with Ramblin’ Randy – Radio Show Host, World Traveler, & Music Aficionado: Episode 12 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:

결혼기념일| The One with Mo! & TDawg – The 9th Wedding Anniversary: Episode 11 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 내가 과부였을 때| The One with Dr. Tosin Odunsi – Life by Tosin: Episode 10 (2020)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 올리비에가되기| The One with Olivier Day – On Awakening the Awesome in Us: Episode 4 (2020)

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