Banana Island Living Podcasts

Ayo Obe (née Ogunsola), legal practitioner, trustee of Senegal’s Gorée Institute, trustee of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group and a massive member of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign is incredibly modest about her epoch defining role in the shaping of Democracy (with a capital ‘D’) and Human Rights movements in modern day Nigeria. Intelligent, lazy (lazy?) and efficient – her words - A...

Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi , (B.A. Hons English, U.I, M.A, Ph. D. Dramatic Lit, NYU) started out with full commitment to academia. Somehow (fate? luck?), he segued into journalism and the rest, as they say, is history. Born in Kano to a Yoruba father and Igbo mother (he was the original WAZOBIA ), that early search for ‘home’, of being ‘the other’ translated into a super power, well, two super powers, actu...

Stephanie Busari , award-winning journalist, tri-lingual story teller and soon to be media mogul (from our mouths to the ears of God), believes journalists are born not made. She got her first byline on her first assignment and hasn’t looked back since. Friendly, happy and kind (her words), Stephanie does not believe in hiding the female light under a bushel. From that award winning, career defini...

Kingsley Moghalu , the newly minted head of the newly minted African School of Governance , presents his super impressive backstory with pride, with the conviction of a man who believes he is walking his destiny and manifesting the strategy he (and his much-revered father) laid out. A proud Igbo, this is a man whose Chi has clearly said YES , when he proclaimed that YES for himself. Just a few mon...

Juwon Ogungbe marches to the beat of his own particular Classico Euro/African drum (yep, we made that one up). He sings, composes, hosts his own radio show and describes himself (faux?) modestly as a content creator. Curious, creative and considerate – (the jury is still out on the last bit, after all, which young person really is considerate) – Juwon has lived his life unapologetically and o...

Biola Alabi is definitely not one for imposing limits on her own possibilities; she thrives, no, revels in re-invention. From public health to super TMT (tech, media and telecom) impact investing (with a serendipitous detour into marketing), she has lived, loved, lost and thrived well enough to wear the t-shirt with her full chest.  Kind, resilient and determined, Biola navigates her complica...

Anyone claiming to know anything about the art scene in Nigeria who hasn’t heard of Jess Castellote really needs to get out more; or perhaps just get out of the art scene altogether. Jess himself is rather more self-effacing, self-deprecating and ultra-low key. He arrived in Nigeria as an architect volunteer in 1984, fell in love with ART (the capital letter is the story) and, fast forward forty y...

Dr. Wole Odedun’s life story has been truly epic! He really could have ended up as a motor mechanic, eking out an existence on Lebanon Road, Ibadan, Nigeria. Instead, he went back to school, went abroad, studied medicine, worked jolly hard and struck gold; no, hit the mother lode. In this episode, we discuss: ·      Ode Omu, Ibadan, Malta, Harley Street? Not the most...

With nearly 30 years as an international civil servant working with the UN, Yewande Odia has been in all the hotspots - Somalia, Haiti, Goma, Tchad and yes, even New York (the original hotspot)!   In this episode, we discuss: UN or bust - how to get your foot through the door; Trevor Noah, Chris Rock and the attraction of the educated comic; Theatre arts, school band, UN? Not the most obvious of c...

As if Sarah Boulos’s backstory (past imperfect?) was not epic enough, her present continuous one merits its own Hollywood (or is it Nollywood?) biopic. Born in Burkina Faso, schooled in France and US, Lebanese father and  French mother; living in Nigeria for many decades, Sarah has truly bloomed where she was planted. Vibrant, passionate and a muse, Sarah’s life has been one of great highs and hor...

Blessing Adesiyan established WorkLife Africa, a think-tank focussed on transforming the continent's workforce and work spaces. She has made quite a journey from tech to care, not the first pivot that springs to mind  but as the mistress of making lemonade from lemons, she now sits comfortably in her own skin. In this episode, we discuss: Finding yourself pregnant in Uni and making it work; T...

Ugoma Ebilah is a polymath - she has been an economist, successful financier, clothes designer, art dealer and now, one word which might just work when trying to box the unboxable would be 'creative entrepreneur'.  In this episode, we discuss: The corporate lane, having an eye, wanting more and the side hustle mission creep.  Clarity vs choosing not to know. The indefinable attractivenes...

Only the paranoid survive! Only the paranoid survive?  Yes! Tokunboh George - Taylor lives by that mantra and she really should know. She is THE foremost PR strategist in Nigeria and founding Managing Director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Nigeria. Served her and her clients well (very well) and in this episode, we discuss: branding, self branding and positioning; that line between branding and pus...

Uzo Nzeogu, a talented artist who studied Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka with greats like Bruce Onobrakpeya and El Anatsui seemed all set to claim his place as a fine artist. But then, he did the maths, ditched paint and chose pragmatism.  Pragmatism led him to Newswatch, to Dele Giwa,  to Ray Ekpu, to Dan Agbese and to 'the happiest time of my life'. The news...

Helen took a short trip away from university and came back as Miss Nigeria 1979! Sharp, shrewd and always impeccably turned out, Helen Prest Ajayi neatly turned the beauty currency into entrepreneurship, into businesses way ahead of the times.  In this episode, we discuss: using what you have to get what you want. spotting trends way ahead of time. Buka (yes, that Buka) and the fast food thing. SP...

Eku Edewor is many things but one thing she definitely is not is a slacker. Not just a pretty face (and what a pretty face), she believes in grafting and earning her flowers. In this episode, we discuss: 9 years old and catching the bug (yes, do put your daughter on the stage Mrs. Worthington). 53 Extra, Castle & Castle, Netflix and longevity in the business. UK or Naij? - would I?, should I?,...

A lion in the den who has made his mark on the property landscape. Paul Onwuanibe is group chief executive officer of Landmark Africa Group. With  formal education in Architecture, Property Development and Construction Management, together with a London Business School MBA with a merit in “Value Engineering” Paul  is one of the renowned lions on the  Nigerian business reality show "Lion'...

For years, Dr. Ayo Aderinwale lived and breathed African political science. He has been in exile fleeing Abacha's regime, been a key figure in the plans and preparations for the United States of Africa, been Deputy President , Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union, established and became executive director of the African Leadership Forum... and then on a flight from Addis...

Old Gregorian, avid Banana Island Living listener and serial entrepreneur, Adeyemo Sodipo, has embedded himself in the community he migrated into - St. Louis, Missouri. He has set up businesses, serves as a trustee of that most WASP of WASP American institutions, the private Prep school, been a union employer and sits on the board of his local Crime Victim Advocacy Centre.  Adeyemo represents that...

Continuing our series unveiling the experiences and memories of the generation before ours, how they lived, loved and explored, our guest is none other than The  Original Original, the legend in her own lifetime, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye. An absolute one-off in the art and craft space and an all-round wonderful personality, Mama Nike shares incredible awe-inspiring stories spanning six decades....

The fourth in our series of conversations with people 75 years and over, our conversation with the musical octogenarian is one that uplifts and serenades. We speak with Edna Jane Deinyo Soyanwo (EJD). Born on Sunday January 7th, 1934, EJD holds a BA (Dunelm) degree, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of London, Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) and a Masters...

The third in our series of conversations with people 75 years and over, our conversation with the royal professor could not have come at a better time - a week after Queen Elizabeth's passing. We speak with Emeritus Professor Osato Frank Giwa-Osagie, Cambridge educated obstetrician-gynaecologist and educator. Professor Giwa-Osagie is a recipient of the Adrian Stokes Memorial award from Guys H...

The second in our series of conversations with people 75 years and over, this episode is a truly special one. We meet two Agbaje sisters (82 and 91 years old) who have lived their best lives and lived to tell the tale.  Mrs. Moulin Ashake Agbaje - Anozie and Ms. Wule Agbaje (the Agbajes) are special, and boy, do let us know it! In this episode, we talk about:  life as children of a millionaire in...

Hers was the generation that saw the best of times and, arguably, the worst of times.  The heady, optimistic pre Nigerian independence days and then, the abyss of the Civil War.  Mrs. Eugenia Arinola Afolabi has seen it all, done it all and wears the robes with a twinkle in her eye. In this episode we discuss: being wooed and wedded in 50s Nigeria; life as a foreign student in 50/60s England; fost...

The big C, the dreaded C, that soul destroying word we do everything possible (or at least try) to avoid. Yes, Cancer!  In seeking to find some cause for optimism, no matter how faint, we speak to Moji Animashaun, an experienced cancer treatment professional with over 30 years' experience as a radiation therapist.  Moji retired as a Deputy Director in the Oncology unit at the Lagos State Univ...