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The contemplations of a "Lazy" Nigerian Youth

  1. 1d ago

    #19- The "Filming Nigeria by Accident: A Rumination on Art" Episode with Joel The Chosen.

    In this unscripted evening conversation, Joel The Chosen a cinematographer and creative opens up about a creative process that barely feels like one: leaving the house to run an errand and ending up filming birds, flags, cows, and market scenes — only later realizing the clips form a portrait of Nigeria. Together we explore Fela Kuti’s seamless instrumentation, what Amazon’s logistics and Nike’s branding teach us about process and audience, and whether real art is less about deliberate creation and more about noticing what’s already there. A candid rumination on observation, incompleteness, and the quiet ways stories get made. Actionable Steps Listeners Can Take Start collecting raw footage or notes without a plan. Film or write whatever catches your attention in daily life (a flag, people in a market, birds, a random street moment). Store it. Revisit weeks or months later and look for the story that emerges.Study the “gaps” in work you admire. Listen to music, watch a product experience, or examine a brand and ask: Where does one element hand off seamlessly to the next? That’s often the real craft.Define a clear target audience or message for your work instead of trying to speak to everyone. Ask: Who is this actually for, and what feeling or identity does it reinforce?Treat ordinary observation as creative material. The incomplete or “everyday” parts of a place, culture, or life are often more honest than the polished tourist version.Record real conversations or thoughts when they feel alive. Sometimes the unscripted exchange itself becomes the piece of art. Impactful Quotes Joel The Chosen “I leave my house to buy a car… and then I see something worth shooting. And I shoot it. I see birds flying in the sky right now, I take out my phone, I film these birds. Next three weeks I see a flag, I film the flag… I see cows, I film the cows… I have a video talking about Nigeria.” “My creative process is subconscious.” “Art is bringing what is not there to life.” “Art is bringing what is not there to life… the ability to think about something and bring it into visualization.” Awesome “There is no gap. It’s like a gear… as the drum is stopping here, the bass is feeling it… that little detail for me is what catches my attention.” “Amazon did not make anything new. They didn’t make the books… they don’t make the product they sell. But the beauty is the process that is seamless… that is their unfair advantage.” “When people want to talk about Nigeria, they go to the markets… they show you Lagos and Abuja, and that’s Nigeria… the larger part of the story is brushed out.” “Perhaps what makes people artistic is not us, it’s God. We just have a piece of that original artist.” Connect with us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/inpursuitofgreatnesspodcast?rpxt=dndpeW41ZHRoNDNi View Joel the Chosen's Art (cinematography): https://www.tiktok.com/@joel_the_chosen?_r=1&_d=f6141kam2m0k2f&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAA7ODIgGmurEc2paIYjBI8lcJI6rnGRl6lmyJCCWek5f83yTLs4Wr1V4hcV4NeeNLQ&share_author_id=7087763692562187269&sharer_language=en&source=h5_m&u_code=dab4e88ijfkllj×tamp=1791838741&user_id=6782291435531322373&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAz2meGGmvU3A-9w-CGDm14baQL1cCSVC9Y0rVC28DhLqUAei15XpTVS_uFQvzZPxA&item_author_type=2&utm_source=copy&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=android&share_iid=7693155953391159061&share_link_id=08b0164e-88b0-40d7-8b34-1e922b5ec3d6&share_app_id=1233&ugbiz_name=ACCOUNT&ug_btm=b6880%2Cb5836&social_share_type=5&share_enter_from=others_homepage&item_author_type=2&enable_checksum=1

  2. Oct 1

    #18- "Free at Last": A Very Independent Episode with Nureni Olamilekan Christian

    A reflective Independence bonus episode. Awesome (Host) and Christian sit down on the eve of Nigeria’s Independence Day to treat the occasion as more than a public holiday. They explore why history still matters, how systems and citizens shape each other, the cost of living without a shared national vision, and what a better Nigeria might actually look like. Honest, faith-inflected, and forward-looking — a conversation about remembrance, responsibility, and the work still left to do. Actionable Steps Drawn from the Episode - Treat Independence Day as a deliberate ritual of remembrance, not just a day off. Take time to look back at how far the country has come and what the founding generation endured. - Actively study Nigerian and African history (including the difficult early post-independence years and the Civil War era) instead of relying on surface-level comparisons with other nations. - Examine your own role in the “people problem.” Recognize that leaders emerge from the citizenry and that systems both shape and are shaped by ordinary behavior. - Prioritize capacity and competence in leadership over likability, popularity, or career politics. - Move from complaint and online commentary to concrete action — build, create value, and contribute where you are rather than only criticizing. - Cultivate a clearer personal (and ideally shared) vision of the Nigeria you want, so daily choices and resource use align with something larger than short-term gain. - Practice greater sensitivity in speech and online posts; words shape culture and can either build or further numb collective empathy. - Support or participate in efforts that preserve historical memory (eyewitness accounts, proper documentation, education modules) so younger generations are not left without context. Impactful Quotes On Independence as ritual, not holiday “I'm really going to praise the Lord above Nigeria, and apart from that, I'm definitely going to celebrate it as if I'm celebrating my death day.” — Christian On growth and perspective “No matter how bad the country is, you can't compare it to where we came from. We have grown... you can't compare Nigeria up to date to where? So we, no matter what we say, we have grown.” — Christian On systems, people, and responsibility “It is the system that, that once a system is faulty, the people becomes faulty... People make system, but system shapes people... Currently an institutional problem is still at the same time from the top and at the same time from the bottom... Everybody is a problem.” — Christian “The people we vote in are the direct expression of our own self... the people we choose to lead us are the direct expression of who we are... we are all the problem.” — Christian On historical memory “Every year, these people go to that particular place that that bomb was dropped, and they pray every year... They put the pictures that they were able to capture after the destruction of that bomb... This was what we went through...” — Christian (on Hiroshima/Nagasaki remembrance) “Nigerians don't even know their stories. Nigerians don't even know where they came from.” — Christian On “stolen lives” and short-termism “All of you have lived stolen lives.” (referencing the Doctor Doom trailer line, then applying it) —Awesome (Host) “We've mortgaged Nigeria's growth for short-term satisfaction.” — Awesome (Host) On vision and direction “When you don't have a vision you are working towards, it's hard to get there ... most people don't have an idea of what a better Nigeria would look like.” — Awesome (Host) “I believe we should just walk in such a way that our means should justify our end.” — Christian On action over talk “Action, action step... Don't just stay and be... work things out.” — Christian “Leadership is capacity. Leadership is not niceness... Someone feeds you doesn't mean he can lead you.” — Christian

  3. Sep 28 ·  Bonus

    #17- The “Self-Employment Is Not Entrepreneurship" Episode with Makepeace Ekene (Bonus Episode)

    In this raw, unscripted conversation, the host sits down with Makepeace for an honest deep-dive into the real mindset required for success in Nigeria. They unpack the critical difference between self-employment and true entrepreneurship, what kind of partner actually supports ambitious goals, the hidden costs of raising children with intention, and how the environment you grew up in quietly shapes your views on money, work, and possibility. The discussion gets practical on living costs, quality education, and the uncomfortable gap between waiting on “God’s will” and taking full ownership of your outcomes. No scripts, no performance—just two people thinking out loud about building a life that actually works. Actionable Steps 1. Audit your current work— Ask: Can this business or role survive and grow without me? If not, you are self-employed. Start setting non-negotiable standards yourself so you can later hand them off. 2. Choose (or evaluate) a partner deliberately — Prioritize compatibility with your vision and work style. 3. Treat time as your highest asset — Freedom is not spare time; it is higher productivity. Design systems, hire carefully, and batch low-value tasks so you can buy back hours. 4. Plan family and finances together — Do not wait until “the money arrives” to build other readiness. Calculate real living, education, and lifestyle costs in your target city before marriage or children. Decide intentionally whether and when to have kids. 5. Invest in environments, not just credentials— For children (and yourself), prioritize schools, neighborhoods, and peer groups that shape mindset, vocabulary, and networks—even when they cost more. 6. Replace passive faith with responsible action — Stop attributing every outcome (postings, promotions, breakthroughs) solely to “God’s will.” Take ownership of decisions, skill-building, and execution while still holding faith. 7. Commit to continuous learning and the price of growth— Read, skill-up, and accept that comfort is often the real barrier. Wealth and freedom require paying a higher personal price than most people are willing to pay. Impactful Quotes - “If your business cannot survive without you, you are self-employed.” ~ Makepeace - “A lot of people are self-employed and they call themselves entrepreneurs.” ~ Awesome - “The only way you become more free is to become more productive.” ~ Makepeace - “Not everybody knows and wants to be able to pay the sacrifice that it takes to be wealthy. People are comfortable… It’s not the desire, it’s the price.” ~Makepeace - “Anybody can be wealthy, but… people to pay the price is the problem.” Makepeace - “Living Christianity that lives everything 100% to God is irresponsible Christianity.” ~ Awesome - “Jesus rarely ever performed a financial or political miracle.” ~ Awesome - “We don’t like having to take hundred percent credibility for our actions. So if we can blame God, we blame God. If we can blame devil, we blame devil. Or the government.” ~ Makepeace - “The kind of people your children mingle with is one of the things that will form their mindset at those age.” ~ Makepeace - “There are some kind of access that only money brings.” ~ Makepeace This show is hosted, edited and produced by Awesome Nwokolo.

  4. Sep 21

    #16- The “Stop Yarning Problems. Start Solving Them” episode with Favour David

    In this raw, thought-provoking conversation on In Pursuit of Greatness, Awesome (host) sits down with Favour David (founder of Visual Imagination Studios and host of the Unfiltered Truth Podcast) for an honest discussion about what it really takes to create change in Nigeria. They begin with the spiritual and podcast voices shaping their thinking — including Apostle Femi Lazarus — then go deeper into the weight of responsibility, the danger of endless complaining, and why the average Nigerian mindset remains one of the biggest barriers to progress. The conversation unpacks why lasting transformation is more likely to come from individuals and businesses that solve real problems than from government alone. It also takes a hard look at practical realities: why reliable electricity is still a luxury, how low standards have been normalized (“Up NEPA”), and what Nigeria’s lack of urgency reveals when compared to nations like Pakistan and Japan. Full of conviction, practical insight, and a clear call to stop waiting and start building. Actionable Steps for Listeners 1. Stop pure problem-talking: Whenever you catch yourself (or others) repeatedly highlighting issues, deliberately shift the conversation to: “What is one practical solution or action we can take?” 2. Raise your personal value and operating level: Focus on becoming so skilled, informed, and useful that you can influence people from a higher level. You cannot effectively impact what you have not outgrown. 3. Treat business as nation-building: Build or support enterprises that solve real societal problems. Ethical businesses create jobs, deliver value, and improve the country more sustainably than complaints or political speeches. 4. Refuse to normalize low standards: Challenge the “Up NEPA” and “at least it’s better than before” mentality. Compare progress to global standards and what is actually possible, not just to the past. 5. Develop a sense of urgency: Study how nations with real external pressure (or harsh natural constraints) innovate and raise standards. Apply that same seriousness to the problems you can influence. 6. Carry responsibility beyond yourself: See your growth and success as linked to the destinies of those looking up to you. Let that awareness drive consistent action. Impactful Quotes - “Don't keep yarning me problem continuously; we need to profer solution.” ~ Awesome - “I see myself like working for myself… I’m in charge of someone’s destiny out there. It’s more than me.” ~ Favour David - “I’m not just… me being successful, me being rich and dying alone. It’s not a big deal.” ~ Favour David - “I don’t see the change coming from the government. I see the change coming from individuals… from billionaires. There’s much more a billionaire can do than you think.” ~ Favour David - “You can’t impact people from the same level. Like, you must have to be, in a way, higher than them.” ~ Favour David - “A business is what I call the perfect entity… it solves problems for society, it creates value for shareholders, and it creates jobs for individuals.” ~ Awesome - “All government needs to do for us is just give us a stable environment to conduct business… give us the basics.” ~ Awesome - “When I hear a child say ‘Up NEPA’, it does something to me… This is something that an average American has never had the opportunity [to celebrate].” ~ Favour David - “We are comparing ourselves with the past… instead of comparing with the blueprint of what should be.” ~ Awesome - “We don’t have a sense of urgency as a country.” ~ Awesome - “Necessity is the mother of invention… Even our problem, we don’t see that as a problem.” ~ Awesome

  5. Sep 14

    #15- The “I Either Die Trying or I Come Out Successful” episode with Joy Bawa

    Two young Nigerian founders sit down for a raw, unfiltered conversation about building businesses while still in (or freshly out of) school. They talk about outgrowing the classroom mindset, raising sponsors and scaling revenue, self-teaching high-value skills through pure trial-and-error, spotting real problems worth solving, and the deeper questions of purpose, faith, and legacy. From an Upwork-style platform idea for blue-collar workers to lessons from unexpected founder stories and the tension between living long versus living well, this episode captures the messy, ambitious energy of people who refuse to wait for permission to start. Actionable Steps Listeners Can Take 1. Shift your financial calendar Treat your business year as starting in a month that actually matches your cash-flow reality (one speaker uses October) instead of defaulting to January. 2. Learn by doing, not by studying alone Pick one skill you need (fashion, SQL, graphic design, etc.), start producing real output immediately with whatever materials or tools you have, and improve through repetition rather than waiting for formal classes. 3. Validate problems before building Notice everyday friction (people hunting for design assets, blue-collar workers lacking a simple marketplace), talk to the people experiencing it, and test whether a simple integrated solution would be valuable. 4. Structure early partnerships carefully If someone offers you a marketing or revenue-share deal, have a lawyer review it and only sign when your spirit and numbers both feel aligned. Prefer focusing energy on your core business over diluting attention across multiple side roles. 5. Fund intentionally Understand the three main paths—grants (no repayment, possible audits), equity (ownership in exchange for capital), and debt (money you must repay)—and pursue the mix that matches your stage and risk tolerance. Actively seek grants + mentorship as a low-dilution starting point. 6. Define your specific purpose Separate your general calling (faith, service) from the particular work only you can do. Ask what impact you want written on your “tombstone” and reverse-engineer daily actions from that. 7. Practice urgent, value-driven sales Approach selling the way effective evangelists approach sharing their message: with genuine conviction that the right product or opportunity can genuinely help the other person. Impactful Quotes - “I just got sick and tired of the whole school system… Mentally, I’m not in this way anymore.” ~ Awesome - “My mates are looking for how they’re going to add points to their CGPA. Me, I’m thinking of how I’m going to raise investors, raise sponsors, increase business.” ~ Awesome - “If you sew for like twenty people, there’s no way I won’t learn it.” ~ Awesome - “You don’t need to come to class to learn… You can learn anything actually.” ~ Awesome - “I either die trying, or I come out successful. That’s the mindset.” ~ Awesome - “If you have the best product, you’re morally obligated to get people to buy that product… I’m trying to save them from buying from the bad people out there.” ~ Awesome - “It’s not how long but how well… Who lived a better life?” ~ Awesome - “They are ashamed to die unless you scored a victory for humanity.” ~ Awesome - “What will be on my grave should I attempt to change Nigeria?” ~ Awesome - “There are two ways to fund a business, primarily, apart from grants: either equity or debt.” ~ Awesome

  6. Sep 7

    #14- "Home Can Wait": A Chemistry Graduate’s Journey into Creativity & Purpose with Andrew Rengshak

    In this conversation, chemistry graduate and cinematographer Andrew Rengshak shares why he refused to return home after leaving the Air Force Institute of Technology Kaduna, choosing instead to position himself in Abuja for exposure and growth. He speaks openly about building a creative career, the difference between content creators and true creatives, the role of believers in the marketplace, and why Africans must intentionally shape their own narratives. A raw, practical discussion on risk, mentorship, faith, and storytelling for anyone navigating life after school or trying to build with purpose. Actionable Steps from the Episode 1. Position yourself strategically after school: Don’t automatically return home if your vision requires a different environment. Identify the place that gives you exposure and access, then go there even when it’s uncomfortable. 2. Deliberately rejoice with others: When someone around you succeeds, make a conscious choice to celebrate them (call, message, or publicly affirm). This protects your heart from jealousy. 3. Treat mentorship as active service Find people already doing what you want to do. Engage consistently (like their content, leave thoughtful comments, show up when possible) and look for ways to serve before asking for access. 4. Create for depth, not just distribution: Whether you’re a content creator or creative, pay attention to quality, intention, and craft. Combine strong storytelling with smart distribution so your work lasts beyond the algorithm. 5. Acquire the specific knowledge your calling requires Prophecy or vision is not enough. Identify the practical skills and understanding needed for the next level and pursue them deliberately. 6. Guard your circle and prepare for major life decisions Be intentional about who stays close to you. For marriage and major vision, learn from others’ experiences before stepping in so you avoid permanent scars. Impactful Quotes 1. “Home can wait.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 2. “It’s very easy for somebody to mourn with you, but it’s very hard to rejoice with you when something good happens.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 2. “You have to sacrifice something to get something. Don’t get nothing for nothing.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 3. “Prophecies aren’t automatic. The fact that God tells you something doesn’t mean it will just happen.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 4. “Nobody can tell the story of Africa except by Africans.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 5. “You can’t affect what you’re not part of.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 6. “The kind of faith that puts the entire responsibility of your growth on God is an irresponsible one.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 7. “Every great leader checked history. Nobody just evolves from anywhere.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 8. “Create for depth… every camera shot is intentional.” ~ Andrew Rengshak 9. “When you are not informed, you will be deformed.” ~ Andrew Rengshak

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    How bad do you want it?

    Change begins with me

  8. Aug 31

    #13- The "Nigerian Youths are Lazy (or not)" Episode with Chinasa ft (Jemima Bamidele)

    Are Nigerian youths really lazy, or is the problem deeper? In this raw and energetic conversation, host and guest unpack the popular stereotype that young Nigerians refuse honest work. What starts as a debate about ₦50k supermarket jobs quickly expands into questions of mindset, lifestyle expectations, the broken “school → job” pipeline, the real costs of doing business in Nigeria, and why many prefer the idea of entrepreneurship without taking the risk. The discussion digs further into campus culture, the reluctance of good people to enter politics, the weight of tribal and religious identity over national belonging, and the case for a cultural revolution before any economic one. Drawing on personal observations, historical reality checks, and hard-won lessons, the episode challenges listeners to move beyond complaints and examine their own attitudes. Honest, argumentative, and ultimately hopeful — this is a conversation for anyone tired of the usual excuses and ready to think differently about what progress actually requires. Actionable Steps (drawn from the conversation) 1. Audit your own mindset Honestly ask: Am I waiting for a “deserving” job, or am I willing to start where opportunities currently exist (or create one)? Separate lifestyle aspirations from immediate next steps. 2. Treat education as more than certificates Seek knowledge that builds practical capacity — financial literacy, critical thinking, public speaking, and real skills — not just formal degrees. Support or create spaces (campus events, conversations, content) that prioritise substance over free food and entertainment. 3. Start the cultural change with yourself Practise the behaviours you want to see: integrity in small things, respect for public property, long-term thinking, and national identity over pure tribal or religious loyalty. Influence the people in your immediate circle. 4. Choose calculated risk over permanent waiting If formal jobs are limited or poorly paid, explore entrepreneurship or side value-creation seriously rather than dismissing lower-paying work or waiting for perfect conditions. 5. Engage politics and systems without illusions Recognise that good people staying away leaves the space to those less scrupulous. Support transparency and accountability at every level you can reach, starting locally. 6. Build and protect platforms for better conversations Use podcasts, discussions, and content to normalise deeper thinking among peers. Consistency matters more than perfection — most people never reach episode 20. Impactful Quotes - “Some people are lazy, but it’s not all of us… Most are lazy. We can agree.” ~ Chinasa - “It’s not just to be employed; it’s to be gainfully employed.” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “You finish school, you serve, and someone says, ‘I have a job for you — ₦50k.’ Oh my God, I feel very insulted.” ~ Jemima Bamidele - “If I have to convince you to come for free knowledge that school and sponsors paid for… and the only thing you ask is ‘Is there food?’ — what separates you from the market women selling votes?” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “The word ‘idiot’ comes from the Greek for those who refuse to participate in public affairs. If you feel you’re so good and you leave the place for bad people, how good are you really?” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “Everything hinges on culture. Our attitude needs to change.” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “When the situation comes that they have to choose between their tribe or religion and Nigeria, they choose tribe or religion. That means they aren’t really Nigerians.” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “Change begins with me. If you start with yourself, then every opportunity you have — anybody that comes under your influence — you change them.” ~ Awesome Nwokolo - “Ninety-nine percent of podcasters don’t make it to their sixth episode… When you get to episode twenty-one, then we can talk.” ~ Awesome Nwokolo

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The contemplations of a "Lazy" Nigerian Youth

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