JUWON OGUNGBE A RENOWNED MUSIC COMPOSER AND OPERA SINGER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SHARES HIS STORY WITH OUR STORY FROM DIASPORA

MUSIC IS A SYMBOL AND AFRICANS SHOULD LEARN TO PLAY IT IN WAYS THAT TELL OUR UNIQUENESS, STORIES AND DIRECTLY OUR WAYS OF LIFE.

Juwon Ogungbe is a renowned composer, an opera singer, a musician, a recording artist and a performer in range of different genres.  He is a Nigerian, born in the United Kingdom, he moved back to Nigeria with his parents when he was a teenager, there he attended King’s college Lagos and also the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University then called the University of Ife. Juwon has attained trainings in various musical learning institutes in the United Kingdom and also in the United States of America, he was a scholar, a composer and a music director of a show titled Threshold inspired by Amos Tutuola’s work at the University of Richmond in Virginia USA.

Juwon took us through his journey into music, he had always gravitated towards music right from when he was a very young boy, in his childhood days he was encouraged to perform by his English foster parents in United Kingdom and since then his love for music and the arts have always lived with him.

 Juwon Ogungbe Achievements in the musical arts and other literary genres are more than a mouthful as he has been known to have done quite a lot. He talked about some of the projects he has done over the years, he mentioned that he had composed for various theatre companies, media houses, films, television and for online productions. A few of his works which he considered most remarkable include but is certainly not limited to, His works for BBC, the Royal Shakespeare Company, composition for the Adaptation of a Novella called Oroonoko, featuring David Oyelowo and Jo Martins amongst others, a production of Shakespeare's play 'As you like it' which was directed by Marianne Elliot and Various works with the African American Chuck mike. 

His most recent work a music theatre piece, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba which was premiered in 2019 was inspired by his visit to the national museum in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, where he was told of the story of the Queen, her fall to King Solomon’s Seduction and the Dynasty their night together birthed in Ethiopia. According to Juwon he composed this piece because of its historical significance and he also felt that it was an interesting story to retell in an epic way in an opera performance.  

The Pandemic did not in any way deter him from attaining more achievements as he has done not less than three actual performances online which include the classical song recitation done in June, another done in July with the Lyrical choir an online choir he leads, and another in October with an organization on Black history month featuring the works of Ignatius Sancho.

He is greatly pleased with the present generation in Nigeria who are striving in the music industry, unlike his time, the present generation has great appreciation for classical music and instrumentals, as this has broadened the sphere of music, making more possibilities of what music can be. He advices young composers and opera singers to be frequent in the act of doing, to be committed, to continually develop their talent and skills, to do more research and showcase their arts instead of waiting to be picked. To him music is a symbol and Africans should learn to play it in ways that tell our uniqueness, stories and directly our ways of life.

Juwon will be hosting a christmas event online and he is inviting everyone to be part of the event and also anyone who would love to sing with him is very much welcome to do so.

IT'S NOT EASY LIVING HERE AS A SINGLE PERSON ALONE, IT CAN BE QUITE MENTALLY CHALLENGING AND OFTEN TIMES LEAD TO DEPRESSION AND SADNESS

MY CAREER CHOICE WAS STRONGLY DRIVEN BY THE ZEAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

 Ifeanyi Edi was born and raised in Onitsha, Anambra State in Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Radiology from the University of Nigeria Nsuka, Enugu Campus. Currently he is a Senior Radiographer in England, combining cross section imaging and plain film imagining. His hobbies include surfing the web, watching movies and having fun with friends/family.

Ifeanyi Edi became a radiographer because of his kin interest in making a difference. While he was yet to enter the university he came across the radiology profession from his sister and being that he didn’t want to join the band wagon of becoming either a doctor, medical lab scientist or others, he decided to pick radiology as it was novel to him then. Right now as a radiographer the moments he enjoys most are when the images in his mind about a case correspond with the images present in the film captured.

According to him Radiology/Radiography in Nigeria could be said to still be in its budding phase due to the leniency in training, the lack of emphasis on the need of continuous proficiency development, lack of required standard machines and the insufficient provisions on radiation protection has left the profession wanting in respect to its counterparts abroad. Hence the longing to practice radiology abroad.

Our guest desire to migrate to England was infused in his thoughts prior to his leaving the university. This was birthed by factors like the socioeconomic situation of the country, the manner of training and practice given to radiologist. Since he was determined to migrate, he knew the next step will be getting his finances in check, as he would be financing himself. So once he started his internship he saved up and began pursuing his dream.

On arriving England he was met with various challenges in communication, continuous professional development courses and being alone. Most of the above challenges and occupational shocks like the great importance attached to monitoring of dosage and radiation safety experienced, merely lasted for 3 months.  As a radiographer in England, a typical week for him, involves him taking rotational shifts capturing plain film and Cross section images. Although he comes to Nigeria occasionally on visitation, he still maintains that only humanitarian activities can make him relocate back to Nigeria.

Ifeanyi Edi has countless informative Advice imbedded in the interview video for the radiology department in Nigeria, youths intending to migrate, radiographers in Nigeria seeking to practice abroad and all those based in diaspora. He encourages Nigerian youth to continue to stand up for their right and he is certain that if we do Nigeria is going to attain a significant change in the right direction. 

I LEFT NIGERIA TO PURSUE MY NURSING CAREER IN ENGLAND, TO ACHIEVE JOB SATISFACTION AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY WHO TOIL TO SEND ME TO SCHOOL

BECOMING A NURSE WAS A DIVINE CALLING BECAUSE IT FALLS IN LINE WITH MY CORE VALUE, WHICH IS HELPING PEOPLE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE POINT IN LIFE.

Martin Chukwudi Ozioko hails from  Enugu State Nigeria, he graduated from the university of Nigeria Enugu Campus in 2015, where he obtained his B.Sc. in Nursing and was deployed to Bauchi state in 2016  for his one year  NYSC program, during the period when the Boko Haram insurgency was rampaging in the North, he was brave to remain in the North to serve his nation, even when his fellow Corps members were redeploying to the east and the west for fear of their lives.  After his one-year service to the nation, Martin remained in the north to take up a humanitarian job with a non-governmental organization in Borno state which was the boiling point of the Boko Haram activities. Martin asserted that serving in the North was a period in his life that he would forever cherish because doing humanitarian services in the north ushered in the opportunity to leave Nigeria to pursue his dream of practicing as a Nurse in England.

Martin Currently lives in England and works with NHS England as a staff nurse at the surgery and cancer unit in Leighton hospital Crewe.

Growing up Martin never envisage that he would become a nurse someday, his dream was to become an Engineer like his Uncle who was a Mechanical engineer. Sadly, he lost his Uncle in 2006 and because of his great influence in his life, he wanted to replace him as the next Engineer in the family, but he was unable to pursue his goal because he was not good at math which he believed was a prerequisite for becoming an engineer. He decided to study Nursing as advised by his Aunties, who must have noticed his passion and undeniable love for helping people at their most vulnerable state.

While Studying nursing at the University of Nigeria, Martin already knew he wanted to practice abroad because the country did not in any way provide room for interdisciplinary collaboration on patient care as done abroad. According to him “working in Nigeria would not drive me to do well in the field”.

Immediately after bravely serving Nigeria in Bauchi at the heat of the insurgency and knowing that finance was a big tool to him attaining his dream of practicing abroad, he once again took the bull by the horns forsaking low paying jobs in his home state Enugu or other Eastern states and headed to Borno state where he knew quit few people and at the heart of the insurgency, to work with various Non-governmental agencies.

It was at this time of working in Borno that he started the process for actualizing his dream of practicing abroad. This involved him writing the computer-based examination that will earn him a license and the IELTS which he almost gave up on after his best got him failing the exam four times.  Thankfully he did not give up as he looked at failing as an opportunity to learn more and the exams as one he needed to pass for both himself and for his  family who had toiled to see him through the university to become a Nurse.

His decision to leave the country although, majorly centered on the desire to attain professional satisfaction in the nursing profession, cannot also be said to exist in isolation of other factors like financial pressure, bad governance and poor regard of nurses in the country.

Arriving England sure made him happy but he still had to face other challenges like the weather, food, manner of communication, difference in jokes, fun, banters, dressing and sadly loneliness as being away from family or friends which sometimes set in  depressive states.

Martin had lots more to say in his interview inclusive of the fact that he still believes Nigeria will be great again considering the level of human resources and bright minds she has and hopes for good governance someday.

He hopes to see a Nigeria, where professionals in the health sector would practice interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care, stop professional consciousness of overshadowing patient care and making their professions come first, forgetting that without patients the professions wouldn’t exist.

 His advice to nurses out there who aspires to pursue their dreams elsewhere, is to be dedicated, hardworking, to ensure to obtain the prerequisite skills and to be humble and diligent.  Also, for young people out there who intend to migrate to other country, he urges them to plan their moves, stay focused and be to be determined.

To Nigeria he says quit magnifying your geographical differences and to those in diaspora he advices to go back home to establish the good things seen abroad.

LET'S NOT CLAMOUR IN REGRETS WHEN WE COULD BE JUBILANT OF WHAT IS AND ONCE WAS

NIGERIA @60 POEM BY BARRISTER ONOME I. A.

Arise ohh compatriots

For Nigeria calls in pain

She is saddened for years lost

But believes it was never in vain

Tears replace laughter

While the rich prey on the poor

The glory of her youth is soon forgotten

As its tales have turned a satire

 

Let's not clamour in regrets

When we could be jubilant of what is and once was

A pride land of richness that transcends mere wealth

A home of greatness infused beings

Who are actively ready to portray intellect and humor

We stand firm, gallant and proud

Showcasing diversity in cultures

 

Yet now the giant is small

Creeping like a toddler on its knees

Becoming that which it fought hard not to be

A dependent state

Nigeria is a decade past it's golden jubilee

The hour has come for change to emanate

Let's shadow our vices with inbuilt strengths

 

IT WAS A DREAM MET WITH RIGOROUS CHALLENGES BUT WAS BROUGHT TO REALITY THROUGH COMMITTED PERSISTENCE AND DIVINE WILL.

 

JOIN US ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 9TH 2020 AS MARTIN OZIOKO
SHARES HIS STORY FROM DIASPORA

MY CAREER CHOICE WAS STRONGLY DRIVEN BY THE ZEAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

JOIN US ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 11TH 2020 AS IFEANYI EDI SHARES HIS STORY FROM DIASPORA

 

FOR GREENER PASTURES I MIGRATED WITH A SEVEN WEEK PREGNANCY, MY HUSBAND AND A DREAM, NURSE TOPE SHARES HER STORY FROM DIASPORA

 MY AGENCY TRANSFERRED AND SOLD MY CONTRACT TO THE STATE, INITIALLY I WAS NOT HAPPY AND WAS CONFUSED ABOUT RELOCATING TO ANOTHER STATE, BUT LITTLE DID I KNOW IT WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Tope oladimeji is a registered nurse in the state of Virginia and Nigeria, she obtained  an associate degree from the Lagos state teaching hospital school of nursing in Nigeria and a Bsc. in Nursing from  Grand Canyon University in America respectively. She is a wife, a mother and owns a budding yet successful scrub line business in America. Currently she is a Nurse unit manager in one of the state's psychiatry hospital in  Virginia and studying for a Master's degree in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Nurse Tope shares her story on why and how she came to the United states of American with her husband and a seven-week-old pregnancy, she left Nigeria for greener pasture because even though she had a good job back home in Nigeria, she was not making enough money to cater for her needs and the money was never coming in when due and needed the most, also she needed to experience something different and better in her career. Before coming to America, she had tried migrating to other countries, like the United Kingdom, Canada and even Australia but all effort to move to those countries proved abortive, until she went through an agency " O' Grady Peyton international". The agency took charge of all the migration process from start to finish and guided her through  from the NCLEX examination which she traveled all the way to Philippine to write, to the interviews and Employment. Migrating to America was more than a dream come true and a goal for her, to her it was a ticket to attaining greener pastures both financially and professionally, as she always wanted more than working just to pay rent and she was also tired of the ill treatment of the nursing profession in Nigeria. 

I WAS DRESSED LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON TO BEG MONEY AT WALMART

 I WAS DRESSED LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON TO BEG MONEY AT WALMART, I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL OR TO PLAY BASKETBALL

Mercy Amechi is from Enugu state Nigeria, she was a college athlete and a chef, she currently owns her food business Chyfoodnetwork, (fedup.co/plug/cookwchy)  she moved to the United States of America seven years ago to study and also to play basketball; Mercy attended Monroe college in New York where she obtained an associate degree and then moved to Hampton University Virginia, where she also obtained a B.sc in Sport management and business. Growing up, she dreamt of living abroad but also thought that it was a fanciful hope which will never happen, but as God will have it, today she is living in America and living her dreams. 

Mercy shares her story about why and how she left Nigeria to pursue her dreams abroad, the challenges she encountered, what kept her going and how she overcame all obstacles to get to where she has always dreamt to be.  As a young girl growing up in Nigeria, she hatred going to school, the only thing she loves doing was sport and cooking and that was the only reason she went to school.

 She got a scholarship to come to the US to play basketball and also to go to school through the Ejike Ugboaja foundation, a charitable organization that provides educational opportunities for young Nigerians through sport. She got to know about the foundation through a friend on Facebook who happens to be one of the coaches that comes to the camp every year to select young athlete to travel to America for a camp where they could be discovered by schools. She was fortunate to be selected to attend the camp in Atlanta. During the camp, some coaches took interest in her but unfortunately, she did not receive I-20 to remain in the country to go to school and to play basketball, she returned back to Nigeria, but she never gave up, she kept sending series of emails to the organizer of the program until he got her a scholarship to come back to America. 

MERCY SHARES HER STORY FROM DIASPORA

 JOIN US ON THURSDAY AS MERCY SHARES HER AMAZING STORY FROM DIASPORA

OUR STORY FROM DIASPORA: SHARE YOUR STORY TO INSPIRE OTHERS

OUR STORY FROM DIASPORA: SHARE YOUR STORY TO INSPIRE OTHERS: