INTERVIEW

Don’t be afraid to stand alone – Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome

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I wanted to be a writer.

The innocence of having great trust in people and belief in human nature. The hopefulness that Nigeria would become a true giant in the African continent. (I was a serious child who read too much).

Dealing with racism, sexism and xenophobia. I have lived, studied, and worked in the US for 39 years. It has been extremely challenging and even brutal at times, to face off against constant attempts to dehumanize, marginalize and otherize me and people who look like me—Black people of African descent. Surviving the attempts to subvert my success has taken a tremendous toll on my health but I thank God that I’m still standing.

My children. They are gifts from God.

I met him at the University of Ibadan in my first year. He was in his third year and he was friends with my roommate, who had met him in London the previous summer. He’s a cousin to my roommate’s boyfriend. My husband and I became friends because he was persistent in his insistence that he wanted a relationship with him. His gentleness and persistence, as well as patience, endeared him to me.

Patience, persistence and he is a great father to our children.

My children are brilliant, loving, kind, generous, and sensible. They have never given me any anxieties. I never had to wake them up to go to school, and never had any reason not to be proud of them.

Naija gospel, especially those in Yoruba

Twitter

Although I like to dress well, I don’t give much thought to fashion.

Ill-fitting clothes

African nature preserves

I don’t

Moin-Moin

DaVinci (Uche) who’s based in Lagos

Work hard. Don’t be afraid to stand alone. Make sure you’re doing the right thing, live in God’s will and people will join you where you are.

No favourite sport. No favourite colour. Temperate weather that’s neither too hot nor too cold.

Friday. I don’t teach on Fridays and can regroup, replenish and plan for the next week. However, for this same reason, I also end up being at conferences/seminars/ meetings on Fridays.

Nothing in particular. However, I have the occasional massage. I also use a moisturizer, shea butter that is produced in Oyo State, which I mix with olive oil and essential oils.

Fond childhood memories I miss Challenges in career and life generally

My favourite book I have many favourite books including Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s ‘Decolonising the Mind’; Walter Rodney’s ‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’; Frantz Fanon’s ‘Wretched of the Earth’ My beauty routine Looking back at life, what would you tell a younger you? Don’t be too trusting. People are fickle.