#BN2021Epilogues: Mfonobong Inyang’s 2021 Has Been Wild But He Maintained Beauty

First of all, I want to, with due respect, thank my Connect: The Chi, the most important person. The year started with initial gra gra; it wanted to se ye ye me but I was always guiding. In some sense, it felt like the 2.0 of last year, no thanks to the pandemic. Being alive is the biggest flex in these times because I lost a lot of loved ones. My lowest point was in October where I just broke down because I got into a situation that really scarred me but we muueeve. On the flip side, I hit four in five of my major goals for the year – not bad sha.

T’is the season! Christmas is always a time to celebrate, especially for people of faith, as the birth of Jesus Christ is being commemorated. It’s also a time to take stock of the events that defined the year for us. Most of my outdoor Detty December plans have been shelved owing to this Omicron strain but since I will still find time to watch Spiderman: No Way Home at the cinemas, and Mama Mia at the Muson Centre.

Let Love Lead

Now more than ever, we need to show empathy to people who are not as privileged as we are economically. This year has particularly been devastating financially for people who have lost their jobs, are underemployed or have had inflation eat into the value of their disposable income. Last time I checked, canned Titus is almost N1,000 – what more proof do you need before you agree that something fishy is going on? So if you can spare some extra money or food items, please do share under-served communities around you. You could be someone’s Santa this yuletide, especially those who are struggling to find something to be ‘merry’ about this Christmas. There is a proper food crisis out there, so try dey do giveaway for streets and timeline because e don red for some people.

Pass Me The Aux!

One fetish is to curate and update my holiday playlist. This year, I am sticking to some of my favourite Christmas classics. A combination of new and old; local and international sounds.

• Eyen by 6Team
• All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
• Christmas Is Here by Teni 
• Elu Agogo by Florocka
• It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé
• Mary Did You Know by Maverick City Music
• Merry Christmas Baby by Ottis Reading
• Merry Christmas, Darling by Timi Dakolo ft. Emeli Sande
• Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande
• Stars of Wonder by Cobhams Asuquo

All these with a sprinkle of Jasmine Sullivan’s Insecure and Flavour’s Levels.

Street OT

Dear IJGB, first, don’t hit me up with that “I am in your city” text – I no dey move that way; don’t make me move that way. Second, my babe dey enter your eye abi? Close am! You don see fine girl, you want to die there. You want to bam bam, you want to chill with the big boys? Small dollars enter your hand, now you wan come activate release clause – comrade no be be so dem dey do things. Third, wahalurr for who go dey find love of my life this December – no go do transfer o, run for billing! Holy Father, I’m screaming!

Any money wey I get now, na for enjoyment. Omo, if I see wetin belong to Caesar bayi, e don enter voicemail. I no follow una do homecoming this year, na person wey hold 2k dey attend family meeting. You no get money, you dey follow people do “we outside” – who you wan impress? Sapa na your mate? Abi you were not informed too?

Play By The Books

Last holiday, I read five books that gave me certain perspectives that I found very useful during the year. Reading for me is the most underrated way to expose your mind to higher knowledge. People tell me to teach them how to write but are seemingly surprised when I tell them to start by reading great books. That’s why I am rooting for five Nigerians who are currently reading for over 480 hours non-stop just to promote the reading culture. Here are the five books I recommend you read this holiday.

• Hope Is Not A Strategy; Faith Is Not A Business Model (not me shamelessly plugging in my own book, haha)
• Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede
• Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad by Damilare Kuku
• The Girl Entrepreneur by Ibukun Awosika
• Will by Will Smith

Albert Einstein submits that “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” If you enter a new year with an old mindset, you will get the same results. You can be both a jaiye-sexual and be a sapio-sexual this holiday. Do have yourself a merry little Christmas and a most prosperous new year.

Next year, we go again – harder!