Lafup has got IT! This is an exclusive story and it's amazing too!

WARNING-Forgive the essay below as this interview comes with a lot of history from my perspective, but there are loads of hilarious pictures to make up for it! Lafup, please forgive me for some of these pictures! he he. Let the essay begin.

If you are following @that20sblog on Instagram, you would have seen my campaign to be Lafup's "deputy governor"(you can "shek it out" here). Lafup is having his annual comedy show on the 26th of December at Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and in true fashion of a socially aware entertainer, the publicity campaign for this year's show centers around him contesting for an election on the 26th and YOU get to vote for him by buying a ticket and attending the show!

I expect you to know Lafup, but in case you don't, just accept that he is one of the most talented entertainers in Nigeria today. He is a comedian, MC, businessman, actor and so much more. This story is so important to me because of our upcoming #vlogpost (anticipate it) and also because I watched Lafup happen right before my eyes at the Arts theatre University of Ibadan (U.I), and at the U.I choir concerts he used to compere, and suddenly (actually not so suddenly) Lafup is hosting TV shows and has built a solid brand.

There are a few things I admire about Lafup but there are two things I want us to pick from his story today, but before we do that, let me just say that the reason why I do this blog is to encourage you and encourage me too,lol, because sometimes the road to discovery could be tortuous, and its even worse when you feel you are walking alone. You are never alone dear friend, I can assure you... Anyway, before I go all preachy on you, where was I? Yes, the two things we need to learn from Lafup. We need to learn how to be daring and tenacious and both are very difficult things to do.

I knew Lafup way back in 2008 from his "Efrebor" shows in U.I, and from a distance, I could observe that this was someone who knew what he was good at, and his attitude was like "this art, this comedy, this entertainment, I will do it! This hustle must work! There is no alternative and there will be no alternative! This is what I want to do and I will do it!"

I was at this show, I even remember what I wore, because it was an opportunity for a fresher to turn up! lol. 2008!

And he succeeded in bringing Ali Baba!

Tell me what Google is making you see. Is this an issue?

I was doing a Google search on a Nigerian I intend to feature in the "Our Heroes in Their 20s" segment of this blog, but as is characteristic of Google, I was attracted to something else. I noticed a trend in Google's suggestions for my search and I thought to share with you. Read the comments underneath the pictures and tell me if you see what I see or if I'm being slightly paranoid!

20s Diaries Post- The 20s Guide to STOP Famzing

Let me paint a picture real quick... So you get invited to a party, and you decide to get a friend of yours to tag along. The two of you get to the party and for some reason, your friend is able to make friends with all your other friends and even people you don't know. Your friend is having an amazing time and you are just there, enduring the party! This is definitely how you will look, lol.

When it's at a party, the effect of your friend being able to network properly and you not being able to do the same is not really a big deal, but when you have the opportunity to meet people who could probably change your life (yes, I'm being dramatic) but you are unable to say a few sentences, then it might become an issue.

For many people, the problem is that networking appears to be sucking up or what is commonly known as famzing and it doesn't seem very genuine...well, we are here to dispel that notion. If you do it right, networking has the potential to be that extra spice you need to get you going.

Enjoy our video and please share your views on famzing... sorry I meant networking! 

Aminu Jahun has got "IT"

I met Aminu first on Facebook (the things social media will do) and then I bumped into him at the train station, and luckily, we were going to the same place, so we got talking. Aminu and I had a conversation for about an hour and I was totally inspired. In order to understand what I mean you really need to read his interview. Aminu is a medical doctor who just bagged a masters in immunology from Oxford, and is currently doing a PHD at Cambridge, aimed at basically finding out how to cure diseases (it is way more technical than that!)

From reading Aminu's story, you will see that not everywhere in Nigeria is terrible and not every young person lacks passion for the country! When he told me that the government hospital in Jigawa provided free food for patients and paid a fantastic salary to its doctors, I was shocked, because that couldn't be reconciled with my reality! Aminu spoke so passionately about returning to Nigeria after his PHD  to start a world class lab and find cures for diseases. You could feel the pain when he explained to me that finding a cure for Ebola and other diseases was not something Nigeria couldn't do, but the lack of skilled persons and equipment was the constraint. I was so ashamed of myself when I got off the train because after deep soul searching I wasn't sure I had a grand plan to to improve my country.

We celebrate entrepreneurs, intellectual, artists and all those who have Innovative plans that will surely make them Thrive. I think you will be inspired by Aminu's story.