Overnight Wisdom, Year One: The Reflection Episode

In this episode, Chisom reflects on the journey of creating Overnight Wisdom — a podcast that began as an experiment in curiosity and connection and evolved into a global platform for truth-telling, wisdom, and courageous storytelling.

Since launching on May 28th 2025, Chisom has released 30 consecutive weekly episodes, interviewing an extraordinary lineup of artists, activists, entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders from across the world. From conversations about legacy, grief, decolonization, creativity, mental health, and leadership — to challenging how we see power, culture, and identity — each guest brought a unique lens and lived experience.

Chisom revisits key takeaways from episodes with:

• Michael Aboya on dignity in Black imagery
• Lola Akinmade on writing intersectional women into the center
• Chidiebere Ibe on the revolutionary power of representation in medical illustration
• Jameson Timba on fighting for democratic freedom
• Linda Masarira on political courage and decolonization
• DJ Bwakali, Yaba Blay, Shruti Ganguly, Thandi Dyani, Astrid Sundberg, Poornima Luthra, Jonathan Akwue — and many more — each leaving a mark through their authenticity and depth.

She also shares personal reflections on the labor behind building a weekly podcast as a mostly one-woman team, the emotional and intellectual nourishment it has brought her, and the deep gratitude she holds for her listeners and guests.

As Overnight Wisdom heads into a short break, Chisom teases powerful new episodes for 2026 and reminds us of what’s possible when we lead with clarity, stay consistent, and dare to build with heart.

Transcript

0:00

Welcome to Overnight Wisdom, a show where we sit with changemakers, artists, business leaders, and thinkers. Each conversation is an invitation to slow down, to go deeper, and unearth the quiet insights that shape who we are. If you're seeking honest reflections, unexpected wisdom, and a deeper understanding of what it takes to not merely survive, but to thrive. You're in the right place. Hi friends, welcome to a reflection episode of 2025 for Overnight Wisdom. when I started this podcast or when I decided to finally make a move on the podcast, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it. All I knew was that I wanted to talk to people from all over the world who inspire me and my listeners. I wanted to learn and I wanted to acquire new perspectives from people doing amazing things across the world and when I decided to do a weekly podcast I'm not sure it was like a conscious decision And I guess I also needed that consistency for myself. So it's something that I do every week and I look forward to. I did not realize how much work it was going to be, but it has been fulfilling work. you know, when I'm taking stock of all that has happened with the podcast this year and realizing that I am essentially a team of one plus my husband who, you know, helps me a little bit with the uploading of the episodes onto, the internet so it can reach you. I am really proud of what we, guess me and him, but especially myself has achieved this year. Creating a podcast is no joke. creating a weekly podcast is ah it's not it's not an easy thing to do so I'm very thankful for the ability to be consistent and I also want to say thank you to the listeners who have kept me encouraged to continue because of course if I'm putting this out into the world and no one is listening then what's the point? So it's really nice to have the ongoing support and listenership and viewership from you so thank you very much. know, Overnight Wisdom has always been a space where I wanted to spark curiosity and challenges, and at the same time, share tools and resources that help us see things differently or even learn new things. So far we have had... 30 episodes y'all can you imagine 30 episodes so since May 28th It's been 30 weeks and I have released an episode every single week and I just want to look back very quickly on my guests and what I've taken from them I've learned something from every guest I've had and I want to share very quickly and also thank them. My first guest was Michael Aboya, Ghanaian photographer who, shared so honestly about loss and also why it is important for him to... photograph black bodies and Africans with dignity and the respect that they deserve, especially in a context where oftentimes the pictures that come out of Africa in the global north or in the west. is usually of pain, hunger, and strife. Next, I spoke to Lola Akinmade, brilliant Nigerian author who intentionally tells stories that are recognizable, that are accessible, and actively positions. racialized women as intersectional, especially in spaces where they are often reduced to one thing. My next guest was Chidiebere Ibe, Nigerian illustrator who basically illustrated the first fetus in the womb. Can you imagine that? And in so doing, he unlocked so much for a lot of women of color and a lot of racialized women because up until that point, every fetus we've ever seen in the womb is of a white fetus. And when he drew a black fetus, there was a whole conversation about it. So his illustration has expanded beyond that, but he continues to make impact and it continues to mirror black and brown bodies. The next guest was Jameson Timba Jameson is a brilliant, politician who actively fights for what he considers to be the freedom of Zimbabweans. So yeah, he is from Zimbabwe. My next guests, where twins don't twin brothers who catapulted from obscurity using their photography and who've had to survive. ah or transcend rejections to become the household names that they are in Ghana. The next guest was Linda Masarira, she founded a political party and she's actively, fighting for the... decolonization and re-indigenization of her people in Zimbabwe. Next was Lord Lamba, my little cousin. So I know him as Promise Anagbogu. He shot into social media success as a comedian. I think sometimes for people who do not know him, they just see him as that comedian, not really knowing his story and all he had to overcome to be where he is today. So, totally proud of him and it was great to have a conversation. And Promise, of course, is Nigerian. My next guest was Tendai Rokkones You know, beautiful. yogi and teacher and instructor. She turns the wellness and mental health industry on its head with her work. She also actively challenges who gets to practice and who gets to teach yoga and also whose body is the right body for yoga. No one moves a room like Tendai. I've had Tendai facilitate wellness sessions at every conference that we've had and nobody moves a room as well as Tendai does. and Tendai is in Zimbabwean Joy Mbakwe is Nigerian and British and we talked about her work and how she actively educates against racism in the UK. One of the things she said that stuck with me was where she talked about some people were born black and some people become black that was really great to engage her. ah Next guest was Chef Kudakwashe Makoni. uh He's a acclaimed Zimbabwean chef. This man is just brilliant. His energy is contagious. you know, he's also very actively Pan-African He wants to elevate Africa using African cuisine. And, you know, he talks about the importance of consistency and quality for all that Africans do as we continue. to grow and elevate into the world. My next guest was Thaïs Sala, uh a musician with roots who I believe in France, the UK, Morocco, probably parts of West Africa, and spends quite a bit of time in the US and Canada. So kind of like a global citizen. What was fascinating about that was we of course talked a bit about her music, but it ended up almost being like a therapy session. She shared so openly about her process and her mental health and you know what she does to safeguard it. So I really enjoyed that conversation because it became quite a therapeutic, session My next guest was Lujang De'Nyangos from South Sudan. and it was really interesting connecting with him about his music, learning about where he draws inspiration from, and at the same time connecting with what he shared about the importance of singing happy songs. He spent so long singing sad songs because of the political context of South Sudan and it being war-torn, but then really decided that he was going to spread joy with his work, and that's what he does now, so I really love that. um next guest was Babatunde Akinboboye. my gosh. I mean the man is brilliant and I love the energy and the confidence he exuded you know in the way only a Nigerian can yeah and you know this is a man who you know he's an opera singer. He created a new genre called hip-hopera and he essentially... saw an established system, which is the oppressed face, and went, yeah, I'm gonna disrupt that. And he did exactly that. So, was so much joy talking to him and, you know, it amazes me and reinforces just like Nigerians are remarkable in so many ways. And - Babatunde is American and Nigerian. my next guest was DJ Bwakali who is a Pan-African who resides in Kenya. He is a fierce advocate for a pan-African perspective as a way to build power as not just, know, politically, but economically and socially. Uh, it was fascinating talking to him, uh, his belief of change, his belief that we need to hold onto the things that make us uniquely African. Uh, really appreciated that conversation. My next guest was Sayantani Saha who I had twice actually on my podcast. Sayantani Saha is Indian. She is my Chief of Staff and also a Senior Manager at one of my companies, Diversify So we talked about what we're doing in terms of the summit, which is a difficult thing for us to put together this year. So we shared our experiences there. And also we had a podcast at the Noble Peace Center in Oslo, where we're talking about the state of the world and how we're navigating and processing that. My next guest was Dayo Okusami, Nigerian lawyer, brilliant as they come. was really great connecting with him, learning from his experience and also him sharing his views around leadership. What I really valued was the value he placed on fatherhood and how he shows up for his kids and how he prioritizes that. Something else I found fascinating was this man turned down a million dollar bribe. He has so much integrity, just want to mirror this, yeah? And he was offered a million dollars years ago. I mean, today, a million dollars is still a lot of money. But years ago, it was a lot of money. And he said no. So I really love that. It just shows the type of man he is. My next guest was Ifeanyi Mbanefo, also known as Prince Mbanefo. He's my childhood friend. And we're talking about religion as a site of division in Nigeria. especially when we're looking at Christianity and Islam. You know, I believe that religion is a colonial import. I believe that it is meaningful in many ways in how it holds people when it gives people a sense of self and identity and grounding. However, it has also been utilized as a political weapon to divide and conquer in Nigeria and also across Africa and really across the world. There are a lot of wars in world that are fought on the name of religion. So that was a great conversation to have. Ifeanyi Mbanefo but of course, is a uh Nigerian and American. My next guest was Wanjira Mathai who is a brilliant environmentalist and continues to do great work and advocates for uh the environment, but not just the environment as a separate thing that, OK, let's care about nature, but the environment as part and parcel of who we are and how we survive, especially within an African context. So really appreciate that. and she's the daughter of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Mathai. Next was Yaba Blay ah Dr. Yaba Blay is amazing. Like she is so brilliant. When you talk to her, you know. Like you're just like, are in the presence of somebody who is just. brilliant beyond words. Yeah. And, you know, she opened my mind to different ways of thinking, to beauty as a site of struggle, she said some things that remain with me, home is where your humanity is acknowledged, where you don't have to defend yourself. She also changed or challenged a perspective I had around, colorism and proximity. limited to whiteness take for example when we see people who bleach their skin, it's so easy to judge them and say, oh my gosh, you must hate yourself. Why are you doing that awful thing to your skin? But that's where a lot of that conversation stops. doesn't extend beyond actually, do we look at the context in which they are operating in and the context in which they are surviving in if they are in a system and a structure where lighter skin is favored from a workplace perspective, from a love perspective, especially in African contexts where sometimes value of a woman is often tied to her ability to marry or not. And then you have men who tell you that they only marry or they only date people with light skin. You know, so there are constraints that force people into making decisions that they make. And then sometimes we just judge them as people who do not like themselves. So it allowed, allows me now to think with a lot more grace, not just when I look at beauty or colorism or people who bleach their skin, but it's been more expansive. So Dr. Yaba Blay is as brilliant as they come. Like she opens her mouth and you're like, my gosh, I'm going to learn. I'm going to be educated. I'm going to be taken to church. So she's wonderful. Dr. Yaba Blay is Ghanaian-American. And Wanjira Matai is Kenyan. So my next guest was Shruti Ganguly, who is a brilliant filmmaker, producer. Shruti comes by way of Oslo Oman, India, the US, I think she would say New York. She is, ah when Shruti enters a room. There's so much light that comes into that room, and she radiates just so much light and so much joy in every room she steps into. And you know, she has a wonderful body of work, Two things I want to share is when Shruti talked about being unboxable because she's moved. and continues to move between different spaces in the arts world, in the film world, in the producing world. ah And something else she shared, which is so meaningful because it's also something I deeply believe in, is not asking for permission. So that stays with me. I really love that. My next guest was Thandi Dyani And Thandi is a dear friend, a dear collaborator, and somebody I deeply respect. Thandi is Danish South African. And uh she really talked about the importance of being recognizably you as a leader. You know, and I really loved that. She said something that has stuck with me is, often times we talk about people and trust. And she said, sometimes we also have to trust people for them to become trustworthy. Yeah? So I really, that challenged me. Yeah, because sometimes we say somebody's not trustworthy, but for anyone to become trust. do you actually have to trust them? You have to take that risk, you have to take that chance. So I really appreciated that, she emphasized about the importance of being recognizably you in every room. Astrid Sundberg, was my next guest. uh Astrid is a Scandi Brit, as she calls herself. So she's from the UK and also from Norway. And she is a leader currently in an organization called Operation Smile. but I've known her across different organizations and companies she's worked in, and she's always been a wonderful leader. She talks a lot about the importance of being authentic, also the importance of having fun in the work that you do otherwise was the point. My next guest was Poornima Luthra who is Singaporean by India by Denmark and now she's relocated to the UK where she works at Imperial Business School. Poornima Luthra and I talked about you know leadership, the challenges that it comes with but also just how she processes and guides leaders in their journey. our conversation. spanned different topics from cancel culture to colonialism to leading in a western masculine construct and also how she protects herself given the work that she does. Poornima Luthra is also a acclaimed author and she is a dedicated diversity equity inclusion and belongings practitioner. And this year in 2025, doing anything in DEI politically was very difficult. And so we also talk about what it took for her to stand her ground and stand in her values. guest was Jonathan Akwue who is the president at Translation and also part of the executive leadership team at United Masters, culture. It was really fascinating talking to Jonathan and hearing about how he thinks about culture. and as somebody who works at the intersection of culture myself, it was really great to hear it articulated in such a meaningful, accessible way. Thinking about culture as rituals, as artifacts, as language that people hold and what connects them, and how somebody can have more in common with, like how I, for example, can have more in common with someone who comes from a completely different culture, construct, and language, because we share and have adopted into a specific culture, say hip hop or say yoga, for example. So that was a really great conversation. And I also enjoyed, you know, kind of talking about oh in this day and time in the world, that is so geopolitically strained. How can organizations stand in their values without swinging to whatever political Breeze that is currently blowing so that was really great. So yeah that makes All the guests I have had so far Jonathan Akwue is British Swiss Nigerian and currently lives in the US um So I've really appreciated all my guests. I want to thank them for coming on my show, I'm incredibly grateful for all these conversations I've had. They've changed me, they've challenged me, they've nourished me. And I also want to say thank you to my listeners. Without you, it's a lot more difficult to do this show. So I want to say thank you for being here. Thank you for your support. And we are going to take a short break for two weeks, But we will be back. by the second week of January with our usual programming of weekly shows. Here's to more growth for each one of us. Here's to ah peace in the world. my gosh, world peace. I sound like a beauty queen. World peace. Here's to world peace. And here's to growing overnight wisdom. Thank you all for being on this journey with me. I'm looking forward to sharing so many interesting and fascinating episodes with you all next year. I have lined up some really phenomenal people and leaders from across the world. So I'm looking forward to sharing. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your support and see you in a few weeks. Happy holidays and happy, happy new year in advance. Thank you for spending time with us on Overnight Wisdom. If this conversation moved you, inspired you, or made you pause, please like, leave a comment, or share it with someone who needs to hear it. You can follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and if you're feeling generous, a rating, or review, goes a long way in helping others find us too. Until next time, stay curious, stay tender, and may the wisdom you need find you exactly when you're ready.