Let me tell you a story

 

Spoiler alert: it took 23 years to write it.

 

It started on Monday, 25th of November , the day motion entered the world.

No exaggeration. The blueprint was already there, it just took years to realise what had been unfolding since day one. Something like Aang stepping out of the iceberg… or maybe that’s a bad parallel. Either way I was born, and a few months later I met the best big sister anyone could ask for.

 

Temi held me like I belonged to her - maybe a bit of foreshadowing because she really became my second mum (not always a good thing). A few years later I consciously met Mayowa and that was my first “that’s my DAWG” moment. For context, I was restless, playful, chaotic  and she enabled me.

 

If you’re wondering why that isn’t my personality today, there’s a simple answer: imposter syndrome.

 

The first time it truly hit was boarding school. First time alone. I only had like ten friends in my whole life and they were all family friends. I didn’t even know how people made friends for real. And with a rampant  fear of rejection. I was good on my ones , or so I thought.

 

Then came Shawn and Esosa. They were my bridge back to home, the stability that later helped me grow enough confidence to meet people. It still wasn’t smooth, but it set a foundation.

 

Year 7 built the foundation , but Year 8 introduced me to the greatest gift I could ever receive: friends.

 

It started with this group of guys I’ll always love, even when life drifts us apart. From Toni screaming my name anytime he sees me, to Temileyi and I having the most useless conversations ever .

 

Then came the people who unknowingly shaped me.

Alicia, who fed my curiosity by letting me ask her every type of ridiculous question. Wonu, who gave me an insight towards bringing value as a friend,  she definitely isn't easy to please. Eri taught me the beauty of just being a good person. Samira and Aanu’s presence made my heart warmer (maybe I shouldn’t be so gra gra )

 

I met so many different Davids and insane Ayo’s that it feels like I’m talking about ten different people , well I actually am. But that was the beauty of it.

 

And then there’s Etuh , my real-life brother. In 2018 he taught me what intentional friendship looks like, and seven years later he still shows me what consistency is. Everything I aspire to be as a friend comes from him.

 

Was it rewarding tho ?

At first, honestly, no. But as I grew and got closer to Feyi, things changed. She saw my intentions and matched , sometimes even exceeded them. That kind of love gets me emotional when I sit with it.

 

But even then, I had to be wary of moral licensing — that trap where you think “because I’m a good friend, I’ve done enough,” and you slowly lose the motivation to be better. Tomisin didn’t let me fall into that. She challenged me, pushed me, sharpened me.

 

Through all of this, the restless, playful kid became an emotional, driven person who thought he had cracked life.

 

Until 2021 happened.

A foreign country.

University.

Imposter syndrome pro max.

 

I was lost. No family friends to lean on. In a relationship. Trying to be someone I didn’t recognise. Publicly I was fine, privately I was drowning — my therapist called this internalised  oppression.

 

Then I met Jomi.

A random guy who just said hi to me as I was walking. Not to be dramatic, but he saved me. It was natural and it just made sense even among other friends we just got each other differently and it built the new foundation I needed to move forward.

 

Then I met Ayomide (Ace) , a real dawg, a connection I haven’t felt since Mayowa. And I met Kamsi, whose radiance makes you want to live life fully. I didn’t realise how important they’d become until later.

 

Eni ,born two days after me, and one of my very first friends, we are forever locked in. Ironically life has made him the source of two of the hardest phone calls I’ve ever received. Those calls broke me, and they are the perfect encapsulation of the last five years.

 

 

Now I’m scared to pick up calls because I expect bad news, but even more scared to miss a call cause it could be the last one I have with them .
A real dilemma.

 

It didn’t stop there.

The Stoics talk about the Extremity–Equanimity Paradox — which is when extreme emotion pushes you so far that you become numb. Apaethia. I think I slipped into that space.

 

But having friends like Kamsi who make you want to chase life, and Ayomide who understands me on so many levels it makes me fight my way back. They make me want to care again.

 

There are many more people in this story , too many to name , but the last chapter wouldn’t make sense without the person I’ve lived with this past year.

 

He’s the older brother I never had. But his real impact is in the subtle things — the conversations, the safety, the constant push. I’m definitely my brother’s keeper, but he’s been my backbone especially on days I couldn’t find the strength to get of my bed . I Love you Aderogba 

 

Shoutout Sarah too,  the ultimate play-date partner. She keeps both Al and I in check because together we’re always on nonsense.

 

So yes, this was the story of 23 years in motion.

And if you thought this was a story about me alone, I apologise. It never was. It was clarity — peeling away the diplomacy and the narratives I’ve used to protect myself.

 

This is me at my most naked (pause).

A person who is loved,  not just as a noun, but as a verb. Actively. Consistently. Deeply. And I don’t take that lightly.

 

If you’re reading this, thank you.

Whether your name appeared here or not. There are people I couldn’t mention because there’s only so much space  but you’re still part of the motion.

 

And for every birthday I am blessed enough to see, I will always celebrate you .