Last week Friday 25th November I visited my old primary school and took an emotional trip down memory lane. I left my primary school St Francis de Sales 20 years ago. Returning to the school, I donated 2 pieces of my soul with hopes of inspiring the children to follow his/her passions and believe in their dreams.

Every day I wake up a being full of gratitude for how life has manifested for me. As soon as I left my primary school at the age of 10, life began to throw its curved balls and really knocked myself and my family down. Returning to London after burying my grandfather in Nigeria, my family and I found ourselves homeless for quite some time. My teenage years were what seemed to be the worst years of my life. From living in complete uncertainty to being heavily depressed with thoughts of suicide. In the mist of such dark times, drawing became my refuge and also my escape to a world of hope.

In hindsight, although I missed out socially as a teenager and in most of my early 20s, drawing portraits of people became not only a fascination but also a comfort in loneliness. The more technically realistic my portraits became the more connected I felt with the person – both internally and externally.

There is so much beauty in solitude and so many lessons to learn in adversity. To any of you who may be facing forms of hardship, take comfort in knowing that your deepest and truest passions may be waiting for you to utilise, and to ultimately – help be your rescue from physical, emotional or psychological bondage. From experience I honestly believe that perseverance and dedication to one’s passion will eventually lead to unimaginable rewards.

Peace and Love to all!