First off, this is in no way a sneak diss to us 9-5ers. It’s just, while we remain the reason the diesel gen runs all day, sitting behind our desks, pushing papers, and using the office wi-fi to download Tiwa’s wedding in SGIT (please hide this post from my boss) — these Nigerians are out in the world, documenting their experiences, hashtagging their get-aways and making some cool-cash while at it. I’m not simultenously jealous-crying and typing I promise.

Here are 3 women living the life that I would love to, and making reputable names and careers while at it:

Serra Bellum

travel/lifestyle blogger: build your instagram followers, build your instagram followers, you people won’t hear word. Born Toyin Abraham, leveraged on her impeccable content curation skills, sense of style and abs strong enough to grat okro, to build an instagram following entereing the two-hundred thousands. It paid off, because while using her page as the first stop for clothing, food and travel inspration, brands have taken notice and she has so far partnered with – Darling Nigeria, Boots UK and Love Scotch to advertise their products.

Yagazie Emezi

take all the cool people you know, multiply their coolness to to the nth degree and then maybe, maybe, you can come close to the coolness that is Yagazie Emezie. Born and brought up in Aba Nigeria, Emezie is a freelance storyteller/ documentary photographer whose journeys have taken her everywhere fromTanzania, Zambia, Ghana, Gabon, Liberia, Uganda, and several other African nations. She has worked with everyone from Vogue, Aljazeera, Paper Mag, The New York Times, Refinery 29 etc. She is currently curating a project on African trauma survivors re-adapting to their bodies, which has taken her everywhere from Nigeria, to Liberia.

Asiyami Gold

Before blowing big time on Instagram and collaborating with many international brands, Asiyami fulfilled the nightmares of many a Nigerian parent when she revealed to them that she would be abandoning her career as a nurse to pursue a living as an artist. Fast forward a number of years and 230k followers on Instagram after, she has journeyed to countries like Morocco, Cuba, Kenya, …… and has partnered with international brands like Veuve Cliquot, The GAP, BankNY, Pantenne. Right now, she is living it up in XX taking in the sites and broadening her culinary reserves, I’m here contemplating if an upgrade from Iya Chmapion’s 150 amala to 200 would be wise. Yes, I’m crying as I type this.
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Zikoko amplifies African youth culture by curating and creating smart and joyful content for young Africans and the world.