“Compassionate living should be the focus of our existence - or our existential life. Because, of all the things we are able to be, one thing that will stand us out, when we leave the world, is the feeling we left behind in the hearts of other people, and that feeling originates from a heart that is very compassionate. And that’s what drives me every day - to bring these feelings out and give it to the world out there.” - Ola Akinwe

Ever Forward Club’s Ashanti Branch is joined by Ola Akinwe. "The Humanitarian Guru" that hails from Lagos, Nigeria, Ola is a literacy activist that has been passionately equipping, inspiring, and teaching young minds to love, learn, live, and leave a legacy of an exemplary life since 2007. He is the founder of the Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), a Non-Governmental Organization that guides boys and adolescent males on their journey to a healthy, caring, respectful and responsible manhood. We look forward to you learning how Ola grounds himself in loyalty and compassion as he navigates his masks and this world.

(2:10) Ashanti’s introduction.

(5:00) Ola introduces himself and shares how he helps cultivate healthy and responsible boys in Nigeria. Then, he tells the origin story of Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network.

(10:20) Ashanti and Ola make their masks together.

(14:20) Ashanti shares the front of his mask- serious, dedicated, passionate - and how certain pressures are shaping the front of his mask.

(16:20) Ola shares the front of his mask - compassionate, loyalty, supportive - and why he believes that these traits are needed more and more in today’s world. He also shares the support he provides for the youth in Nigeria.

(25:10) Ashanti shares the back of his mask - self-doubt, confusion, fear - and how all three of these feelings contributed to him avoiding writing his book over the long weekend.

(29:00) Ola shares the back of his mask - vulnerability, worthlessness, afraid - and how these feelings stem from a pervasive and consuming “culture of achievement.” Then, he and Ashanti discuss how comparison is the thief of joy and how adults still need people to believe in them.

(43:00) Ola shares how he needs to overcome distrust when seeking a mentor and how books are a form of mentorship for him. They discuss the books As a Man Thinketh and The Secret of the Ages

(49:20) Ola gives his final message and provides his answer to the question, “why do you live?”

(56:55) Ola shares how you can get in touch with him.

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Connect with Ola Akinwe:

Website: bmanadvocacy.org

Instagram: instagram.com/bmanadvocacy

Facebook: facebook.com/bmanadvocacy

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Create your own mask anonymously at millionmask.org

If you are interested in being on the Face to Face podcast, email us at [email protected]

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Connect with Ashanti Branch:

Instagram: instagram.com/branchspeaks

Facebook: facebook.com/BranchSpeaks

Twitter: twitter.com/BranchSpeaks

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashantibranch

Website: branchspeaks.com