Why is cancer becoming one of the biggest public health challenges across Africa? Why are so many highly trained African scientists leaving the continent? And what can be done to improve cancer care for millions of people?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Pansa Pansa Podcast, host Kemi Seriki sits down with Dr. Motolani Ogunsanya, Nigerian-born scientist, public health researcher, and Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Ogunsanya's remarkable journey spans from Nigeria to the United States, where she has become an internationally recognized researcher studying cancer outcomes, health behaviors, health disparities, and rare diseases affecting underserved communities.

The conversation begins with her personal immigration story—why she left Nigeria, the challenges of adapting to life in America, and balancing family life, motherhood, and a demanding academic career.

The discussion then shifts toward one of Africa's fastest-growing public health crises: cancer.

Together they explore:

• Why cancer diagnoses continue to increase across Nigeria and Africa
• Whether lifestyle changes, environmental pollution, or better diagnosis explain the rising numbers
• Why cancer survival remains significantly lower in many African countries
• The shortage of cancer specialists and treatment facilities
• Late diagnosis and lack of public awareness
• The role of prevention and early screening
• Cervical cancer vaccination and public health education
• Breast cancer, prostate cancer, childhood cancers and other common cancers affecting Africans
• The future of cancer research across Africa

Dr. Ogunsanya also explains how her earlier HIV/AIDS research in Nigeria prepared her for today's work in cancer outcomes research and health equity.

Beyond cancer, this episode examines the larger issue of brain drain, asking whether Africa can continue losing many of its brightest scientists, physicians, engineers, and healthcare professionals while facing enormous health challenges at home.

The discussion also explores racial health disparities in America, healthcare inequalities affecting minority populations, and why underserved communities often experience poorer health outcomes.

Finally, Dr. Ogunsanya shares her vision for the future of cancer care in Nigeria and across Africa—and discusses how Africans living in the diaspora can become part of the solution.

About Our Guest

Dr. Motolani Ogunsanya, DPh, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Clinical and Administrative Sciences at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and a faculty member of the TSET Health Promotion Research Center and Stephenson Cancer Center.

Her research focuses on:

• Health economics and outcomes research
• Cancer survivorship
• Rare diseases
• Health behavior
• Minority health
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Health disparities
• Psychometric instrument development
• Mobile health (mHealth)
• Black prostate cancer survivorship
• Socioeconomic influences on lupus diagnosis and treatment outcomes

She earned her graduate degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin and has dedicated her career to improving healthcare for underserved populations both in the United States and globally.

As Mo! Sibyl, Motolani is a polyglot and speaks 3.25 languages, including Korean, English, 0.25 French, and her native Yoruba. She currently lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is also the host, producer, and interlocutor of The More Sibyl Podcast (www.mosibyl.com; @mosibyl). A weekly podcast for Blacks and Asians and those who love them. It is a platform for important issues such as acculturation, travels, preserving cultural values, mental health issues, heart stories, and so much more. Her podcast is on iTunes, Anchor, Stitcher, Google Podcast, Spotify, and every other venue.

Sometimes, the conversations we need most begin with a simple social media post.I first came across a short Instagram reel posted by Damilola Adesina addressing childhood trauma within African immigrant families. Although the video lasted only a few moments, it captured a reality that many African families quietly live with but rarely discuss. The message immediately resonated with me because it echoed many of the conversations we have had on Pánsá Pánsá Podcast on identity, culture, parenting, emotional wellbeing, and healing.I invited Damilola to join me for an honest and compassionate discussion about childhood trauma, emotional healing, and the growing importance of mental health care within African immigrant communities.I am deeply grateful for the wealth of knowledge Dami shared with our audience. More importantly, I appreciate her willingness to be vulnerable by sharing her own family's story and her personal journey toward healing from childhood and intergenerational trauma. Her openness demonstrates extraordinary courage and reflects her commitment to helping others recognize that healing is possible.We explored why many African immigrant parents struggle to respond to their children's emotional needs. For many parents, this is not because they lack love for their children, but because they themselves were never taught emotional regulation, vulnerability, or healthy ways of processing trauma. Many are carrying unresolved pain, surviving emotional burnout, or simply repeating parenting patterns they inherited.As Dami explains, we cannot pass down what we were never given.We discussed the following:Damilola's personal journey and what inspired her to become a therapist

The stigma surrounding mental health within African immigrant communities

Why many African cultures normalize suffering instead of addressing emotional painThe difference between community support and professional therapyWhy family members, friends, and religious leaders cannot replace licensed mental health professionalsThe importance of recognizing childhood and generational traumaParenting through healing instead of survivalPractical ways to reduce the stigma surrounding therapy in African communitiesBuilding emotionally healthier families for future generationsThis conversation is not about blaming African parents. Rather, it is an invitation to understand how historical, cultural, economic, and migration experiences have shaped parenting practices—and why healing is essential for both parents and children.About Our Guest:Damilola Adesina is the Founder and Owner of Ireti Counseling and Wellness and a National Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor.She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, with a minor in African Studies, from the University of Georgia in 2010 before receiving her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of St. Thomas in 2016.As a first-generation Nigerian American, Damilola understands firsthand the unique emotional challenges experienced by many children of African immigrants. Growing up, mental health was rarely discussed, leaving many families to unknowingly pass down unresolved pain and trauma from one generation to another.Her own healing journey inspired her to establish Ireti Counseling and Wellness—a practice dedicated to creating a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental environment where clients can explore their experiences and begin the work of healing.Damilola also co-hosts the For a Season Podcast, where she and her sisters openly discuss healing, faith, relationships, and personal growth.She specializes in:AnxietyDepressionSelf-esteemParentingPostpartum depressionHer therapeutic approach integrates several evidence-based modalities, including:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Solution-Focused Brief TherapyPerson-Centered TherapyFamily Systems TherapyNarrative Therapy

It was such a great pleasure to have a fellow podcaster from Zambia, Nancy Mulemwa Siisii, the host of Concrete Pastures on Pánsá Pánsá conversation. We met through the connection of one of my guests Prof. Boukary Sawadogo who was featured on both our podcasts in promoting his recently published book. Before coming to the pansa pansa platform, I was also a guest on Concrete Pastures. I appreciate her willingness to talk about her experience as a fellow immigrant, a single parent raising two beautiful children, and Nancy Mulemwa Siisii's selfless work on her podcast.

Nancy Mulemwa Siisii was born and raised in Zambia, Africa, but she later migrated to America and settled in New York, where she has lived for 20 years. She has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry as a financial center manager. As a dreamer, she continues to have a passion for making substantive bonds with audiences and inspiring people to reach for their dreams.

Being an immigrant has been one of her life's most challenging and extraordinary experiences. Nancy was inspired to start her podcast “Concrete Pastures: An African Immigrant Story” as a platform to reach out to fellow immigrants and dreamers. She passionately stated, “my goal is to provide a platform for myself and others to share their stories as we deconstruct the world’s view of immigrant status, and unlock the joys, laughs, and bravery that being a dreamer brings about”.

During our conversation, Nancy talked about her childhood experience growing up in Zambia and her relationship with her parents and maternal grandmother. We discussed why many immigrants leave their countries to migrate to another country for a better life or as a student to obtain an education. Especially for women, we discussed the challenges/struggles of being an African immigrant woman in America. Nancy talked about her first shocking experience of her first job in America, working as a nanny for a wealthy family in Manhattan, caring for five children for a peanut salary of $350.00 weekly as a sleep-in nanny/housekeeper.

With ambition and a positive outlook on the future, suffering does not last forever. Nancy pulled herself out of the humiliating situation because she knew there were better opportunities. Today, Nancy Mulemwa Siisii is a financial center manager in a bank with 15 years of experience. As an African immigrant female in the financial industry, she discussed her experiences dealing with the politics of a cooperate world dominated by expected gender and race. Nancy talked about how all these experiences motivated her interest in starting Concrete Pasture Podcast. With the podcast, she said she continues learning and admires African immigrants' strength and resiliency.

Nancy talked about the challenges of divorce and being a single parent of two adorable children. It is tough enough as immigrants living in a country in most cases without close relatives such as a parent, siblings, other extended families, and village or community that we have a commonality in the value system. It is even more challenging being a single parent raising children in a country with limited or no family support.

This episode is more than one woman's story—it is a tribute to millions of immigrants who leave everything familiar in pursuit of opportunity while carrying their cultures, dreams, and families with them every step of the way.If you've ever wondered what it truly means to start over in a new country, build a career from the ground up, raise children far from home, or redefine success on your own terms, this conversation is for you.Please support Nancy Mulemwa Siisii by subscribing to Concrete Pastures: An African Immigrant Story and following her on Instagram. Her work continues to amplify the voices, experiences, and resilience of African immigrants across the globe.

My conversation as a guest on The More Sibyl Podcast a fellow Nigeria on my story as an African in the diaspora. I learned about  The More Sibyl Podcast while I was listening to Concrete Pasture Podcast.  The host of Concrete Pastures Nancy Mulemwa Siisii my sister from Zambia invited More Sibyl as a guest on Concrete Pasture Podcast. I started following The More Sibyl Podcast and I listened to some of her latest episodes. I contacted More Sibyl after listening to one of her episode which caught my interest as the guest described the lack and limited services for children with autism in Nigeria.  I wanted to share information with the guest which I thought my be helpful. More Sibyl connected back with me and we have been talking about collaboration. I am looking forward to collaborate with More Sibyl and Nancy Mulemwan Siisii in the future as we continue our community conversations.  

Podcast Note from The More Sibyl Podcast 

It's Black History Month on this side of the pond. Though we get the shortest month in the year we gon’ make it loud and long. And what better way to do this than chatting with a Nigerian who’s passionate about pan-African relationships and has made it her life work to close the social distance between our cousins (Blacks abroad) and us? I chatted with Ms. Kemi Seriki of the Pánsá Pánsá Forum, a Nigerian immigrant of Yoruba ethnic diversity.

I was overjoyed when I learned that Oludara Adeeyo had published a new book, Affirmation for Black Women. Late last year, I received a notification from the Marketing and Publicity Associate of Simon & Schuster regarding the recent publication from Oludara Adeeyo, and I couldn't wait to have her again on my platform. Adeeyo was a returning guest on Pansa Pansa Podcast. She was initially featured in 2021 before our first book Self Care for Black Women, was published. As I told Adeeyo during our conversation, "You published two books in one year. Who does that? Only someone with Nigerian heritage. Nigerians never carry last!

The Pansa Pansa Podcast welcomes back Oludara Adeeyo, a licensed psychotherapist, psychiatric social worker, and bestselling author whose work centers on helping Black women prioritize their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Based in Los Angeles, California.

When Oludara first appeared on the Pansa Pansa Podcast, her groundbreaking book, Self-Care for Black Women, had not yet been released. In this long-awaited follow-up conversation, we take a deep dive into the book that has since received widespread praise from readers and publications, including the Boston Globe, for its practical and compassionate approach to self-care.

During our conversation, Oludara explains why self-care is not a luxury but a necessity for Black women, who often carry the emotional weight of family, community, work, and society while neglecting their own needs. She thoughtfully walks us through the three pillars of her book—Mind, Body, and Soul—and discusses how intentional self-care can transform every aspect of a woman's life.

One of the most touching moments in our discussion centers on the book's dedication to her late mother:

"For my mother, who did not live long enough to experience the peace of radical self-care."

Oludara reflects on how her mother's experiences inspired her to write this book and why she hopes future generations of Black women will choose healing over burnout and prioritize themselves without guilt.

Our conversation also extends beyond the experiences of African Americans to include immigrant women, particularly African immigrant women, who often navigate multiple layers of oppression based on race, gender, immigration status, cultural expectations, religion, and identity. We discuss how the principles in Self-Care for Black Women are equally relevant to women in the African diaspora who frequently place the needs of family and community above their own mental and emotional health.

We also explore Oludara's second book, Affirmations for Black Women, where she explains what affirmations truly are and why they play an essential role in building confidence, resilience, and emotional wellness. She distinguishes between practicing affirmations as a daily habit and using them during moments of fear, uncertainty, or self-doubt. According to Oludara, daily affirmations can also become a form of prayer and intentional manifestation, helping individuals align their thoughts with the lives they seek to create.

In the closing moments of our conversation, we examine affirmations through the lens of Yoruba culture. Long before affirmations became a popular self-help practice, Yoruba traditions embraced daily words of encouragement and identity through Oríkì. Oriki is a rich oral tradition of praise poetry that celebrates an individual's ancestry, lineage, character, achievements, and potential. It is passed down through generations, and Oríkì serves not only as a cultural expression but also as a powerful reminder of one's identity, purpose, and inner strength. We discuss how reconnecting with these traditions can inspire modern approaches to mental wellness and self-care.

I encourage our listeners and viewers to purchase copies of Self-Care for Black Women and Affirmations for Black Women for themselves, and to share these empowering books with friends, daughters, sisters, mothers, and loved ones.

Recently, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Hidden Brain, hosted by Shankar Vedantam. The podcast explores the complexities of human behaviors and the psychology behind them in our changing world. This particular episode on the Hidden Brain was called Decoding Emotions, and the title caught my attention. I found the episode very interesting. Batja Mesquita was the guest and the author of Between Us – How culture creates emotion. As the author described the book, “We may think of emotions as universal responses, felt inside, but in Between Us.” The acclaimed psychologist Batja Mesquita asks us to view emotions through what they do in our relationships, one-on-one, and within more prominent social networks. She argues that "acknowledging differences in emotions allows us to find common ground, humanizing and humbling us all for the better.”

Mesquita was a native of Amsterdam who migrated to the US for a Phd. program, and she compared the emotional expression of both worlds. After listening to this topic, I thought that our community could benefit from this discussion, and we could expand on how our cultural background and emotional expression may be part of the answer to the difficulties in creating intergenerational relationships within our African immigrant community.

I thought of having this conversation and inviting at least two guests who can broaden the conversation thoughtfully and present it in a way the community would understand. Dr. Abi Fapohunda and Dr. Kelechi Lambert graciously accepted to participate in the conversation. Both guests are in academia in public health and have done published research on topics focusing on the African immigrant community. Dr. Fapohunda and Dr. Ibe Lamberts extensively reviewed the podcast and how some of its content applies to African immigrants. In this conversation, we discussed how culture and emotional expression presented by African immigrant parents affect intergenerational relationships within the community. As Mesquita stated, “In each cultural group, parents shape their children’s emotions to fit the culture’s normative relationships.”

During our discussion, there was an acknowledgment that emotional expression is different across cultures. We further understood that cultural background dictates or predicts how emotions are felt and expressed. It shapes how individuals think in a specific situation or how they react to it.

During our conversation, there is an understanding that it may be challenging to relearn new emotional expressions when the original culture and emotions are interrelated. Can we relearn how we express our primary emotions, such as anger, fear, surprises, sadness, disgust, and happiness? Then there is secondary emotion such as shame, pride, and guilt which, according to studies, also varies in their expression depending on age, gender, and cultural background. We further talked extensively about the shared beliefs in African society relating to respect for parents and towards elders of the community. We talked about the positive aspect of this practice.

If we have to improve intergenerational relationships within African immigrant communities, there must be mutual respect between the two groups. Most importantly, when we treat elders of our community with care and respect, we are setting examples to the outside group that we value our elders. In conclusion, we must relearn new ways of expressing some emotional expression to fit our new home. But the question is, do we have to relearn different emotional expressions, and what challenges could pose difficulties in relearning unique emotional expressions that fit the new world? Especially in a country with a diverse cultural group and racial diversity, how do we relearn the standard of new emotional expression? I am grateful to Dr. Abi Fapohunda and Dr. Kelechi Lambert for joining me in this meaningful conversation and sharing their wisdom.

As we continue to explore the specifics of challenges we face as African immigrants abroad, I was grateful for Mrs. Ngozi Ebinum. Mrs. Ebinum is a fellow Nigerian immigrant, and she came on the Pánsá Pánsá podcast to have a conversation with me about her experiences in navigating appropriate educational services for her three autistic children within the NYC education system. Ms. Ofili who was also present spoke highly of Mrs. Ebinum on her persistent and courageous effort to ensure that her children diagnosed with autism get placed in an appropriate school setting. Many studies have shown that immigrant families are less likely to have traditional knowledge of the public school system or if their children are placed in an appropriate school setting. Many immigrant families may not be aware of school choices such as magnet schools, private school vouchers, and charter schools. Many may need to be made aware of early childhood education that is available free of charge to 3 and 4-year-olds. Due to this lack of knowledge of the school system in the USA, including the daily struggles of providing for their family, limited resources, or no resources to educate immigrants parents about their rights, many families are left behind. If these focus groups are aware of their rights, fear of deportation may be a barrier that may hinder their efforts in advocating for the proper school placement for their children. This process may be even more challenging for many immigrant parents with a child with learning differences or special needs. Children with special education needs are evaluated, and IEP is usually developed (individualized education program). I believe that IEP is a tool to document how the needs of children with disability, learning differences, or emotional disturbance will be met within the setting of an educational environment. IEP is also an agreement between a parent and school to document the goal and services that need to be provided to the child. IEP is also developed for children with learning differences and emotional disturbance. IEP is reviewed yearly to monitor the progress of the child in question. During the conversation, we discussed the difference between expectations and reality for immigrants in America. Mrs. Ebinum talked about her reality of America as it relates to the challenges her family experienced as an immigrant and as a parent to children growing up in America. She spoke candidly on the initial diagnosis of her children, the specific needs of each child, and what type of services the children are receiving from NYC agencies. Kennedy Center and the YAI program have been working with her family, and she detailed her experiences working with these agencies. Her children started in the NYC public school system, and she gave an account of the inadequate and unprofessional services and the biases she experienced while navigating the school system as she explored appropriate educational settings for her children. Mrs. Ebinum provided cogent advice to listers who may have a child with autism or know someone with a child diagnosed with autism and are exploring appropriate school settings. Pánsá Pánsá continues to normalize the conversation about the importance of advocating adequate education needs for our children. I appreciate Ngozi Ebinum's generosity and vulnerability in sharing her experiences with our community through her heart-warming account of navigating the system to obtain the education services that her children deserve. Thanks to Rosemary Ofili for the selfless work she and her sister Josephine are doing within the community advocating for our children within the NYC public school. An African proverb says, “however a tree may be tall, it will never stop the sun from shining” If we are persistent, we will eventually obtain our goals. -

On the 4th season of my discussion on the Pansa Pansa podcast, I wanted to change the gear by exploring the specifics of challenges we face at large as African immigrants abroad. As I continue to talk about the intergenerational relationship, I also want to discuss specific topics such as inequalities we experience in our community in the area of education, health disparities, language barriers, lack of applicable social services, biases, and discrimination. We experience these inequalities due to our countries of origin, language, religion, race, cultural background, etc. All these mentioned barriers would be interconnected with topics such as domestic violence, mental health awareness, acculturation, and social functionality as we adapt to life in America or elsewhere.  

I was fortunate to have met Professor Dialika Sall to start the 4th season of the podcast and paved the way for an upcoming discussion on the Pansa Pansa podcast.