Reinvention isn’t a branding trick, it’s how you keep your center when the ground keeps moving. 

On this episode, I sit down with Tayo Rockon, a third culture kid turned behavioral scientist, TEDx speaker, and author, to unpack the real work of belonging across continents. We get honest about the moments that sting and the choices that save you: when a classmate mocks your hair, when a manager rewards your "office voice", when a resumé name changes your callback rate, when a visa status turns dating into a negotiation.

Tayo takes us inside his early pivots — Nigeria, Sweden, Burkina Faso, the U.S., Vietnam — and the education that followed: how to read rooms without losing yourself, how to harness code switching as cultural fluency rather than self-erasure, and how to reclaim a name and accent that carry history. We talk about bias in hiring, the politics of natural hair, the subtle taxes paid to appear "easy", and the small rebellions that restore dignity. There’s laughter too: suya and garri debates, choosing Nigerian heat over New York winters, and the airport that raises your blood pressure more than any Monday meeting.

We also explore love and visas with rare candor. Tayo explains why he disclosed immigration uncertainty on first dates, how visa stability finally opened space for partnership, and the affinities that connect Nigerian and Haitian cultures — elders, spice, music, pride. By the end, Tayo offers a clear mindset for anyone navigating identity across borders: your story is still unfolding, and there are parts of you the world hasn’t met yet. Do the self-reflection, name what you want, and close the gap between who you are and who you’re becoming, step by step.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s straddling cultures, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Your voice helps this community grow.

Learn more about Tayo and his work: TAYO ROCKSON

Read Damilola's short story for the Tender Visions project, referenced in the episode: How to Sing a Border Song - Tender Photos

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

The dream of moving abroad promises freedom and fresh starts, but what about the quiet loneliness after the boxes are unpacked? We sit down with psychotherapist and coach Gbemi Adekoya — former tailor, proud "pivot queen", and zero-gen immigrant — to talk candidly about the fine print of relocation: identity shifts, parenting without a village, and the art of rebuilding a life from scratch.

Gbemi walks us through the moment a simple question — what would you do if money was solved? — turned fashion plans into a counseling vocation. She breaks down her path from community college to behavioral science and clinical work, showing how outcome-first thinking and a strong why make pivots less scary and more strategic. We explore the messy middle: crying over a yellow shirt in a dryer, the ache for extended family, and the realization that you don’t escape problems, you trade one set for another. That lens helps quiet nostalgia and focus on design: forming intentional pods, crafting shared rituals, and letting kids grow up as "cousins" through repeated care.

We also open space for grief and meaning. After losing parents and siblings, Gbemi treats every day beyond a feared age as "extra time", a practice that swaps dread for purpose and joy. The result is a blueprint for immigrants, parents, and career changers: choose a future you can describe, reverse engineer the steps, normalize the lows, and make community on purpose. If you've ever felt both grateful and homesick, ambitious and unsure, this conversation offers language, tools, and a gentler way to keep going.

If the episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s building a life far from home, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Your support helps more zero-gen stories find their people.

Find more of Gbemi's work at gbemisoke.com.

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

A near-firing. A hard truth over steak. And a choice to stop playing small. Bayo "Lion" Adediji, CEO of Wakanow.com, nightlife entrepreneur, and former Amazon senior leader, joins us for a raw, kinetic conversation about going from accent anxiety and a PIP in corporate America to leading a multi-million dollar travel company from Lagos—and why burning the safety net was the unlock.

We get into the inflection points that shaped his trajectory: learning to speak with clarity and conviction, documenting wins so respect isn’t optional, and choosing respect over belonging when feedback gets coded as "executive presence". Bayo shares the Dale Carnegie practices that rewired his leadership, the intentional hiring that built truly diverse, high-performing teams, and the power of pulling people with you and then coaching them to win.

Then we pivot to the return home. Bayo explains how he turned around a struggling brand by bringing Amazon-grade principles — frugality, customer obsession, speed, and high standards — into a complex African market. He lays out the second playbook too: trust but verify, relationships as strategy, deals done in social settings, and the discipline to learn from others' failed experiments before spending a dollar. His take on crisis will reframe how you see volatility: inside the noise is the opportunity, if you commit.

If you've wondered whether comfort is capping your growth, or whether your voice, background, or style can be turned into an edge, this is your map. Come for the candor; stay for the practical moves you can apply tomorrow — whether you're climbing in Big Tech or building in Lagos. If this conversation moves you, follow the Zero Generation podcast, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

Everyone leaves home for different reasons.

Nobody tells you what comes after.

Season 2 of Zero Generation explores the lives Black immigrants build after the leap — the pressure, the pivots, the laughter, the longing, and the courage it takes to redefine success on your own terms.

Through intimate conversations with leaders, creatives, parents, and first-generation Americans, this season asks: when you’ve left home, who are you becoming now?

Some return. Some stay. Most live in between.

Season 2 launches January 8.

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

How is it that we’re already at the end of a full season of the Zero Generation podcast? The time’s gone by so fast! When I looked back on everything I’ve learned and talked about, I came to one major realization: the Zero Generation podcast isn’t over yet. I thought it would only take a season to tell the story of the brave people who make abroad their home, but there’s so much more to say. So join me as I look back on my season highlights and look forward to the future! 

I list everything I’ve learned from all of the bright and beautiful guests who came to talk to me. They all inspired me in different ways and if you missed any of my episodes, this is a great way to catch up and find out what we talked about together. Wherever you’re at in your immigration journey, you’re definitely going to hear something that will speak to the questions you ask yourself about where you’ve come from – and where you want to get to. 

The last message I want to give you this season is: thank you. Truly, thank you to everyone who’s tuned in, sent me a message, encouraged me, and recommended me. I don’t take your support for granted so it means a lot. I hope that you’ll subscribe to Zero Generation so that you’ll catch the first episode of the new season as soon as I’m back, and if there’s an episode you missed, you’ll find it on my YouTube channel. 

Join the Zero Gen community:

• Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://damilolaonwah.com/newsletter
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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

Segun Adeyina was always the kind of person to be heavily involved with his community, so it was natural to him that when he moved from Nigeria to the United States, he would find a way to connect and engage with the Nigerian diaspora. However, even he didn’t think that he would go from being a migrant student to being voted in as one of Georgia’s first-ever Nigerian-American elected officials. Join me on the Zero Generation podcast to talk with State Representative Segun Adeyina about community, culture and what it means to be a Nigerian away from home.

State Representative Segun Adeyina begins by telling me about his childhood in Nigeria and how he adjusted to life in the States when he moved over as a seventeen-year-old student. We talk about some of the cultural differences between Nigeria and the States and how Segun’s platform within the community refocused his mind and inspired him to run for office. Listen out for our discussion about what success means for the Nigerian community and for his advice to other Nigerians abroad.

I’m so proud and happy to be able to speak to other brave people who are moving abroad and making their dreams come true. If you’re enjoying this Zero Generation journey, please let me know by subscribing to the podcast and leaving a review!


Follow Segun on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/segunforgeorgia

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

So many Nigerians of working age leave their home country for a better and brighter future abroad, and I’m one of them. But what happens when you want to go home? Is it just homesickness or a sign that you’re ready to return to your friends and family? And does the home you’re dreaming of still really exist? 

In this episode of Zero Generation, I’m sharing my thoughts about japada, or young people ‘escaping’ Nigeria for better work opportunities in the U.S., Europe, or even further away, and the complex conversations they have about moving back to Nigeria. Some people see returning to Nigeria as a sign of failure, but for others, it’s coming full circle to return to Nigeria to take care of their ageing parents. I lay out the arguments for staying abroad and for going home, bringing to light the difficult choice that all Nigerians abroad have to make. 

So you’re going to hear all my thoughts on japada, but now I want to know yours! Tell me about your japada and whether you’re committed to staying away or working towards going home. Did your japada turn out like you thought it would? Subscribe to Zero Generation for more episodes like this about the Nigerian diaspora community. 

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

You probably know about the American Dream, that anyone who works hard can make it big in the States. But what does it actually take to do that? And just who qualifies for this dream anyway? These are questions that Francesca Uriri started asking herself when she moved from Nigeria to America for a job that was supposed to be a step up in her career. Join us on the Zero Generation podcast for a conversation about culture shock, code-switching and surviving Corporate America. 

Francesca tells me about how she made her move to the States and her process of adjustment to a different role and a very different company culture. We pull apart the myth of ‘bringing your whole self to work’ and Francesca gives advice that you’ll want to hear if you’re struggling in your corporate job right now. Then we discuss how we feel about moving ‘back home’, what actually causes burnout and how to bounce back.

This conversation meant so much to me because it mirrored my own journey navigating moving countries for a job that didn’t turn out how it was promised to be. If you’re part of the Zero Generation or are curious about the experience of those who are, subscribe to the Zero Generation podcast to have my latest episode delivered to you every other week. 

Follow Francesca on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/leadingladiesafrica
https://www.instagram.com/zanyfran

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

This episode of Zero Generation is a special one, featuring a conversation with my show producer Ona Oghogho, the founder of Adode Media. Ona shares her inspiring journey as a first-generation Nigerian American carving her own path as an entrepreneur.

Together, Ona and I delve into the influences in her life that have shaped her perseverance and overall outlook. From her 3rd grade karate teacher to her unwavering faith in God and Ona pulls back the curtain on how she’s been able to build Atlanta’s Number 1 destination for podcast production.

You'll gain insight into her business philosophy, as well as the highs and lows she’s experienced as an entrepreneur. In her own words, "My goal is my goal," and trust me, she is determined to achieve it!

Prepare to be inspired by Ona’s vision for the future and her relentless tenacity. If you're interested in more interviews with immigrants at various stages of their migration journey, be sure to subscribe to Zero Generation.

Check out Adode Studios and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adodestudios

Connect with Ona
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onaoghogho
Website: https://www.adodemedia.com

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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)

When we think about culture and traditions, we often think about food, ceremonies and religious faiths. But culture is also the way that we live our lives and nowhere do we see that more than how we raise our children. As a Nigerian living in the U.S. who hopes to have children one day, I’ve thought deeply about which parts of my Nigerian upbringing I would want my future children to experience too. So on this episode of Zero Generation, I invite my friend and fellow immigrant Teniola Bamidele to ask her about how she’s raising her four children.

Teniola begins by telling me about why she adopted two children and how she’s supporting them as they begin life as young adults far away from home. Then we get into the differences between Nigerian and American parents, discussing whether Teniola asks her kids to prostrate for her and how she felt about her daughter asking to move far away to go to college. You won’t want to miss Teniola explaining the parenting situations where she’s “Nigerian, but not too Nigerian”!

Parenting is challenging enough even when you’re not faced with questions about your country or culture of origin. And when you are, it’s a daily balancing act that makes you think deeply about the society you’ve chosen to live in. For more raw, honest conversations from people who are living the Zero Generation immigration experience, subscribe to the podcast. 

Follow Teniola on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tennesse_22/

Join the Zero Gen community:

• Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://damilolaonwah.com/newsletter
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Theme Music by

• Akinoluwa Oyedele

Video & Audio Production by

• JSB Video (Season 2)
• Adode Media (Season 1)