What Are You Looking For?

Dija of Mavins (One of the members of the biggest music dynasty in Nigeria) is my friend/sister. She became my friend months before she was signed onto Mavins and she is one young woman I really respect and love. 

Well, during one of our many talks before she became Nigeria's sweetheart, she told me something I'll never forget and something I want to share with you all as 2015 draws to a close. She said "Dara, the funny thing in this life is, whatever you are looking for is right where you started." 

She is very right and I was reminded of how right she is today. I decided to clear out an old shelf in my room and sort out all the old books on it from my primary school days to my uni days. I had completely forgotten I used to make magazines and sell to my friends in years 5& 6, so when I saw one of the magazines tucked away at the bottom of the shelf, it took my breath away. You see, I had decided very early on that I wasn't going to be another Nigerian girl that went to uni in England to do law and then abandon my degree later on. For some reason unbeknownst to me, finding my "passion" or studying what I really want to be studying was very important to me. 

It took me two confusing and very difficult years of uncertainty and many many career talks and private discussions to finally (re-)discover that the media is where my heart is at. My heart knew it in year 5 & 6 when I was a shy little girl 'publishing' and selling THREE different magazines but I had somehow convinced my head that law was what I was called to do in life. I thank God for not giving me peace about law and I thank God for redirecting me back to the beginning. But, I can't help but wonder if those two years would have happened and were necessary if I had somehow just remembered where I started or somehow stumbled upon this magazine then. 

I really believe that God has a hand on my life so I'm not too bothered about those two years now but at the same time, I kinda wish somebody would have just said, "Dara honey, your answer is right where you started. Look back." As we prepare to enter in 2016, I want to tell some, (not all) of you, that maybe, just maybe, the answer that you seek really isn't rocket science and that maybe, just maybe, the answer you so desperately seek is where you started.

I wish you all a wonderful and lovely new year!! 

From the bottom of my heart,

Dara Rhodes