Ebele Mogo | blurredcreations

I love to write about both the sweet and bitter sides of life, as most of you would have noticed by now. So, this time around I am writing about something sweet – getting awarded! Last week Thursday, my elder and only sister – Ebele Mogo was awarded with the University of Waterloo’s Young Alumni Award. The award dinner took place at Candela (a restaurant) in Calgary. It was an amazing event. Fifteen people were in attendance, including the university’s Dean of Science, Terry McMahon, two other staff of the university, my mother, brothers, six of my sister’s friends and I. It was great to see everyone at the event speak so well of my sister. Also, each of Ebele’s friends and family members present seemed to have been inspired by her in one way or the other. My sister has been an inspiration to me for a long time. Let me tell you a little about Ebele Mogo … At age 18, Ebele graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2009. In the summer of 2012, she established a non-governmental organization called Engage Africa Foundation http://www.engageafricafoundation.org. Ebele’s passion to stop the occurrence of non-communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa led her to create the Foundation. She is currently a Doctor of Public Health candidate at the Colorado School of Public Health in the United States. Here is a link to Ebele’s blog, Street-side Convos – http://streetsideconvos.com where she inspires people to be creative and also, she motivates people to become successful entrepreneurs. It came to me as no surprise that the University of Waterloo chose her to be the recipient of their Young Alumni Award for this year 2014. It was a beautiful award event. Good venue and good food. The University of Waterloo staff that put the event together did a great job. I took some pictures from the event and am very excited to share them with you all! Here you go:

Proud mama with Ebele

The Calgary-based volunteers of Ebele’s NGO (from the right: Jade, Nneoma and Margot)

Tomiwa Adaramola, the treasurer of the NGO

The Dean of Science speaking of Ebele

My dinner. It was so delicious.

The Dean presenting Ebele with her award

Sharon McFarlane, who played a huge part in organizing the event

My mum, Dr. Felicia Mogo and I

Congratulations Ebele! I do hope that this post has inspired someone. Age is in no way a barrier to greatness.

Love,

Chiamaka.

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Often, I go down memory lane and take myself back to my high school days in my country of birth, Nigeria. In those days, dad would wake me up to go prepare for school, my mum would make sure I ate breakfast, dad would drop me off at school in the morning and he would pick me up at the same spot, at end of the day. I go down memory lane from a current stage of major (not total :)) independence.

My adjustment to independence was shocking to me. As a child, I was greatly pampered by my parents, both of whom I am ever grateful for, but they did not fail to discipline me when I erred. They deliberately made me totally dependent on them and they enjoyed it. Thus, the rate at which I adjusted to independence was and sometimes still is a shocker to me.

I moved to Calgary from Nigeria in 2011 at age 14 to seek university education. I was left with two of my elder siblings, who were now highly independent and working for the government of Canada. After about two months, I decided that I could not keep idle till it was time to get into university by the next year. So, I searched for volunteer opportunities and I finally became a volunteer with the South Calgary Youth Council. There, I was dialoguing with people who possessed a much different culture from mine. They were Canadian. I was just Nigerian not Nigerian-Canadian or so I would introduce myself to people. I started using the bus like a pro. I used to be driven in a car everywhere just a few months ago!

I currently live and school in Ottawa where I have added a few more job experiences to my resume and self-esteem. I am still a volunteer community worker, now an entrepreneur, and also, I am the newly minted Lifestyle Editor for Afri-Culture (an online publication focused on the Ottawa region).

It has hit me now, that the will to fulfill my dreams sedated my self- consciousness, feelings and doubts, and moved me out of my comfort zone and opened me to the world out there, to the people beyond my short-sightedness. I could not do it alone. I am ever thankful to my sister, Ebele Mogo, who continually encourages me to get out of my comfort zone. I actually learnt the phrase – ‘comfort zone’ from her. Then, my parents, friends and other inspiring people that I have met and some I have not met but I have read about or watched.

Today, I encourage you to break off the bricks that surround you. Move out of your comfort zone and find happiness in being uniquely you.

My questions for you: Can you remember who/what made you move out of your comfort zone and how did you find the adjustment?

Love,

Chiamaka Mogo.

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… wiping away the blurs and focusing our lenses on humanity

Tag Archives: Ebele Mogo

LET’S TALK AWARDS! – University of Waterloo’s Young Alumni Award Dinner 2014

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Breaking Down The Bricks: There’s A Huge World Out There, You Know?

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