HH People editorial team interviewed Taye Ade-Balogun — a healthcare professional by day and part-time philosopher when Nigeria ‘happens’.
We spoke about everything from war, inflation, and failed businesses to music therapy and alter egos.
He shared what it means to stay sane in a world that feels like it’s constantly trying to implode — and why, despite it all, he’s still betting on Nigeria.
So, what do you do when the world feels like a ticking time bomb? Taye says: grab your life jacket, play OneRepublic, and sail on.
AA for HH People: This month we’re looking at everything that’s going on in the world. There’s war. There are kidnappings. There’s a lot of uncertainty. And so, the question is around that; how are people coping? What do people expect? What’s the worst possible thing that people think can happen? I have a few questions for you. No right or wrong answer. We truly just want to know what you make of all this and how you’re fairing.
TA: Alright. Lol. Fire when ready.
AA for HH People: Of all the things going on in the world right now, which recent global events shook you the most and why?
TA: The Iran versus Israel saga because it came so unexpectedly. The world just sort of woke up to it – Israel shooting at Iran and Iran retaliating. All of it is very wrong. I’m not even going to take any side. It’s an ego trip and what matters to me is the lives of the people who are being messed with.
With everything going on in the world, Nigeria seems worse off. What is happening in Nigeria is us doing it to ourselves year in and year out, repeatedly.
AA for HH People: Personally, how are you dealing with all of it? How are you keeping hope alive with everything unravelling both home and abroad?
TA: I’m trying not to be political. Nigerians will survive anything, and I feel the reason is because over time we’ve grown tough skin. One thing that has always moved Nigerians is knowing there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Hope is what has been keeping us. Hope is what has been helping me to survive. Sometimes I wonder if it all gets better but somehow, I’m just hopeful and that’s one of the reasons why I’m not big on the whole ‘japa’ thing. Yes, there is greater pasture out there, but I believe Nigeria will be better.
It may not happen in my time, but eventually it will. I’m happy to be able to contribute my quota to making the lives of those around me better in any way I can through healthcare.
I’m glad when I’m able to give them hope that they’ll get better. To be able to say, “You’re at Avon Medical. Everything will be fine.”
But coping also involves a lot of lifestyle modification, because tomorrow you can wake up and the dollar rate is 2500 or 3000. You must live knowing that anything can happen tomorrow but still hold on to that hope that it will get better.
AA for HH People: Absolutely. You said something about Nigerians being able to survive anything. Do you think that’s a good thing or bad thing?
TA: It’s good and it’s bad. It’s good in the sense that it is how we’ve been able to survive in the country after all we’ve been through and even other countries like South Africa, are jealous of us. So, I’ll say it’s good for survival. It makes us stand out in other countries where we go.
But it is bad in the sense that, it makes it easy to capitalise on and take Nigerians for granted.
Basically, “Oh, Nigerians be fine”. Yes, Nigerians will be fine. But then we should be able to have better lives. Be able to maximise our abilities. When we have the necessities for survival, we realise there’s a lot that Nigerians can achieve.
So, it’s good and bad.
AA for HH People: We woke up to the news of war in the Middle East. The US is now involved. Russia and Ukraine are still fighting their own war and everything.
Now a lot of people have been asking ‘Are we looking at a World War situation?’ If that happens what would be the first thing that you would do?
TA: I would just want to be with my family. That’s the first and very first thing for me.
At least if it’s going to be my last days, let it be with family.
But then again, I always say this. At the level that the world has gotten to, we’ve come too far to risk it all on loggerheads of individual countries. There is too much at stake to risk that kind of war. We are already seeing talks around a ceasefire.
AA for HH People: Hmm.
TA: Going in this direction definitely risks nuclear engagement and that’s something that affects everyone else. In fact, we’ve already seen oil prices go up as a result of these few days. Nigerians no dey even waste time. Oil marketers no dey slow to increase price. Now imagine what will happen worldwide.
AA for HH People: Right.
TA: I don’t think it’s going to happen, but if it does, I’ll spend my time with my family.
AA for HH People: OK, OK. Let’s just say it happens, what skills do you have or what unconventional skill do you have that you feel would be useful?
TA: That’s where creativity comes into play. I’ll definitely survive. What skill do I have? Survival itself is the skill.
AA for HH People: Lol. I don’t doubt it. Everybody agrees that adulthood is a scam. But let’s imagine adulthood as the metaphorical World War we are all fighting. What has been your toughest battle or the toughest battle you’ve had to face being an adult?
TA: My toughest battle has been having to prove myself, especially at the earlier stages of adulthood.
AA for HH People: How do you mean? Prove yourself moneywise or careerwise?
TA: Careerwise, relationship-wise, all of it. I’ll say the major challenge of adulthood is the economy and inflation. It seems like you’re making enough but over time the enough is no longer enough. So, you must double up to make ends meet.
Also, during the height of the Japa wave, one of the major things that happened was that if you were not getting on the wave, it appeared you were not doing anything meaningful with your life.
AA for HH People: Yeah, that’s true. That’s true.
TA: That was a challenge as well.
AA for HH People: When was the last time when you built something that completely fell apart?
TA: I really love watches so at some point I went into the business of wristwatches and then realised the market was not as lucrative as it appeared.
I started a business, set up my business page, and referral programme, did my registration and everything I got a good source for my products. Suddenly Instagram disabled all my accounts, including my personal accounts, so it fell apart.
I was already getting orders and all that and then literally overnight, I lost everything. The online store I opened was no longer accessible because my accounts were disabled.
AA for HH People: Would you say it was a situation where Nigeria ‘happened’ to you or was it just random?
TA: I’ll say Nigeria happened to me. Eventually, I found out why my accounts were disabled. Competitors were reporting my accounts on the platform.
AA for HH People: What?
TA: I opened the accounts again, but they kept disabling everything, so yeah.
AA for HH People: Well, that’s crazy. When things get dark like this or like when you have moments that are not so great, what is your favourite form of escape and how well does it help?
TA: I listen to a lot of music, and yes, it does help. It’s therapeutic. When the motivation is not there, especially because I’m stressed, music helps me relax.
For instance, if I’m looking for motivation, I won’t go for rock music. Definitely not.
I can do soft rock. Maybe one Republic or something similar.
Also, my twin brother has been a major motivational factor in my life. There’s a friend of mine who is late now; he had a way of saying things that keep me going. He says,
“Taye, everywhere good. No worry”. I still hear that voice in my head and I just know there is a way. Maybe not immediately, but eventually, the solution will come.
AA for HH People: Alright, so this is my final question. And the final question is to imagine what your life looks like in this moment, if it was a Netflix series, what would it be called?
TA: The Sailor. ‘Cause you know, on the sea you face a lot, but you know you have to get your head towards the destination. You know where you’re headed and turning back is almost a no-no, because you’ve come this far.
So yes, The Sailor: Adventures of Taye Bold.
AA for HH People: Oh yeah, where does the name Taye Bold come from?
TA: Back in school I was very timid. I had to create an alter ego to help me speak with confidence and I came up with the name ‘Bold’.
In situations where I needed to muster up confidence, I would switch to Taye Bold and at some point it just became my default.
AA for HH People: That’s quite an interesting story. Thanks so much. I’m grateful for the time here.
TA: Thank you very much for having me.
