Our guest stars

"As an avid listener of Next Stop Africa, one of my favorite topics discussed on the podcast was the one on gender roles. Gender roles are placed on us from a young age and I don't think we take the time to dissect how this kind of pressure impacts us as adults. I'm glad this episode broke down the double standards in gender roles and looked at gender roles in different cultures to demonstrate why we shouldn't let gender roles define us or dictate our future.

I hope this topic opens people's minds to the impact of gender roles and the importance of being able to think for yourself and live a life that brings you joy while affording others that same privilege. Next Stop Africa is giving us the tools to know better so that we can do and be better, so I hope listeners are taking advantage of that and continuing the conversations offline."

"Rather than what Next Stop Africa means to me, the question for me is more “How do you see Next Stop Africa?” Or “What is Next Stop Africa to you?” I’ve said it before on the episodes I was on, I am African born and raised; moreover, it is my identity, you see it in the way I dress, you hear it in the way I speak, you smell it in what I eat. Next Stop Africa is for me an outlet that shares all the things that made me, an outlet that shows not only the struggle but the goodness as well, unlike others who only show the struggle. Next Stop Africa shows Africa as a place just like any other with the best we have to offer i.e. food, music, culture (pop or otherwise). Above all, Next Stop Africa is a place where I can hear my people laugh and spice it up while stirring conversation in our family group chat."

"Besides going the bias route and saying “Music” was my favorite - the most memorable episode for me and one that I really enjoyed was “Religion.” I’ve been on my own spiritual journey for the past few years, and as a topic of conversation that I would normally avoid, I find it to be something incredibly interesting now. It can be touchy, as it’s not something that people with different beliefs tend to get the chance to talk about it openly as a group, and exchange knowledge and experience together. Even although it’s such a controversial subject, there were still so many amazing questions, infectious laughs, and eye-opening discussions. It’s a really crazy world we’ve been living in where we, as people, for centuries, haven’t been able to move forward as a unit. We pick apart each other and different cultures still to this day and people lose lives over these differences. ‘Next Stop Africa’ is a real eye-opener and frankly, something that needed to happen to shed light on the matter - it’s a real start to everyone, hopefully, being able to elevate through this life together and celebrate the differences that make us all human. The energy is truly unparalleled. I’ve learned so much and really enjoyed everybody’s energy each time - that’s a lot of E’s but the podcast is truly A+, I can’t wait for the next season!"

"Listening in to the episode about Colorism, it opened my eyes and showed me what others experience that I will never being a light skin person in Africa. During the episode that I was a guest on I was challenged to think about other religions and how their rituals in ways differ from mine, but yet so close to them at the same time. I have learned so much about the Christian fate, the rituals prayers, and the differences within it."

"The easy answer is the finale because I got to have my mom with me. But the one that resonated most with me emotionally is probably the colorism episode. It’s something that as an African American I’ve been exposed to, and my peers as well. Yet, the scope of what takes place as far as the war on darker skin in Ethiopia, the skin bleaching products, it’s sad man. Just listening to the statistics is enough to take you to an emotional place alone. I thought I knew a fair amount, but my educational horizons were broadened in learning the sad truths. We preach that we love our black women, and all skin tones are beautiful and we should cherish them, yet in grand scheme of things, that love isn’t being represented as much as it should be or as authentically. Not just in the US, but the motherland as well. Like Aime says, We gotta do more, and we gotta do better and it starts with teaching our young black girls, especially darker skin from early that they are loved and they are beautiful."

I'd say that I had a blind perception of what African countries looked like, growing up. From what I was told, it sounded like there was nothing but wildlife, genocides, and tribes out in Africa, when in fact, there's many developed areas. This false impression made me wonder what else I was being told by teachers or the media that was wrong.

"Next Stop Africa to me in one word is- educational. It’s a platform for everyone! There’s a lot of misconceptions about Africa as a whole. Whether you’re part of the African community, or not, you can come here and get educated on an area. You can’t listen in and not leave with some knowledge! It reminds me of why I am proud to be Nigerian! Being African is a Huge Flex! Tuning in makes you want your next stop to be in Africa!"