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Meet Jonathan Olakunle Olanlokun — Nigeria’s Real-Life Spider-Man Fighting for a Cleaner Future When it comes to superhe...
13/09/2025

Meet Jonathan Olakunle Olanlokun — Nigeria’s Real-Life Spider-Man Fighting for a Cleaner Future

When it comes to superheroes, most of us think of comic books and Hollywood blockbusters. But in Nigeria, a real-life hero is donning a Spider-Man costume—not to fight villains, but to fight waste and pollution.

His name is Jonathan Olakunle Olanlokun, an environmental activist and founder of the Barbara Abike Epperson Foundation (BAEF). For more than two decades, Jonathan has made it his life’s mission to keep streets, markets, and public spaces clean—armed with brooms, waste bags, and a powerful message about community responsibility.

Jonathan began his cleanup work in 2004, often working alone. But in 2021, he found a creative way to grab attention: he started wearing a full Spider-Man suit during his cleanup exercises.

“The costume makes people notice me. It gets them curious, and once they stop to look, I get a chance to talk to them about keeping their environment clean,” Jonathan explains.

Why It Matters

Nigeria, like many developing nations, struggles with waste management and littering. By turning heads with his costume, Jonathan has inspired conversations and encouraged ordinary citizens to join him, turning clean-ups into community events. His efforts have also been recognized by local and international media, with features on Euronews, TheCable, and other platforms.

The Barbara Abike Epperson Foundation

Named after the late American missionary who raised his mother, Jonathan’s foundation focuses on environmental sanitation, clean water projects, poverty reduction, and youth empowerment. He self-funds most of the work but continues to call for greater government and private-sector collaboration to expand the impact.

Jonathan’s “Spider-Man approach” proves that one person can inspire an entire community. He believes that if more people get involved, Nigeria can achieve cleaner cities, healthier neighborhoods, and a stronger culture of environmental responsibility.

“Cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility. We can’t wait for the government alone—we must act where we are,” he says.

Jonathan’s story is a reminder that true heroism isn’t about superpowers—it’s about taking action and inspiring others to do the same.

08/09/2025
One of the easiest mistakes we make, especially when we’ve found some measure of success, is assuming our way is the way...
07/09/2025

One of the easiest mistakes we make, especially when we’ve found some measure of success, is assuming our way is the way. We share our stories like they are a roadmap and forget that every human being is walking through a completely different terrain.

Sharing personal experience can be powerful. It can inspire, teach, and even save someone from costly mistakes. But the danger lies in presenting our story as a statutory, one-size-fits-all solution.

You see this everywhere, books and coaches telling us there are 10 principles of success, 6 steps to wealth, or 3 habits that will change your life forever. These lists can be helpful as guides, but they can also create pressure, making people feel that if they cannot follow every step exactly, they are doomed to fail.

Your journey worked because it was yours. It fit your timing, your upbringing, your network, your opportunities, your failures, and your resilience level. Another person may try to copy and paste it, only to get completely different results, or sometimes even the opposite.
Advice should be open, liberal, and humble enough to say:

“This worked for me, but your reality might require a different approach.”

When we insist that others follow some definite steps, we unknowingly take away their freedom to explore, make choices, and build their own story. We reduce them to passengers on our bus, when life has already given them the keys to their own.

You see...there is beauty in variety. There is strength in letting people take what resonates, discard what doesn’t, and shape a life that is uniquely theirs.

The best advice does not impose; it empowers.
The best guidance does not chain; it frees.
The best mentors do not create clones; they create thinkers.

So, bro… the next time you share your success story, or recommend a book full of “proven steps,” be sure to leave space for choice.

I take God beg you, give us permission to rewrite it in our own handwriting.

After all, the journey is what makes the destination meaningful.

Funeral of the Duchess of Kent to Be Held on 16 September
07/09/2025

Funeral of the Duchess of Kent to Be Held on 16 September

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

Nollywood Actor Ibrahim Chatta Loses Son [PHOTO]
06/09/2025

Nollywood Actor Ibrahim Chatta Loses Son [PHOTO]

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

Flashback: What Ken Saro-Wiwa Did To Achieve The Creation Of Rivers State
06/09/2025

Flashback: What Ken Saro-Wiwa Did To Achieve The Creation Of Rivers State

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

Mohbad’s Father Releases Emotional Song Ahead of Second D3@th Anniversary, Renews Call for Justice
06/09/2025

Mohbad’s Father Releases Emotional Song Ahead of Second D3@th Anniversary, Renews Call for Justice

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

High Court Evicts Ali Baba From Victoria Island Mansion
06/09/2025

High Court Evicts Ali Baba From Victoria Island Mansion

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

PMAN Clarifies Monaco Land Dispute: No Site Takeover, Criminal Investigations Continue
05/09/2025

PMAN Clarifies Monaco Land Dispute: No Site Takeover, Criminal Investigations Continue

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

The Sade Adesoye I Know - Seun Joseph
15/10/2024

The Sade Adesoye I Know - Seun Joseph

This is a site about politics, entertainment, sports, business, culture, nature, technology

Life is a ceaseless journey, a dance between desire and satisfaction. We begin our days with innocent wants—a toy, a fri...
20/07/2024

Life is a ceaseless journey, a dance between desire and satisfaction. We begin our days with innocent wants—a toy, a friend, a dream. As children, our hearts are filled with simple joys, the world a playground of endless possibilities. But as we grow, so does our yearning.

The toys become symbols of status, the friendships a web of complex needs, and the dreams morph into insatiable ambitions.

We chase after success, convinced that just one more achievement will fill the void.

We crave wealth, believing that more possessions will bring us happiness.

Relationships become battlegrounds for validation, love a conditional transaction. The thirst for recognition drives us to the brink of exhaustion, yet the fleeting moments of triumph never seem to satiate our hunger.

Each milestone reached is but a brief respite, a momentary high that soon fades, leaving us longing for the next big thing.

We are haunted by the specter of "not enough", not enough time, not enough love, not enough life. The pursuit becomes relentless, a cycle of desire that tightens its grip with every passing year.

In the quiet moments, when the noise of ambition subsides, we catch glimpses of what truly matters.

The laughter of a child, the warmth of a lover's embrace, the serenity of a sunset—these are the treasures we often overlook in our frantic race for more. Yet, even these moments are fleeting, slipping through our fingers as we chase the elusive promise of lasting fulfillment.

As the years pass, the weight of our accumulated desires begins to take its toll. The body grows weary, the mind burdened with regrets and missed opportunities. We realize that the more we grasp for, the more life slips away from us. The finish line, once a distant speck, draws nearer with unsettling speed.

In the end, we come to understand that life is not about the accumulation of wealth or accolades, but about the richness of experiences and connections. It's about savoring the present, embracing our imperfections, and finding contentment in the simple joys.

Death, the great equalizer, reminds us that we cannot take our possessions, titles, or trophies with us. What remains are the memories we create and the love we share.

Life is a paradox, an endless quest for more that ultimately teaches us the value of less.

It's a journey of learning to let go, of finding peace in the present moment, and of cherishing the intangible wealth of a well-lived life.

As we take our final breaths, we may finally grasp the truth: that true abundance lies not in what we have, but in who we are, and in the love we give and receive.

L.I.F.E

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