Empressive NAIJA

Empressive Naija is an online newspaper, your daily dose of news, reviews, and behind-the-scenes scoops

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

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.