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Noble Conversations
Consistency in Pursuing Your Dreams and Fostering Respectful Discourse | A Noble Conversation with Manthurs Oseni
In this episode, we sit down with Manthurs Oseni, a content creator, TV radio host, and recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, who shares his journey as a content creator, from his early beginnings with humorous chicken videos to tackling topics of public knowledge and current events. He sheds light on the challenges of building a following on social media and the consistency it requires. He also dives into the importance of empathy in contentious conversations and how he gracefully navigates online discourse. His passion for listening to others' stories is evident and praiseworthy, making this a must-listen episode.
Manthurs reveals how his background and faith in God stand as pillars of his resilience. He talks about his professional aspirations and his desire to create a space for meaningful conversations, underscoring his dedication to his craft. We wrap up with nostalgic reflections on our high school memories, emphasizing the importance of growth and the power of active listening.
Our guest today is Manthor's Oceni, aka Screethost. He is an iJerian-American content creator and TV radio host based in Austin, Texas. His goal with this platform is to create a community where people can voice their opinions on relevant and relatable topics in society in a respectful and cordial manner. He derives joy from listening to stories about people's journeys and he is also a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. Ladies and gentlemen, Manthor's Oceni.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're live. We're live, Bro Manthos, how's it going? Man, doing good man? Yeah, thanks for coming on. I mean, we've known each other since what? 2018? 2019. Oh yeah, it's 2019. Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, 2019. Was it 18?
Speaker 3:Was it 18? I don't know. I don't know. It's 19. It's 19, bro. I remember it was 19.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so we've known each other since 2019. Long time, manthos is a good friend of mine, good friend of Adrian's, and so, yeah, thanks for coming on. I've had a lot of things going on with work and, like you know, script hosts and your channel and all those things, so thanks for making out time for us.
Speaker 3:Yes, the Screets is just always. You know, it has so many things going on and I have to be all ears and present there to witness. So yeah, yes, sir.
Speaker 2:Manthos in the Screets. All right, it was in the Screets.
Speaker 3:It was in the Screets.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we start with the question that we ask our guests and you know this is just to help us figure out where your head is, like your head space, and what you're thinking about. But what is something that you've been dying to tell someone all week? Maybe something you learned or something that happened to you. It could be anything from serious to funny, to the Screets Exactly.
Speaker 3:That's a very good question, bro. I have a lot of things, but if there's something I'm sorry what that's a pick one. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But like, if there's something that I'm thinking about right now, right off the top of my head, it is that we should just learn to listen to people and not be so eager and ready to throw stones.
Speaker 1:So listen in and not throw in stones. I'm not throwing stones at you. This is who's throwing rocks at you?
Speaker 3:I'm always on the Screets you know, but no, no, no, nobody threw stones at me. I mean figuratively speaking as well. I haven't had that experience of reset, but it's just something in the society that I feel like it's a trend now and it makes me kind of unhappy. I just wish that everybody had the same level of patience as I would want to show to somebody else who expresses ideologies that are different from mine, and so is that something that like is there a specific thing that happened this week?
Speaker 1:if not, like no worries, but is there a specific thing that happened this week that made you think about that, or is it just something that's been on your mind just in general?
Speaker 3:Just in general. I mean, if I have to say something specifically that happened this week, it would be just going through the comments section of some of my posts where people share their own beliefs and ideas about something that is controversial, like maybe like the last one was about immigration. I know that people are just not friendly with how they address other people that express ideas different from theirs and in my comments I try to make it a little people relax a little bit more or ask them to be more respectful to other people and stuff like that. If I had to choose something specifically that happened this week, but other than that, I just think just in general it's a skill to have. Really you don't have to agree with everything Agree to disagree, man, the comment sections are wild.
Speaker 1:Best place, yeah, I mean it's good to check, to engage with the people that are watching your content, but for your mental health at times where you have to say, okay, that's enough.
Speaker 3:Yeah thanks yeah.
Speaker 2:I think Joe Rogan talks about it too. He doesn't even read the comment section anymore. He says just avoid the cost. Yeah, he's like, nah, I'm not worth it, man.
Speaker 3:It's really interesting because, as the host, I hardly get people come after me. They don't really come after me. They come after the other people that trust that it needs to be on my platform. So I feel my eyes are blind. So I feel it is my responsibility to at least ask those that are being disrespectful to be respectful and to take anything down that might be helpful to those people who trusted me to be, on my platform.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we have great people that listen to us are great, so you won't experience any.
Speaker 2:Any hate, not in this comment section, not in this. We'll protect you, manthers, keep you safe manthers. Yeah, all right. So I guess it kind of culminates into one thing who is Manthers of Sydney?
Speaker 3:Manthers of Sydney is a man that has big dreams. Manthers graduated college, the University of Texas at Austin December 2022. He said that stuff man. Right now he's pursuing a career in TVN radio, so specifically on air positions broadcasts he is, or I am really interested in the entertainment space, specifically areas where people get to share their beliefs and ideas on certain things that are relatable and relevant in the society. Like I like to listen to the news and listen to conversations I have with people. And then my nature I'm just generally curious and I always have questions, and if there's anything that sparks my interest, I just want to ask other people about it to see what they think on that. And that is really who I am. I just want to give everybody an opportunity to voice their opinions and ultimately sorry that was a bit of a sidetrack, but ultimately that's what we want. Ultimately, my dream is to have my own late night show.
Speaker 1:Oh, sweet man, Okay, okay.
Speaker 3:I have to ask, I have to do my network, to have my own radio and TV network, but that's literally all.
Speaker 2:So we're talking like NBC Universal.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right man, but it mostly is not based on.
Speaker 1:It might not be Because you did interview or, sorry, work temporarily with NBC and show for Okay.
Speaker 2:So I was Okay, because the last time you and I had really talked was student government. So where did that transition go? Because next time I see you, you're on Instagram Reels, you're on YouTube, you're in New York, you're doing all these big things. What changed? When did it change and what did that look like for you?
Speaker 3:I was selling Noble One Day I was like bro, I don't know, I want to be a lawyer. Then he asked me why do I want to be a lawyer? I said because I just like to analyze things and be analytical about stuff. There was really no substance to my reason of wanting to be a lawyer, so I had after. He said well, you can be analytical and be smart in any other field. You don't always you don't have to do law.
Speaker 3:And it made me go back and think again, rethink why am I in the politics slash law space? And because really, if I was honest with myself, it was like a flame that only lasted for a short time. It wasn't something that I enjoyed doing what I loved and I just cherished and I was so moved by At that time I enjoyed the whole steering government space and all. But it got to a period where I would want to skip meetings. I would want to do the thing I am supposed to do. And guess what I was doing when I would skip those meetings and not do the things I was supposed to do? I was going to look for acting gigs, because that time I was pursuing acting. Or I would go and look for TV gigs too, because I was also doing that as well. I wasn't really sure what channel I wanted to take. At that point I realized you know what I feel like this flame has died and it's not really for me. I thought that was what I was made for to go into because as a kid I've always recalled a lawyer.
Speaker 3:Like I told you, I'm generally just curious and it's my nature. People always call me Nigeria, where I'm from. They're like the law, the law. They're always calling me the law. Yeah, always ask the questions. I want to get to the meat of the situation, like so what really happened? I think no, but yeah, to answer your question is just an old flame that you know. I realized it's not for me and there was something else that I was peaking my interest, that I felt and I know now that I'm more made for and is in line with who I am and my personality and my goal in life.
Speaker 1:So what you do now? So okay, so you went from wanting to be a lawyer figuring out that some of the things like being analytical, diving deep into you know, asking the why questions like why is this the way it is? It doesn't necessarily have to be applied in through law, but it could also be applied in other areas like content creation, acting and all that. Right.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, and so you ended up starting Secret Host, right?
Speaker 3:Yes, and that one has its own backstory too. It wasn't that easy, bro. Okay, tell us what was challenging. I mean, while I was skipping the hosting government stuff, and you know that I was volunteering with ACC TV, which is Austin Community College, south Asia. I would do the student B for them. So that is the broadcast show in quotes that was on YouTube and the homepage what do they call it? Like the screens on campuses and all that.
Speaker 3:Yes, well, I was on there where I would just go on and share pertinent information to employers, students, staff, faculty of the school about what's going on and what's going on in ACC this month, next month, what to look forward to. All of that. And I loved it and that was really sparked my interest. And then COVID hit. I was like man, I really enjoyed this gig, but I can't really do it like that because one COVID hit, two I needed to transfer and I was like what can I be doing that can train me? And you know, for the TV space and broadcast radio, because it's really hard to find opportunities if you're not a professional in those spaces.
Speaker 3:I was just looking at searching, looking online, all that UT. When I transfer to UT I look to. They have a student TV station, the TSTV, where I was an actor there but I was looking for more, you know, hosting type gigs but I wasn't really liking what I saw. Anyway, moving on, just after a long time of looking and searching for opportunities, I was just talking to my friend Richie also know Noble David, I don't know if you remember, but yeah, we were having a conversation in my car because I was driving him to go see DDG. Do you guys know DDG? What's DDG? They say what's DDG, please?
Speaker 1:Please, please.
Speaker 3:Please Now, but he's just a. He's a YouTuber, slash rapper who started off with YouTube. He wanted to go into music, but he started off with YouTube as one avenue to get him there. You know, because he didn't just sit down there waiting for anybody to find him. He built his own bass, his own fan base, and then that pushed him and propelled him to getting signed and doing well as a rapper, because you already have your own fan, you have your own audience already.
Speaker 3:And I thought to myself, I was like this guy didn't sit around and wait for a deal to find him or for somebody else to pick him off the streets and be like hey, I like your voice, you know. He was smart enough to realize okay, what can I be doing right now? And he went into YouTube. He realized that, oh man, I'm making money off of this. I'm making on, I have an audience, I'm touching people's lives. And he was still doing his music on the side, like the thing he actually wanted to do, and I was like, huh, maybe I could do that as well. Utilize the resources ready that are available to me. Okay, youtube, what can I do on YouTube that makes use of my skills, talents and interest as well. I know that, and at that time in my life I was just coming out of my shell of talking to people. I love talking to people randomly. I can see someone on the street. I was yo. I love that shirt, bro. Come on, give it to me. Bro, remove the shirt, let me try it on.
Speaker 1:Oh, like the, the, the from the answers.
Speaker 2:That's all answers. That's Robert.
Speaker 3:I was just bold, bro, I was just doing things. I was like okay, I just just just just to clarify.
Speaker 1:I know this already, but just for a guest, sorry for our audience. This was a joke, right? You're a jerk, just give me an exam?
Speaker 3:I never, I think with shoes.
Speaker 2:Did you ever take anyone's shoes? It's like the ultimate insult in the streets.
Speaker 3:I could, but not now. I didn't take anything. That's just as an example to show you how bold I was and how much I loved conversing with people that I never met in my life. But anyway, I realized that was a an interest of mine and the skill that I had, and I did really well more than average. I'm the average person and I was like, okay, let me utilize that and ask questions on the street, like I see on TikTok and all of that. And that's how I started I was. I was just asking my.
Speaker 3:I remember my first day asking questions. It was actually on the UT campus. The first question I asked was how many days will it take a hundred chickens to kill an elephant? Or something like that. So it was like really surface level questions like riddles type shit. But oh, I'm sorry, can you cause? Yeah, you're lying. Yeah, we said Okay. So, but yeah, that was my first question and it took a lot of finding myself to get to where I am today. But also, yeah, that's that's how it started.
Speaker 3:And at that moment too, I enjoyed watching and listening to Future, the. You know Future the Rapper, and they have like so many memes with him saying she's for the Screets and yeah, and what I enjoy all of the jokes in that. The only thing that I loved in that quote is Screets and I was like I really like that. Oh wait, screets. Yeah, he should say like focus on yourself. Kidding, she's for the Screets, you know stuff like that. So I love the fact that there was K instead of T, which I'm like Screets, screets, I really like that word and I want to be a host and I'm doing street interviews Screets, host, and that's how it's done that is Screets, screets Bro.
Speaker 1:So I didn't know that story, I didn't know it was inspired by Future, the great theologian.
Speaker 2:Wait, graceful philosopher of our time, yeah.
Speaker 3:For T's future.
Speaker 1:Man, okay, that's so okay, and so you started the channel on. You know you post reels, you post YouTube videos, tiktok, all that. What has that experience like? What's that experience been like for you? You know, going from asking about chickens to Hi quick to ask about, like you know, deeper questions and commenting on different things that are going on in society, like what was that? What has that journey been like for you?
Speaker 3:It was a lot, bro. It was a lot of up and downs. Really. It's not a straight path. If people that ask me I want to start a YouTube channel but I don't know what to do, I'm like you will never know what to do unless you start. That's the only way. Once you start, you're in the motion. That's when you feel what's more for you, what is not. And yeah, it was, we're in real time Pardon, that's it.
Speaker 1:We're experiencing that in real time Like.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it was, yeah, it was. On that journey I realized, you know, okay, maybe this chicken thing is not really who I am, it's not represent, it's not, it wasn't really like that and it's not really helping and it's all laughs, it's all shits and giggles. But to be more serious, I love to add value to people's lives, and even my own life as well, and I moved from that to doing I'm sorry chickens.
Speaker 1:The chickens are funny like that.
Speaker 3:I moved from that to building more topics of substance, but still on the shallow end. It would go to like public knowledge, for example, whereas the capital of this country, and that I was just doing random stuff. I would even go into the sexual space as well, because, as we know today, like sex sells.
Speaker 1:Wait, wait, wait. Why do you say sexual space? You might put it on.
Speaker 3:Like you know people talking about. Oh yeah, I should define what that means. Think you're a good host, bro. Thank you, you guys are really good. Yes, so people don't misquote me, but sexual space, about that I mean, like people will say, how many body counts do you have? What is too small? You know stuff like that. Yeah, so I did tread around that area as well, pursuing clouds and you know the trend and trying to blow up quickly, but that wasn't representing me and I wasn't really comfortable in that space. And you know, I started to do more of the serious stuff, like asking questions about COVID when it was still a hot topic and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the fact that my comment sections were kicking. That was actually my most viral video on TikTok about COVID. Yeah, I asked somebody if they got the vaccine and why they didn't get the vaccine when she said no, and that was my most like 2.5 million.
Speaker 1:Yeah, another one on Instagram that went viral right 2 million as well.
Speaker 3:Yes, about relationships also deep. This guy said he left his girlfriend because he just felt there was something better, but the relationship he was in was good. There was nothing wrong with that. He just wanted to see if there was something better out there, yeah, so things like that, and I really became content in that knowing. Also, I had to deal with the fact that, you know, I shouldn't like knowing that those spaces are not the fastest to get views and clicks and all that. But if you have something sexual, everybody's crazy and they want to watch it, they want to listen to it. So I just had to, you know, come to terms with that and choose to be true to myself and not try to be like anybody else and do anything other most people are doing because of clout.
Speaker 2:So, since I guess now that you're getting into more deep because I've seen some of your like the reels where you're going over, you know politics or things like that people like usually are pretty iffy about talking about what is it like? Because I mean you're doing it primarily in Austin, right, yeah, yeah, that's what it. What is that like? I mean, do you ever get some pushback? Or I mean, is there like, do you see more of one side or versus this side, or what does that look like there? Because it's an interesting community, especially with people moving in and things like that happening. I think it's a good mix.
Speaker 3:I think it's a good mix. I haven't really had a problem with anybody. The responses I get, I will say, is a good mix. Some days, though, depending on who's outside and who depends to who decides to answer my question and come on camera, the responses I could get might be one-sided and there's nothing I can do about it. There's only so long I can be outside for and try to ask people.
Speaker 3:But if I get people who are saying yes, that they know no and yes, then that's why I'm going to post up, but, of course, with the note saying these are all the people I could find, and so happens that this is what is happening. But yeah, I do think it's interesting that I find more people open to expressing how they truly feel and not really caring about pushback. At the beginning, maybe some people were saying things they thought I wanted to hear or they expect other people want them to say. Because, also, you know the world we live in. If it's not aligning with other people, then they will just come and get your ass, you know about ourselves.
Speaker 1:So let's explore that a little bit. So you said that over time, people started like saying what they actually felt, right, yeah, so what changed was it? Because obviously it wasn't them, it was something, maybe your approach of the way you asked the questions, or what was what changed to make them open up more?
Speaker 3:To be honest, someone else asking this question probably my last interview and what I said was I think it's just my personality, I don't know, I can't really tell you what I did differently, but the only thing I can say is I'm just open and I'm just ready to listen and I just give off that vibe, that jovial, inviting vibe, to people. Maybe that is what it is, or maybe because they see the vision of what I'm doing like I do, because I get a lot of comments like I'm sorry, I'm not going to come on, but I really love what you're doing. What is your YouTube channel? Like, these are conversations that we need to be having. What is your channel?
Speaker 3:I enjoy this. I'll come on, let me follow you, let me do this. I like this. Nobody is doing this. It's kind of like you know, everybody wants the messenger to do the hard work for them and not necessarily them doing it themselves, because not everybody can tread this space and be comfortable with it, because it's very, very controversial. But I try my very best to be respectful and just not be biased in any way and not to make my own opinions known or heard on the platform On the platform. So, like I say it's less of me, more of you as the respondent yeah, and so we need more mantises in the world.
Speaker 1:What would be about this?
Speaker 2:So where does your personal content creation? Where does that fit in with some of the work you've done when you were at the Daily Show and a few other places doing some stuff? I mean, what was that like going from having your own thing kind of going on over here to now doing some extra works under some other people and with some other people? What was that like? Just a completely different experience.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean it was a completely different experience. I saw that although it could be Hollywood, they're not doing anything different from what I'm doing. I could do it as well. Really, it just gave me more confidence.
Speaker 3:Maybe I might not be able to read the teleprompter as smooth as Trevor Noah would right now, but I could tell you the first time he tried it he's probably going to be on the same level with my first time when I tried it, or I'll probably going to be better. You get what I'm saying From the chicken. Like no, I said that Teleprompter, teleprompter. Like yeah, but no, it's like I might not be a comedian, but I do see how it's more about one's personality. For the Daily Show, I think it's more about personality and just having a good sense of humor and you can also be that great host for the Daily Show and just being in that space. I'm like I can do this too. I can see myself on that chair. Matter of fact, I did a video where I was on that chair doing a line like Trevor would doing the segment, introducing the segment ain't nobody got time for that, and that's actually the name of the segment and it was fun. I looked at it. It was good Also at NBC as well. I mean, nobody's doing anything different from what I'm doing.
Speaker 3:They also go on Instagram. They have accounts on Twitter, tiktok. They call clips and post and pray. It goes viral and help people see what's going on. So it's like we're all in the same space. Some people are just more. Some people are just regarded more as professionals than others, like right now, which I do think I am. I am pretty much a professional at this point, but nobody. But they might not regard me as that because I'm not in the corporate space with suits and casting news or maybe that's put on suits and interview people on the streets, on the streets, it's professional so, but there is a difference anyway between YouTube and being professional.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I still think, though, that it can overlap, just depending on your Delivery and so I guess, as your experience, when you were up there doing those things, I mean, is that what led you to want to have your own studio one day, or what? What made that a part of your dream that you're, you know, working towards now? Where did that come in?
Speaker 3:that came in when I started. Actually, when I started what hosting like the thing with ACC, and I saw this is more me and I liked it and I was, I was like a avid Watcher of the tonight shows. I just love Jimmy Fallon, I love the guy, I I Like his, his persona, other people like Shalemain the God, I would listen. Yeah, the breakfast club, you know his, his own show on Comedy Central now, hello, the week things that are, you know, that are just designed for Community and folks like you know just bringing everybody together in the home at night To watch something entertaining and also informative, because they will take news and present that as well. News is a really, really big foundation and TV and radio space for content. That's where you can get a lot of content for, just side note, if you guys Don't know, that news is actually a good conversation starter, really. Um, sorry, I think I forgot your question again. What was your question?
Speaker 2:Oh, You're I was asking about. You know you wanted to have your own studio, kind of where.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, I mean, that's what I want to do, my, that's what I want to, you know, pay me my checks and so just grow in and be a profession and be known for that. Late night TV. Oh, because I enjoy being in front of the camera and joy talking and joy communicating with people in person over Different mediums. I just want to be on all media platforms radio, tv and I just love it. I enjoy it really. I don't want to limit myself to YouTube alone, but it was when I started that I realized that, because I was still even trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was contemplating low at that point and I knew low was not really what I wanted to do professionally. But TV is, and when I think about that, I'm not the guy who wants to be like on the news. Attend today. Yeah, I don't want to do that. I want to do something more entertaining that's gonna bring lights into the room. Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:So you have all these amazing dreams and big dreams and you've already been pursuing them. That's, that's very inspiring. And I want to know, like, where does that drive come from? I mean, you're from Nigeria, your Niger boy. Oh, my Like is that, is that from your Nigerian background? Is that from? Is it your parents, like, where does it come from?
Speaker 3:because God is God, bro. Honestly, I was just telling somebody yesterday I was like sometimes I wonder how Well? Sometimes I watch my own videos and I'm like how did I even Get the energy and the the grit to persevere through the obstacles I went through to get to this point? Because I don't understand. Some days are so sunny I don't want to go out, I don't feel well, but I'm like I have to go get something. It's next week. I need to put out something. It's I need to be consistent. I need I don't know, I really don't know.
Speaker 3:I think it's God and I feel it's beyond me. Really, when I think about it, I think it's that um, it's spiritual. It's spiritual for me. I don't know why, but I feel like this is the space I'm supposed to be in and I'm going to excel in, and I just feel that push and that um energy from somewhere that I cannot explain, just helping me achieve those, you know point, those goals to get my videos out weekly and daily and reaching out to people and making connections.
Speaker 3:It gets tiring. It's like sometimes I'm just like I wish I was, just I had a passion for accounting instead of this, because accounting is one One straight. It's one straight, direct path, like you can't fuck it up Only if you fuck it up. Actually, the creative space, like there's so many things you can do or say that could inhibit you from getting to where you want to be, and it doesn't always come as fast as you would want it to. So it's a lot of perseverance, a lot of real, just being able to find happiness in your present um stage and level, which can be very hard to do. So, yeah, just in a nutshell, I say it's God. I don't even know. I don't think it's because I'm Nigerian, I don't, I mean, it was that like I could, uh.
Speaker 1:Not necessarily because you're Nigerian, but I was mostly like because I know that a lot of Nigerians that come to the US, myself included, right, there is a like we left Nigeria because of the opportunities that exist here in the US, right, and so we're like, okay, like we're here now, how can we make the most of the time that we have here, right? So I guess that's that's more so what I was.
Speaker 3:I get that. I get that. I'm just saying like it's even this path that I chose for myself. Not even my family chose it from. I chose it about myself because I felt like this is what I was put on earth to do, like that's how deep it's gone for me, it's more like this is what I am here to do on earth and um to expand on that.
Speaker 1:What is like, what is so? He talked about God. Right, how like. How does that like play a role? Because you said you feel like it's this is what you're supposed to do, like, how do you know that? At least for you, these are hard questions, man. I said these are hard questions be ready?
Speaker 3:no, they're not. They're not hard questions, because I it's just a feeling, it's a lighting up in your spirit like you'd like. You just feel it inside, but like I cannot explain, like sometimes I okay, sometimes I watch Steve Harvey, like Steve Harvey's inspirational videos when he's saying something like I quit my day job because I got a $50 prize for winning a comedy contest and I pursued a career in comedy, all of this I feel what he's talking about. It's like you just know, when you're in the line of what you're created to do, whenever I talk to people, whenever I create an episode and I'm not thinking about society like, oh, what does this girl think about my content? What is this guy thinking? When I just think about what I just did, I am at peace, I am fulfilled. If I die today, god forbid. But if I die today, I I'm gonna die knowing that I pursued my dreams. I pursued, I did what I was put on like it's that I'm convinced to that point that you know, like this is my purpose, even if it doesn't get bigger than this, god forbid, I hope it does but like, oh, I know that I follow that conviction in my spirit.
Speaker 3:If I'm not doing this, I think about my life right now and I think about just paving everything to accounting. For example, I'm saying accounting because that's my plan B, god. Well, people say you don't have a plan B because then you might just go into the plan B. No, it's just like if everything goes south and I'm 30, I don't have anything. I'm still at 9,000 subscribers. Nobody has signed me. All of that, okay, I need to start thinking about my family putting food on the table. What is one other thing I think that could work for me? I'm like can, maybe accounting, I could try it out, but, um, that's just speaking on the side. But um, sorry, I lost my train of thought now, but what I'm saying?
Speaker 1:I'm sorry. No, you're talking about feeling like it inside, like how like yeah, yeah, it's just that conviction.
Speaker 3:When I think about doing something else, I feel like I cheated myself. I feel like you know, noble and adrian, there was something I felt in 2018 when I, when I first transferred to ACC and I was having a hard time picking my major, I told my mom and my sister I was like all the options I have here don't work for me, like I don't. I feel like I have something, but I don't know what it is. That cannot be confined in the fall walls of an office. I feel like I'm supposed to be where a lot of people can see me, like I'm. I'm supposed to be on the screen, like I'm supposed. I didn't know what I was talking about, bro. I didn't know, I didn't. I did. It's like when, when, um, who had that dream? Was it Joseph or Joshua? About the stars bowing down and all that is. Yeah, just like you don't know what you're talking about. But now, as I'm going, as I'm getting in what I said about being in the motion, that is when the picture is going to start getting clearer to you and now I can see it. I can't see the complete picture, but I see where I'm going. I know where I'm going. I know I'm going to get there. It's just a matter of patience. And really it's just that conviction in my spirit and I see it every day, every Saturday, when I have to go record, even when I don't feel like it. I always feel it, even when I don't feel like editing the videos. It's just uh, it's just something deep inside I I cannot explain. I can put it into four words and also, you remember that day we went to your church where the guest thought came and I was.
Speaker 3:He spoke about this briefly. He was like um, and I was looking at this too yesterday. It's one of my mechanisms to keep pushing myself. Look back on things I've done that were motivating to keep pushing. He said something about me being able to affect all areas of life politics, entertainment, that I'm going to be the light amongst darkness, and when I think about then too, it didn't make that much sense. I was thinking, oh, because I'm going to be a politician, I know lawyer and all of that. But now I'm like, oh, wait a minute, let me check what he said and I look at the videos I'm making. I'm like, look at that, look at, look at that. Like people are gonna eventually tuning to the type of content I'm making, because it is affecting all areas of life. It is what is happening, you know.
Speaker 1:It is what it is oh man, that was a war. I'm sorry I was, I was, I was, I was doing that. I mean, like I think so God created us, right, you know, and I kind of see it as like we're made in his image, right. So created us. We're also called to, you know, multiply, and it I. By multiply it's not just like children, but it's like, yes, children, but also like where?
Speaker 3:where was that? Maybe fever?
Speaker 1:no, no, no no, like, yes, multiplying the sense of children, but also, like in his creation, so creating too. So I feel like we're made in God's image. God created world to call to create and it doesn't. It doesn't have to be in the same, like, yeah, it'll be creating content, right, someone else could be creating some kind of you know, tech thing. Someone else could be doing something in law weapons of mass destruction, oh okay, not, not bad, not wmd's, but but so that's kind of how I, that's kind of how I see it, right, like we're God created us and we're made in his image, so we're called to create as well. And it's good that at least you have that sense of conviction, because not everyone has like that strong conviction, because I'll admit for myself, like a lot of things I want to do right, and then, over time, some of those things are getting clearer and clearer over time. But, yeah, even that, that level of conviction that you have is admirable. So, yeah, I'll give you that thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you know to kind of go off what noble said too, it's it's like anytime you get to create something of your own, even whenever you know we talk about business things you're like nonprofits, I want to start things like that it just makes you so excited and you feel like there's a sense of purpose whenever you're providing something to other people, whether there's like in your case, like the content.
Speaker 2:It's so interesting because I guarantee the people you talk to haven't been asked questions like that about those topics from like, here's manthers standing in the street and he's like hey, I have a question for you, do you want to answer it? And it gives them an outlet to, you know, provide whatever they're feeling inside, like you said, regardless of where they land on different topics, whatever the issue is, they get to express themselves in that moment and it's documented for other people to see. And so it's cool because, like you were saying, you're creating this, this area of you know conversation. That's kind of like an artificial creation, like it's not happening where it should be across the country. So I think that's amazing because you're you're giving people an outlet, but you're also creating another avenue for people to view things that may be challenging to what they believe, or alternative ideas yeah, yeah, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's, it's. It's definitely something that, um, that grew on me and one of the places that inspired that is also my my time at the daily show, because I saw how they would take the news and turn that into content and that was where, uh, that idea kind of got born and I developed on that and followed up with it and now, if you see my videos, I pull up like articles and stuff like in the intros and news clips about this, and then just to give you an intro and to tell you that, hey, this is what I'm working on and what I'm going based off of, and I'm going to ask people's opinions on this.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, all right, man, I love that, I love that, um, okay. So something I want us to get into um, and you know is okay. So one thing, something I want us to get into is your background, because I know, like you lived in Nigeria most of your life, right, yeah, what. What was that like, living in Nigeria and then coming to the US? What was my life?
Speaker 3:my life's in Nigeria, bro. It's gonna be a night job, boy. Even I don't.
Speaker 1:I want to say, bro, oh, I love it. Right, it just said he wants to be a night job boy. I want to be a night job boy right, it's a night job boy by social.
Speaker 3:Yeah, adrian, he'd be like na me be that. Say, say what na me be that? No, it's okay, it's just, it's just so.
Speaker 2:So no, it means ask me yes, me na me, be that's na me, be that's. Yeah. Yeah, I'm saying police na me daughter, so at least na me dad.
Speaker 3:But my life in Nigeria really, uh, most of it is just being a hostel. That's all I can remember to us all. I do like boarding school, secondary school yes, I was in the boarding school, um pretty much even primary school too. I was in my mom in the hostel because she was working as a house mother um, also for a long time, and I would stay with her. And then I branched off at some point when I was starting to get older, that I couldn't stay with her in the girls hostel anymore. I would stay, I would go to okay.
Speaker 1:So she was like working at the school, at dorms, and I was, yeah, I was living it?
Speaker 3:um, it was that's. That's pretty much my idea. I I don't even know what the night life is like there. I don't know what the professional life is like. I was not exposed to all of that. All I knew was just school, go to school, come back home on holidays. During the holidays I'll just chill at home, go to my friend's house, and that was really the most amount of fun I was, I was doing, but I will give, I will say, to a light.
Speaker 3:I love the fact that I have that foundation of the Nigerian mentality and all that because it helps me stand out. What's that mentality? What's that mentality? It's just being present and being grateful always. You remember where you're coming from, you know where you are and you are just seeing opportunities and you can use that to your advantage. It's just more so like being aware, like every day, like living in that present moment, knowing that, oh, this is, I'm here and I can do this, this, this and this People in Nigeria. I don't even know how to start with TV, I don't know, how to have no opportunities.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the opportunities and just the life in general. You can afford stuff better, like, even if you can afford it, there's like other avenues to getting what you want. Basically, the system here is using other people's money to work for If you want to start a business, of course it's always good to have capital and stuff, but eventually what you want to do is not to be using your money to pump more. To be using your money is to use loans and other people's money these money to pump more for you guys. In Nigeria, not everybody has access to loans like that, but here I could be a bum right now. Go to the bank, manage to get like maybe 200k and give myself five years and I've built it to a mill. There's just that access here compared to Nigeria. Nigeria doesn't happen like that. That is my perspective being Nigerian. I'm always just grateful for it. The culture, too it always comes out in my behavior, my dressing, my speech, how I express myself. It's distinct.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man, I like that. What do you miss most about Nigeria?
Speaker 3:I was going to say my friends, but I've been seeing them for so long now that I feel like I wouldn't even know who they are anymore. To be like, oh, I miss that version of what. Oh no, but it's the truth, though. It's the truth. Someone who you knew at the age of 17 is not the same person at 23. That's true, they're not the same. We were all in hostels together. We were shielded, we don't know shit. We were just focusing on math, english, chemistry, physics. But now you've been in the world, you've been exposed to things and ideas and other ways of making money. You don't know who's truly for you anymore. I still miss the people I knew back then, but I'm also aware and cuck this out of the fact that when I go back they might not be those same people. I also have to be aware of that as well. But to go back to your question, what do I miss most now? Just saying my family, my extended family back home, really, and friends well, friends like family, friends that have contributed to my upbringing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and suya Me, suya Suya. I was going to ask about that.
Speaker 3:That's beef Beef. Is it roasted beef or?
Speaker 1:you just know what I mean Grilled beef like seasoned steak. It's like yeah, it's kind of like steak.
Speaker 3:But it's not steak, it's suya.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can't relate, Suya. Yeah, yeah, I would have to see it sometime Because I took remember I think you were there when we went to like yeah, you were with us. I went to Nigerian restaurant in Austin Me, you, Adrienne and my sister. Yeah, it's not suya, that's in.
Speaker 3:It's not suya.
Speaker 2:No, it wasn't suya, yeah, gopepper soup and a few other things. Oh, lapa rice.
Speaker 3:Yeah, jalapeño, yeah yeah, stuff like that is fire. You know, when I go back, I'm baptizing myself with suya. Oh awesome, suya, bro. I miss, I miss Niger. I miss like, oh, I'm talking, nigerian talking. Nigerian talking is very different from American Turkey. I don't like how American Turkey is, but I like Nigerian.
Speaker 1:Like so okay, I didn't eat Turkey much in Nigeria, so I, yeah, I don't. What do you think's the difference?
Speaker 3:I don't know, bro, I really don't know. They also say the same about chicken too. No, I've heard it Like the chicken here is way bigger, like it's, like it's. So I don't know. It's like yeah it's whatever they're making.
Speaker 2:It's like picking the chicken. It's a lot of stuff.
Speaker 3:So how it tastes and how it looks now, is it's not natural? Yeah, but in Nigeria everything is natural, it's as is from the animal, of course, cooked. You know you're not going to eat raw stuff. Oh, you're right, I'm going to add in yeah, but maybe it's just the fact that it's natural, but the Turkey here doesn't have taste, in my opinion. I mean.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't say the Turkey here. I would say it depends on, like, how you cook it, because it could still be the same Turkey, right?
Speaker 2:But if you season nobo said, you season that turkey.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know, I don't know what kind of Turkey here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, this is because it's like look, I eat, I've tried different. Well, and this is just my. Maybe it's just me talking, but yeah, it doesn't. It's not just the same. For me, it looks different too. So when I go back to Nigeria, turkey, I'll say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I was saying I miss Nigeria, Like I really I don't talk about your friends, I think I still keep up with my friends. So if I go back I'd still be the same vibe, Like we would still vibe and like, even if I haven't seen them for like two months.
Speaker 3:Don't get me wrong, don't get me wrong. I still talk to my friends. I still feel like, yeah, I have the same vibe with you. Know some of them. Well, I'm just saying like they're different pd's, so what I'm probably missing now is the 16 year old version of them. That probably is no more you know, it's like nostalgic.
Speaker 2:Almost I didn't think about it. Yeah, it's. It's kind of sad, I mean, like I kind of view that here too, that people don't talk to you from high school, you know, and I'm like they're forever trapped in that scope, like oh, when we were 18 or when we were 17, and that's just how you think of them forever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man funny, how life moves up quickly.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, I want to go back to our go-back visit. Have fun, go out, see how it is there, because I haven't really explored much. I just went from school home, school home.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sweet man. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast, I mean, you know. Well, is it over?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, do you want we could keep going? I mean it's cool, I mean I would. Just I was gonna be like, I was gonna be like hey guys, that was so quick, you guys are really good yeah.
Speaker 1:We appreciate it. So one last question, one last question. So is there anything that you wanted to touch on briefly that you didn't get the opportunity to during the podcast? Go watch, that's for our audience, and where can they find you to Go watch my YouTube videos on YouTube, tiktok, facebook, instagram.
Speaker 3:And now I am on rumble. My handle is the same on all platforms at Screech host S for Sally K for key, r for Raymond E for electricity. E for electricity. T for T H for household for orange. S for Sally T for T. Screech host, and also on Instagram. And also on Instagram as Screech host, underscore TV to be on point and on on point to be to be up to date with all of my shorts.
Speaker 3:Yes, that is what I want to say and also like please, you guys, learn to be more. I'm not saying nobody is, but if you are continuing to practice the habit of listening to people more, to understand and, even when you don't understand, just agree to disagree and let's just keep it moving, that's the only way we can grow as a society, because if we're casting stones on each other, there's no how you can come from a place of understanding which everyone wants to feel like they're they're heard, so give someone else the opportunity to be heard as well, even if you don't agree. Yeah, let's just love each other man. Thank you, thanks, matt, thank you brothers.