If I Could Travel Back in Time, I’d Tell My 2019 Self This

A Letter to My 2019 Self

Dear Jeremiah,

Given how you took professional development seriously against all odds, you should be proud of yourself. You conquered 2019. This victory will extend to January 2020 as you’ll land a job opportunity.

But before you write that BellaNaija article lauding your professional achievements, know this:

A month after writing the BN article, you’ll lose it all. Your contract with Thomas J Henry Attorneys, freelance clients, investment money, and even that newly landed opportunity — all gone! These swift, colossal losses will throw you to rock bottom.

Feeling helpless and cursed, Mary will become your succor in the first quarter of 2020. Cobwebs will cover your inbox as crickets become the regular feedback from applied opportunities.

Enjoy your present luck with applications, for the reverse will occur in 2020.

You will be at your lowest financially with a failed investment, erratic income source, and unending expenses. Your Notes app will become a regular vent center as it will seem like the universe is livid at you. “I probably deserve this setback.” You will say, eaten by worthlessness.

In all these, however, you’ll learn the importance of slowing down. Jeremiah, you’re in a beast mode right now, and I understand. The certifications, jobs, volunteering positions… You’re doing it all. Nonetheless, 2020 will teach you to slow down. Not by your will, though. Because man, ambition will blindfold you.

At the end of the day, you’ll thank the universe for slowing you down. The certifications, jobs, titles, and volunteering positions — they won’t mean much anymore.

One of your biggest goals for 2020 includes going out more and living the baby boy lifestyle, but a pandemic called COVID-19 will make the government enforce a lockdown, making you stay at home for months.

Now, I know you might be wondering about your ongoing law degree. That will be on hold too. The infamous Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will embark on a strike, thereby extending your stay at home.

Initially, you will go berserk, complaining every day about the broken system and wishing you had the money to leave the country. After a while, you’ll move on as you start certain interesting initiatives.

Remember that awesome woman you met at Chris Onabanjo LP? Mary Imasuen? She’ll create a community for tech lawyers and invite you to speak on “developing thought leadership as a tech lawyer.” In writing the session’s material, the idea of developing it into an actual book will come to mind. This new-found authorship goal will get you bouncing off the walls.

Exhilarated, you’ll pitch a legal industry thought leader in hopes of partnering for the book publication. She will not only accept your pitch but she’ll also invite you to join her company officially. In this new role, you will learn more about marketing, leadership, and the legal industry. It will be a rich learning curve, but not for too long.

Your enthusiasm in the role will soon start to dwindle. To prevent this, I advise you to tell the CEO how exhausting the job is. Let her know how the lack of implementation and adequate support from the team members douse your interest. Speak up, lest you become miserable.

If you don’t take that advice, you’ll wake up every weekday feeling like a child soldier about to experience war. Your energy will be an all-time low, and misery will shoot off the roof until you can’t take it anymore. You will resign. Your book will not get published either.

But you won’t feel sad about that. Instead, you will feel free. Like you just got released from shackles. And no, you won’t be unemployed. At the time of working at the legal company, Kelechi Udoagwu will invite you to join her at Week of Saturdays. Yayyy! You finally get to join your dream startup. But let me warn you:

Prepare to learn at Week of Saturdays. You might think you know it all. After all, you’ve written a high volume of content in two years, and people say you’re a good writer. Working with Kelechi would, however, prove otherwise. You will realize your writing skills aren’t as top-notch as you think.

This realization will help you sharpen your writing skills, stretch your community management skills, and network with amazing people (who you won’t ordinarily meet). Nevertheless, try not to overwhelm yourself.

Even though impostor syndrome tells you otherwise, you’re doing well. You’re still young, and you don’t have to get it all in a year. Learn to be ambitious and satisfied. Aim for more success, but don’t you dare refuse to acknowledge what you’ve achieved so far. Life is not that hard.

Jeremiah, let’s take a break from your career in 2020 for a second. Although it seems like you might not have a thriving love life in 2020, you will. And it’s not who you’re thinking.

The present love of your life will shatter your heart. I know you two talk every day. But she will play you, and you’ll never understand why. Sometime in December, you two will get cozy. Drunk in ecstasy, you’ll ask her out later that evening. She’ll post you for three days and reject you on the third. So, leave her while you can. And if this heartbreak happens eventually, heal completely before jumping into another relationship.

If you don’t move on from your toxic ex, you will find yourself referring to her constantly, like she’s some judicial precedent. You will also get into certain pointless situationships, which won’t be a complete waste of time as you’ll learn more about yourself. But, you know what’s more important than romance? Friendship.

Due to COVID-19, you will not see your best friends physically for almost a year. Despite your poor communication skills, your friends won’t give up on you. I know keeping up is hard for you due to your busy schedule and the PTSD from past friendships. But learn to make time for your friends as they will be a major source of sanity in 2020.

Be open to meeting new people too. Just as you met the angelic Mary Imasuen in 2019, you’ll meet more amazing people such as Asughara, Enioluwa, Mayowa, Kayode, Oluwadara, Chipo, Victor, Hephzibah, Tumilara, Charles, Paloma, in 2020. Some of these people will help you bring your first social impact project to reality.

Remember that UN Millennium Fellowship you reluctantly applied to? You’ll get accepted and will need to carry out a social impact project! You’ll try doing it alone, but I advise you to ask for help. Your project will succeed because you spoke up. Don’t be afraid to soro soke.

Speaking of soro soke, I know it sounds razz, but that’s the slang that would take over October 2020. October in Nigeria will be revolutionary and different from any October you’ve ever experienced.

Those monsters who invaded your neighbors and extorted them earlier this year (2019)? Yeah, the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS). Nigerian youths will have enough of their bullshit. And this time, we will take to the streets to peacefully air our agitations. Runtown and Falz will lead the race and it’ll take a revolutionary turn from here.

The peaceful protests will bring the country to the ground. For the first time, the Nigerian government will try to listen… but not with a fight. They will send the Police to retaliate in the first weeks. They will kill innocent people and forcefully detain them.

Feminist Coalition, Nigerians abroad, and different influential people will rise to stop the killings and arrests. More importantly, the protesters won’t back down.

After much pressure, the Federal Government will end SARS, but brace up. It doesn’t end there. The ending of SARS is just the beginning. The youths will propose a five-point demand, while the protests will continue. Although you will be unable to join them in the streets, try to lend your voice through your pen — your greatest power.

The protests will occur in strategic places, including the Lekki Toll Gate, causing revenue loss. It will seem like the youths are winning, and the government will find this uncomfortable. Confused on what other steps to take, they’ll resort to what they know best — violence.

The Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will gun down most of the youths at the Lekki Toll Gate. Absurdly, this will go unpunished. The president, who’s been a bad boy, by the way, will also threaten every Nigerian… on national TV. So, when I say “brace up,” I mean it.

All these will cause you to almost break down. To avoid this, try not to catch up with the happenings in real-time. As much as you want to be there for your country, realize there is only much you can do. You can’t escape reality completely, but during the #ENDSars moment, try to reduce your social media usage.

At the time of writing this letter, it’s just November 2020. And so, there’s only much I can tell you. December is just around the corner, and I hope it’s less chaotic.

If there is any key takeaway you need for a successful 2020, it’s these:

• Accept 2020 as your year of slow down and focus.
• Come out of your social shell more, your career will thank you for it.
• As you achieve more strides, get ready to battle impostor syndrome.
• Don’t be afraid to try, fail, and learn in public.
• Keep in touch with your friends, and don’t push them away.
• Be prepared to be a student of writing again.
• Remain consistent. Your efforts will slowly but surely pay off.
• Before you jump into any romantic affiliation, heal from your heartbreak.
• Learn to rest and pace yourself.
• During a heated period, reduce your use of social media and preserve your mental health.

This is a gift from your future self. Take heed, and your 2020 will turn out much better.

With love.