Proof Of Life: The September Collective
Nine friends share the stories behind their smiles and tears.
I’m excited to share the second edition of the POL Collective. As I sit in this corner of my room and scribble this, I’m all smiles because life is a collectively beautiful story, and we are just sketching the parts we are in. “Proof of Life” has always been about pausing to listen—to ourselves, to our friends, to the small and big moments that make us human. September’s collection is a chorus of those voices.
From heartbreak to healing, gym returns to career pivots, Lagos hustle to quiet prayers, I’ve found proof not just in milestones but in the everyday stories of my people: sit-ups that make abs look hotter, the comfort of Eba and Afang soup, a well-fitted dress, a Chris Brown merch that feels like a Tesla, or simply surviving another week of “kindly find attached.”
Here, nine people open their hearts to me—not as finished stories, but as works in progress. Proof that life, in all its beauty and brutality, is worth documenting.
Mfon
My proof of life is enveloped in embracing who I am, (understanding my kryptonite and doing a lot of personal development).
I am very grateful for my life, the gift of my family,my little but pure circle of friends, wonderful colleagues, beautiful career, a lovely church community. And most importantly God, for revealing His light in my life .
It’s also in me finding happiness in the littlest things (like the second Chris Brown merch I got that makes me feel like I got a Tesla ) and remaining passionate about the people and things I love no matter how cringe it appears.
Staying healthy, with good diet, sit ups that make the abs look hotter, and drinking sweet white wine!!
I might be heartbroken to find out my suspicions about Damson and Lori being together were true, but he’s still my man.
My proof of life is being the badass music girlie that I am. I’m talking global domination type shit, I’m talking managing top tier live events and production, building massive catalogue type shit,we don’t do mediocre over here)
Developing the greatest global afropop stars you will be seeing soon.
My proof of life is living through my God-given gift of music!!! Knowing I’m that gurlllll!!
Periodttt point blank 🤩😎😎
I wish I could go on!!! Y’all better take me to mars I’m too cool for y’all mehn!!!
Chima
My proof of life is in the fact that you are reading this right now. Somewhere, right now, you have chosen to click on this link and read up on what it means to live my life.
So let me start by telling you, that I have an unwavering loyalty to Eba and afang soup with goat meat, chilled beer and the feminine derriére. The trifecta of a single man’s happy place.
This year I switched jobs across two different sectors (academia to mining) and I’ve realised that with the right incentives and the will to learn, you can actually do anything and excel in any field of endeavour.
I’ve witnessed growth and the lessons that come with it, and I’m grateful. I’ve also noticed that there’s still a huge space for further growth to happen because I have an affinity for the finer things of life.
Because I’m now in a position where I can provide for my loved ones, no matter how little it might be, that for me is the ultimate proof of life.
Onyx
My proof of life is realizing that my life literally revolves around ‘kindly find attached’ mails or ‘can you see my screen’. I am happy I’m working towards getting my money up but damn it’s exhausting.
I’m learning to find pleasure in the little things, trying new meals(food is bae😉), living in the moment with loved ones.
Finally decided on ticking off my non-career goals.
Guess who is returning to the gym at the start of October, this girl💃. So I’m praying for consistency (so help me God)
As for going out more, let’s see what October has to offer
Peter
My proof of life is in the fact that I’m still here, still pushing, still doing amazing things, still getting results and still setting records.
Every single day I show up to do what I enjoy doing, I’m met with new challenges, new obstacles and sometimes even though I want to complain, I really can’t, because to be honest, I’m paid to help navigate those obstacles and ensure seamless product delivery to our clients.
If I’m not battling industry regulators, I’m battling corporate bureaucracy, I really don’t know how I do it, but somehow I get the job done.
So yeah, that’s my proof of life, I’m still here and still motivated, we ain’t stopping any time soon.
Precious
Eight Years of Fighting, and Still Standing
This is the first time I’m talking about this: I’ve fought depression for eight years.
It wasn’t always visible. Some days I smiled through it. On other days, I barely made it out of bed. It’s hard to explain the weight of something that others can’t see. Everyone thinks you’re fine: the emptiness, the overthinking, the numbness. The silent battles. The pretending. The fear of being misunderstood.
But here’s what matters most: I’m still here. I came out.
Eight years may sound like a long time, and it was. A journey filled with ups, deep downs, small victories, and many quiet moments of just holding on. I had to learn how to carry myself through the hardest nights. I couldn’t sleep for weeks without pills. Then, sleeping pills stopped making me sleepy; instead, I stayed awake all night, which was crazy. My doctor only gave me pills when needed, but I started to take them behind his back.
When sleeping pills stopped working, I started practicing how to sleep. It was hell; I thought I was going to die. But here we are today—I’m grateful for life. I kept showing up when I didn’t feel like I had anything left. At some point, I kept running away, and in the process, I found parts of myself I never knew existed: strong, stronger than I even imagined, and soft.
2017 was the worst year of my life.
Healing isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s just breathing through the day. Other times, it’s asking for help, setting boundaries, choosing peace, or simply getting up again after falling apart. I kept moving. I didn’t stop, and I won’t.
I’m not fully healed, but I’m growing. I’m learning to love myself more gently.
I recently started a new job, and honestly, it still feels surreal.
When I got the offer, I smiled. Not just because it was a great opportunity, but because it felt like a reward for all the silent work, long prayers, and moments I didn’t give up. Starting fresh in a professional environment like this is both exciting and intimidating. Everything is new: the systems, the structure, even the dress code, but we move.
I’m super proud of myself for not giving up on me. I’m not there yet, but I’m definitely getting there.
Pinto
My proof of life is the fact that I’m alive, and I’m also looking forward to playing football tomorrow (today), watching the Premier League matches, and hanging out with my friends this weekend.
This is proof that I actually have a good work-life balance.
I am indifferent about what the country has to offer, but I’m also optimistic that as long as there is life, there is hope.
SayRah
My proof of life… I think I’ll begin with how I survived some recent stages of my life that I didn’t know I would survive. This includes losing a brother and his father, and later having to move from Benin to a state that I never liked: Lagos.
When moving to Lagos, I already had my life planned out:
Get a job at a beauty salon as a nail technician.
Work for a few months.
Go for NYSC.
Relocate again to where I will permanently live.
I bet life was laughing at me while I was planning all of this.
Then I started hunting for jobs, going for interviews. During some of the interviews, I fought with anxiety. Self-doubt came in from nowhere. I had no friends, which was also a hard part of my journey then; nobody to bring that fire back in me while I fought with anxiety.
I gradually started getting along with Lagos, going to church, making friends, going back to being a chorister and also a Cyrenian (or whatever the correct term is). I gradually started meeting people that I will forever be grateful to God for. I met friends that God used to grant my wish of wanting to know Him more in 2025. Friends that made my mindset evolve.
Lastly, I got into a just-concluded 20-day business program that I was never qualified for (GRACE). Imagine attending a business class where you are being fed and given stipends—plus I will be getting a certificate too!
My life is just a proof that God is always with me and for me.
Samuel Jonah
My proof of life is waking up to the reality of Matthew 6:33 every day. Aside from everything else, my seeking God and His Kingdom remains the top priority.
But then, real life has work, needs, food, clothes, people, and so on. All of these mentioned above are really meant to be interesting, but people be peopling, and life be lifing. For me, I protect my energy, as I believe that it drives a lot of unseen forces, so I stay positive so that I attract the same positive energy.
Clothing is my line of work, and I find fulfillment in making them and wearing them as well. In the beginning, before the fall of man, God was man’s personal designer, and what man used to wear was God’s Glory. I can’t do it like God would do, but I try to clothe men and, recently, women with some sort of Glory in apparel, accessories, and prayer.
In all of this, “live, love, laugh”—that’s the real proof of life.
Veronika
My proof of life is “tightening screws, changing parts and changing oils”.
Get your mind out of the gutter, it’s basically learning, unlearning, and relearning.
Taking time out to see the beauty in nature. Trying Amala any chance I get and going back to back with skincare.
I got my drivers license and I am running the gym - literally.
Life has been kind to me and I am just loving it.
Proof of life isn’t one thing. It’s a collage of joy and loss, routine and adventure, faith and doubt, hustle and rest. It’s showing up, even when you don’t have all the answers.
And maybe that’s the point: none of us really do. But together, our stories remind us that we are still here. We are still trying. We are still alive.
This is Proof of Life.
Thank you September, Cheers to October.
Read
Proof of Life: August Collective
Enjoy 10 Proofs Of Life from the amazing people in my life.
