Wahala Jr., A History  

Hello World! My name is Chidi Akusobi and I am an MD-PhD student at Harvard Medical School. Welcome to my first blog post on Wahala Jr.! Before populating the blog with content, I figured I'd give some context on the origin of Wahala Jr. 

In the beginning, Be...

JK! 2017 aka ‘The Year of The Shield’ and also my “Golden Year” (turned 26 on the 26th) was a formative one for me. I traveled to new places, met inspiring leaders, deepened friendships, expanded my goals and dreams, and embarked on important personal growth journeys. All the while, I strengthened my shield not only because 2017 called for it (we all know 2017 tried it), but also because in building resilience and finding my voice, I developed the courage to share my passions, my creative visions, and my writing in a more structured, formal way.   

With that said, I am beyond excited to introduce you all to my blog - Wahala Jr. hosted here on The South Living Room (SLR). 

So what does Wahala Jr. mean? 

Wahala is a Nigerian Pidgin-English word roughly translating to “trouble.” As a child of the Nigerian diaspora, I grew up understanding the standard connotations of wahala, including hot-mess, all-stress, and everything in between. At the same time, wahala to me also means possibility that stems from not being afraid to speak up, cause trouble, and disrupt with the purpose of building a more beautiful, equitable, just future.

Jr. or Junior because I am in fact a Junior. I am named after my dad who has been writing, blogging, and publishing for as long I can remember. My father’s love of writing, commenting on politics/culture, and building community founded on ideas have undoubtedly shaped me. His voice birthed and emboldened mine. The Junior is a nod to his inspiration and a continuation of legacy.

Legacy - nothing a Nigerian parent loves more :).

And with that a blog is born! Wahala Jr. My goal is to publish twice a month (PhD work withstanding), every other Monday, on a range of topics, including science, music, politics, pop-culture, and more. Also, I love making references, so bonus points for catching them. In this post, I've already referenced a movie, a fictional book, a computer programming norm, and the Bible. 

I’m pumped to share Wahala Jr. with you all and engage in conversation on the SLR. Feel free to subscribe, like, leave comments and all that millennial jazz!

From The Bronx with Love, 

Chidi aka Wahala Jr. aka for my 27th birthday, I asked for the power of Impeachment (Shoot your shot 2k18). 

Finally,  I want to leave you all with a fun Wahala Jr. video I created with my entry-level iMovie skills. The images, colors, and song choice all relate to the themes and aesthetic of the blog, which will unfold in due time. Enjoy!