When the System Shakes
Pivot, Persevere, or Peace Out?
I still remember my first official job—wide-eyed, hopeful, and convinced that my emails needed to include "thank you for your kind consideration" to be taken seriously. Fast forward ten years, and I’ve traded naivety for battle scars, spreadsheets, and a deep understanding that sometimes, the best response to workplace chaos is a well-timed GIF.
But beyond the quirks of professional life, my journey in social change work has been shaped by unpredictability—none more glaring than the policy shifts that ripple across continents, shuttering NGOs, silencing voices, and upending entire movements. The Trump administration’s impact on global funding, free speech, and activism was just one example of how systemic shifts force professionals like us to either adapt or bow out.
The Trump Effect and the Ripple It Left Behind
From the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule to crackdowns on dissent, policies under the administration sent shockwaves through the social impact space. Organizations folded, activists found themselves without the security of jobs or funding to continue the much needed interventions that keep society as we know it civil.
For those of us in the field, it feels like playing chess against a grandmaster with a penchant for flipping the board mid-game. First came the 90-day suspension, then news started pouring in, and now the Mr. Beast of social impact funding shutdown. Q1 2025 has been quite the rollercoaster, but it seems we’ve hit an infinite loop glitch, and the ride won’t stop.
What does this teach us? Resilience isn’t just about weathering the storm; it’s about learning to dance in the rain, reworking strategy, and finding alternative paths to impact. The world is going through a recession that has spread beyond economic capacity, progressiveness is the enemy, and tyrants make better leaders. If you don’t believe me, pick up a newspaper every day for one week and see what public discourse looks like in comparison to real life. It almost feels like the great depression again.
Lessons from a Decade in the Workforce
I started formal employment in January 2015—sassy, wide-eyed, and armed with my delusional boundaries, which I wouldn’t stop preaching to my older friends. I believed in giving only my 8am to 5pm, treating post-work calls as violations of my human rights, and expecting overtime pay for every weekend I worked (go ahead, laugh—who did I think I was?). That first year, I coasted by being average in a financial consulting firm with a team of seasoned auditors. They let me be, mostly because I was heading off to study a degree I believed I truly deserved. Still, I walked away with sharp lessons in hierarchy, teamwork, and how to blend in without getting completely lost.
A year later, I found myself scrubbing toilets and wiping down counters while studying law. That job bought me a laptop that carried me through law school and five years of life beyond it. My first job after being called to the bar was with an ambitious startup disrupting downstream Oil & Gas in ways that hadn’t been done in decades. I learned the value of doing hard things there—until the pandemic swept the job away like a bad Tinder match.
So I pivoted. I launched a small-scale catering business, delivering home-cooked meals to people sick of their own cooking during lockdown. Things were just starting to take off when the #EndSARS protests shut the city—and my business—down. That heartbreak? It hit different. I’d thought I knew rock bottom. But that version came with fog, silence, and a sinking kind of grief. It was the end of that chapter, and I quietly closed the book on entrepreneurship. I returned to paid employment, but the new job was a mismatch—like oil and water, we were never going to mix. Eventually, I made the pivot that led me here.
If there’s anything the past ten years have taught me, it’s that career growth isn’t a straight line—it’s more like a dance floor: chaotic, crowded, and occasionally, someone steps on your foot.
So, here’s what I’ve learned:
Change is constant, and that’s okay. Adaptability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival skill.
Your work doesn’t always speak for itself. Sometimes you need to shout. And when you're done shouting, send a follow-up email.
Find your people. The right support system can turn burnout into breakthroughs.
Know when to pivot. There’s no medal for suffering through a job that’s shrinking you. Walk away—dramatically, if necessary.
And if you’re still figuring it out, don’t worry. So are the rest of us. Some of us are just better at faking the choreography.
For the Dreamers and the Disillusioned
If you’re feeling lost—whether in activism, career transitions, or the general absurdity of adulthood—know that you’re not alone. Social change work will test you, but it will also shape you. The goal isn’t to avoid uncertainty but to build a resilience so strong that no policy shift, funding cut, or questionable management decision can knock you off course.
So, what’s next? A career pivot? A new strategy? A well-earned nap? Whatever it is, take a deep breath and step forward. The world still needs you.
Things I Enjoyed…
I recently joined a community of social misfits like myself. The first event was games night. Those usually have a bad rep in Lagos because some people think it’s an open invitation to be weird however, this one was a breath of fresh air. Everyone came with the right energy and stayed respectful of each other’s boundaries. Shalla to my senior friend who introduced me to them through the newsletter, I hope she knows how much I appreciate her. I’ll be gatekeeping this one, mind you.
Using my airfryer. It’s white btw, very impractical just the way I like it
Listening to Lojay’s entire discography with fresh ears after his recent interview with my favorite podcast girls.
Being still on Sunday. It’s the first free weekend I’ve had in months.
By the next letter, I’ll be older and wiser.
Till then, stay jiggy