HANGOUT WITH SIMI

Hi guys, it's been a minute, but we have another teen here.  Yaay!!!

Okayy, our next guest is a really good friend of mine. Simi's super outspoken and absolutely fun to be with. She's fourteen years old, enjoys singing and dancing, and doesn't think feminism is as great as people think it is.  She'd also like to think she's a pretty good actress.

I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy this session as much as I did. Let's dive in.

What is the festive period like for you?

I feel this festive period will be awesome for me, because we have a family tradition where we all gather to celebrate Christmas and new year together. I'm really excited about it.

Who/ What motivates you?

My mother. She motivates me, She tries her best to provide all that I need, and the least I can do is make her proud.

Are you looking forward to being an adult? 

Really, I'm not. The world seems to be so hard on adults, and I'm just not ready to go out into that world and be alone.

Do you think your parents understand you as a teenager? What do you wish they'd understand about you?

My mom understands me, but my dad isn't really doing a good job, although, he's trying. I think parents should stop being so hard on their teens; they should try to trust their children more and give them just a little free hand, and also try to show them more love, money isn't everything.

How deeply do you care for peer validation on a scale of one to ten

8

On a scale of 1-10 how close are you to your parents.

8

What is one thing you love about yourself?

I love the fact that I am strong and I do not depend on anyone to make me happy.

What are your long term goals? Let's say five years.

In the next five years I hope to have gained a scholarship into a Canadian medical school to further my education.

How about your plans for photography?

I hope to pursue that when I'm done with senior school, during the long break.

What subjects do you like learning, and why do you like them? 

I like learning chemistry and Mathematics because they make me think and task my brain


How important is family to you? What's your role in your family? 

My family is my first priority. I try my best to assist everyone in my family in one way or the other. I don't think they can do without me.

Any books you've read this year you'd like to share?

Nahh


What has 'teenagehood' taught you so far?

It has taught me to be independent because no one is always going to be there for you even if they want to so badly

What's your take on sex education?  How important is it?  Why do students cringe when it's time to talk about it?  How do you think we can normalize it? 

I feel sex education is very important in building a person's sexual behaviour. I think we cringe because of the way some people talk about it. We also act that way because we're not closely related to the people that talk to us about it; also, some people are too serious when they talk to us about sex. They should try more to build a relationship with us teens before they talk to us about sex. It is always too weird when strangers talk to us about it unless the person has a great sense of humor.

What's your take on self love? 

Self love is very important in building self confidence. Without self love you can't go anywhere.   To be able to succeed, one has to love and believe in his or herself.

Describe your personality.

I'm a very cool person. I can be shy with strangers but once you get to know me I am very interesting. I don't like fight or confrontations. I like to make people laugh.

How many languages can you speak?

Just two. English and Yoruba

What are your favorite family traditions? 

I like our Christmas get together. I also really enjoy the stories our grandparents (especially my grandfather) tell us stories

How do you think we can make Nigeria better?

By not being selfish and actually believing that Nigeria can be better. We should put our country as our priority.

Who's your favorite celebrity?

I don't really know.

What's your take on feminism?

Feminism is rubbish. I don't understand why some people believe men and women are equal, I'm not saying women can't do what men do, but I honestly  don't think I can do half of what men do in the society. That's just my opinion though.


I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. It's always a beautiful thing knowing what goes on in teens heads about certain topics and understanding where they're coming from.

As for feminism, like my favorite person said, "it ought not to be about anger and female domination, it rather ought to be about leaving the woman with room to realise her full potential" I hope this is what we teach, because we have young ones watching us.

You can also hangout with MotherGold and Marie if you haven't.

Have a beautiful week!  Merry Christmas in advance!!!! Love you!!!