It embarrasses me that I haven’t written here this year since my last piece in January. I could lie that I was overwhelmed or too busy to make out time to write here but I do not want to lie. I’ve just been lazy. And I’ll try to course correct in the new year.
Why am I writing now? The year has basically ended and I’ve had quite an eventful year and I thought it would be helpful to reflect on what 2024 was for me as I make goals for 2025.
I think my goals each year are often the same. They are all geared towards a journey to better me. In my new year’s eve prayers, I am always asking God for discipline because I am aware of how better adept I would be at achieving my goals if I was a lot more disciplined. This year, I will be asking God for discipline and more.
I’m looking through my year 2024 and trying to decide what the highlight of the year was. There has been many blessings. Too many things to be thankful for. There are the great things like the many film festival selections for my films A Quiet Monday and God’s Wife and the privilege of traveling across the continent for them. And the greater things like my life, my actual life, and health and vitality; surviving a kidnapping attempt, which involved gunshots, has made me come to appreciate my life better as I continue to heal from the trauma of that event early in November.
But when I think of the highlight of my year, I think one that has been most impactful for me was licensing the Catholic hymn I used in my new film God’s Wife.
I’m not certain how I came across the song but I am always seeking out Catholic hymns whether in Igbo or Latin. Because they are so soothing. I turn to them during my bouts of anxiety or overwhelming sadness. And the protagonist in God’s Wife suffers these things, albeit to a higher degree. When I listen to Catholic hymns, my life feels less sad and I start to imagine that my life could be better, there’s just something hopeful in there. And I wanted to end God’s Wife on that note. I wanted music that could do for the protagonist what the catholic hymnals do for me. And Adoremus in Aeternum was it. I wasn’t shocked when it made it to my Spotify wrapped.
However, licensing the song seemed completely out of reach for me. Firstly, I am a broke artist. Secondly, how do I reach out to whoever owns the copyright and convince them that yeah, I need this music for my little short film shot in a small community in Enugu, Nigeria.
But all it took was emailing the publishers of the song and after months and months of exchanging emails they agreed to license it to me for a decent fee.
The experience is instructive for me and that it’s why it’s my year’s highlight. It’s taught me to believe in myself more. I’ve learned that good things could happen if i believed in the possibility. And that’s the mindset I’m going into 2025 with. I am going into 2025 with a lot of self-belief.
Career wise, i have these big dreams that I have to see to fruition. And i am determined to put in all the work and birth these dreams to life.
I am grateful for friends who have held me close this year. I experienced many joys with them and also ran to them for comfort during the lows. and I hope we continue to rock this boat in the coming year and more to come.
a Merry 2025 to us all!
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