Chef Braakman

Vultures Over Lima’s Catacombs, Bats around Oba’s Palace in Benin: A Prayer for the Dying

May 30, 2025 No Comments

While exploring the catacombs of Lima’s San Francisco Basilica, surrounded by thousands of bones and the eerie presence of vultures, I found myself thinking about the burial traditions of my Igbo heritage, the taboos of Bonny land, and the bats that guard the Oba’s palace in Benin. In that quiet space between death and memory, I saw our shared humanity, and whispered a prayer for the dying.

Can Surrogacy Be Ethical? A Mother’s Journey Through Loss, Law, and Love

May 28, 2025 3 Comments

After three miscarriages and countless tears, I found myself exploring surrogacy, not just as a medical option, but a legal and ethical maze. As a Nigerian woman married to a Dutch man, the complexities went beyond borders. Dutch law demanded altruism, while unregulated markets in places like Nigeria exposed heartbreaking exploitation. I found solace and insight in the ancient story of Hagar, the Bible’s first surrogate, and saw how her pain echoes in modern realities. Can surrogacy be ethical? Only if love leads, laws protect, and no woman is made invisible in the process.

From Snapshots to Stories: My Journey Through History, Slavery, and Self-Discovery

May 26, 2025 No Comments

Travel used to be about pictures and passport stamps. Now, it’s my classroom, my calling, and my way of reclaiming history.
From the slave forts of Ghana to the genocide memorials of Rwanda, and the haunted beauty of Curaçao’s colonial past, my journey has transformed. It’s no longer about ticking off cities but about understanding stories, stories of pain, resilience, and identity. I’ve walked the lands where my ancestors were taken, and I’m learning to listen to what the soil remembers.
This isn’t just travel. It’s relearning who I am, and where we’ve come from.

Evolving on Abortion: A Reflection from Faith, Experience, and Listening

May 24, 2025 2 Comments

I was raised Catholic, and abortion was a firm no, no debate, no gray areas. But life has since given me reasons to pause and reflect. From witnessing a desperate teenage abortion attempt in boarding school to navigating the complexities of IVF and high-risk pregnancies myself, I now see the issue with deeper empathy and nuance. This isn’t about changing beliefs but understanding the stories, pain, and difficult choices women face. Today, I believe abortion is not just a political or moral issue, it’s a woman’s rights issue.

The Price of an “A”: My Story of Harassment in University

May 18, 2025 4 Comments

It was my first week in university. I had no intention of dating, just wanted to study, mind my business, and maybe play some badminton. Then I met him. He was unremarkable, just a skinny guy I chatted with at the bank while waiting in line. The next day, he walked into my classroom as the lecturer. What started as a casual friendship soon spiraled into something darker. And when I refused to play his game, he weaponized the one thing he had control over, my grades.

The Sick Bay That Changed Me: A Boarding School Story That Shaped My Health Advocacy

May 15, 2025 4 Comments

In my Nigerian boarding school, sickness meant a visit to the sick bay, and almost everyone got the same treatment: paracetamol, folic acid, and antimalarials. But one tragic experience changed the way I view healthcare forever. After losing a dear friend to a misdiagnosed illness, I made a vow: I would never take my health, or any doctor’s decision, lightly again. This is the story of how that pain turned me into a relentless health advocate.

Reading the Bible Again—with New Eyes, a Wiser Heart, and Open Hands

May 12, 2025 2 Comments

Ten years ago, I read the Bible during one of the darkest seasons of my life, grieving multiple miscarriages and searching for meaning. Now, a decade later, I’ve begun again, with fresh eyes shaped by motherhood, faith, and my global travels. From infertility in Genesis to the wisdom in ancient laws, I’m discovering a powerful God who isn’t afraid of my questions. This journey is changing me, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

The Man Next Door: A Passport, A Benz, and Broken Illusions

May 7, 2025 3 Comments

From my verandah upstairs, I watched the parade, girls sneaking in and out of his flat, some washing his clothes, others arriving with soup ingredients. To them, he was more than a flashy neighbor. He was hope. A passport. A ticket out. But even as a young girl, I knew his story didn’t add up. I knew something was off. And the day the drug agents stormed his compound, the street held its breath, but I wasn’t surprised. I had seen it coming

My Winding Road Back to Faith: Reflections from a Life Between Church Doors

May 5, 2025 1 Comment

From boarding school skepticism to a heartfelt search for belonging, my faith journey has taken many unexpected turns. Through Bible studies, church-hopping, infertility, and IVF, I wrestled with doctrine and doubt. But somewhere between loss and longing, I found grace again, not in perfect agreement, but in peace. This is the story of how I wandered, questioned, and slowly found my way back to faith.