Chapter 1: A Sudden Ban — Wahala No Dey Give Notice

Before wahala enter, if you talk science for Naija, na one name everybody go shout—LightHouseNaija. He used to be Nigeria’s number one science content creator, with one of his videos pulling over 100 million views.

In those days, even small children for Ajegunle and old women for Kano market fit mention his name with pride. Parents would gather their children for family viewing any time his new video dropped, shouting, “Come and see oh! LightHouseNaija don release another one!” Children squeeze together on old sofa, smell of fried plantain in the air, all eyes glued to small TV. The excitement in the air was something you could almost touch, as if he was the country's very own TV teacher.

The big media houses carried his story, and even government agencies wanted to work with him.

Channels TV, NTA, even the news hawkers at Oshodi bus stop, everybody dey talk about the wonder boy. You go hear conductor dey shout, “LightHouseNaija, e don trend again!” while selling newspaper. Government people go dey invite am for science exhibitions, education summits, and national STEM programs. Some people even say his matter reach Aso Rock that year. Dem talk say even oga for Villa dey watch am for office.

But just when his career reached the very top, he was suddenly banned.

It was like when NEPA take light during Champions League final. People shout, slap table, some even pray make e be mistake. The whole internet space just cold, people dey ask, “Wetin happen?” Some said it was spiritual attack, others whispered about political wahala behind the scenes.

Some people say that by then, he had already turned to serve foreign interests.

Rumours begin fly left and right—“Na oyinbo people dey fund am now,” or “E dey use science to scatter our culture.” Some old uncles go say, “I talk am! If you too dey popular, dem go find way pursue you for this country.”

July 14, 2021—a day that broke the hearts of many science lovers.

If you walk pass UNILAG gate that day, you go hear students discussing in low tones, their faces long like person wey lose phone. Even market women for Bodija dey lament: “Ah! Wetin LightHouseNaija do them? We still dey learn from am!”

On that day, the famous science educator "LightHouseNaija" was abruptly banned everywhere online.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter—all his handles vanish overnight. Even the WhatsApp broadcast groups wey dey circulate his content suddenly dry. For some people, e pain reach bone—like pepper enter eye.

The news landed like heavy stone for water, sending shockwaves all over.

People’s mouths hang open, like when NEPA take light while you dey fry puff-puff. For WhatsApp family groups, the message spread sharp-sharp: "LightHouseNaija banned! E don happen o!" The gist cut across every tribe and town, from Ibadan to Jos.

Fans of "LightHouseNaija" were left speechless, confused, and couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Some even dey refresh their browser every five minutes, praying it was just network problem. Secondary school students, especially those preparing for WAEC, begin dey panic: "Who go explain Physics to us now?" Tears roll for some eyes, as if dem lose personal friend.

"LightHouseNaija" called itself the "encyclopedia of modern life."

Even primary school teachers for Agege go refer to his videos during class, saying, “Go and watch LightHouseNaija, e go break am down for you.” People see am as the go-to guy for any wahala wey science or sense dey involved.

For more than three years, they put out around 200 short science videos.

If you scroll through their page, you go see videos on everything: from how mosquito dey find person for dark, to why your garri soak differently for different places in Nigeria. The videos always trend for exam season.

From "How Streetlight Go Wise Pass Area Boy" and "How to Dispatch Trains for 200 Million People," to "Atomic Bomb Manufacturing Guide" and "Why Counterfeiting Naira Be Wahala."

No topic too big, no question too small. Some episodes make people laugh, others open their eyes to the serious matter wey dey face country.

In just a few minutes, they could break down difficult topics and make them easy for everyone to understand.

You go see mechanics for Ladipo market pausing to watch on their phones. Even mamas frying akara for roadside go quote his examples.

The animation, the way they told the stories, the explanations—all of it was just too sweet. Sweet like Agege bread and hot akara.

Na true, the graphics dey colourful, the pidgin dey peppered with sense, and even children for village fit follow the story from start to finish. It be like he dey gist you for your parlour.

Even though the content was serious science, watching their videos was never dull.

He fit talk about nuclear energy like he dey gist about suya and kilishi. One minute na atom bomb, next minute na why pepper soup dey hot. Small jokes, some “gbas gbos” sound effects, and always a deep moral at the end.

"LightHouseNaija" hit its peak in 2020.

During COVID lockdown, when everybody dey house, his videos became like medicine. Na him people dey turn to for sense, hope, and small laughter.

That year, COVID-19 was everywhere, and people were scared and worried.

News of sickness dey everywhere, people dey fear to even shake hands. People dey queue for hand sanitizer, radio dey play “Wash your hand oh!” every five minutes. For every bus and market, it was hand sanitizer and confusion.

At that crucial time, "LightHouseNaija" stepped up.

He no run hide—he come out, talk to people. His voice became like comfort for many: “No panic. Science dey our side.”

They dropped a video called "All About COVID-19."

People wait for am like Christmas rice. Once the notification drop, everywhere burst.

This video came just in time, answering all the burning questions people had.

The comments section full as people dey ask, “Oga, is it true COVID dey kill black man? How many people fit gather for party? How face mask dey work?”

From where the virus came from, to how it spreads, from how to protect yourself to treatment options—the explanations were complete and clear.

He even use Naija slang to explain how the virus waka from person to person, why you need to wash hand, and why ‘herbal concoction’ no be magic cure. E clear for everyone, from old to young.

That one video alone passed 100 million views.

It trended everywhere—even taxi drivers dey play am for passenger inside bus. That week, e be like the only news bigger than NECO exam leak.

It brought "LightHouseNaija" millions of new followers and earned them a place among Facebook Nigeria’s "Top 100 Creators" that year.

People begin dey hail am for social media, “You too much! Our own Bill Nye, Naija version.”

Adewale Okonkwo, the founder of "LightHouseNaija," even made it onto that year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list—no small thing at all.

Mama Kemi for Surulere dey use the story encourage her children: “If Adewale fit make am from nothing, why you no fit pass your exam?” She tap her daughter for back, eyes shining with hope. Even his secondary school—St. Gregory’s College—do send-out parade for am.

Channels TV even did a special report, praising "LightHouseNaija" like say tomorrow no dey.

For Channels Sunrise show, the anchor dey smile throughout the interview: “Adewale, you dey make us proud. This is the real face of the Nigerian youth!”

Plenty government agencies came forward, hoping to partner with them.

Federal Ministry of Science and Tech send official letter. NYSC corps members dey apply for internship there like say na oil company.

At that point, Adewale Okonkwo was at the very top of his career, enjoying massive respect and recognition.

If he sneeze, media go carry am. He dey invited for every TEDx event, education summit, and radio morning show.

The company kept growing, boasting over a hundred staff—each one a top hand in their area.

From graphic designers wey sabi animation, to voice-over artists wey fit mimic any accent, to content researchers wey dey dig deep, everybody dey hustle with pride. Lunch time na jollof rice and pure water for everybody, laughter full corridor.

Apart from science videos, Adewale Okonkwo also launched physical products and interactive learning kits like "Mini Drying Plant" and "Basic Operations."

Schools begin dey buy the kits for classroom experiments. PTA meetings turn to debate ground on which LightHouseNaija product to buy for the term. If na my pikin, e go use LightHouseNaija kit pass WAEC this year.

It looked like he was about to build a real knowledge empire.

Some even talk say in five years, e fit start his own university. "If Otedola get refinery, why LightHouseNaija no go get science campus?"—people dey yarn for Twitter.

The future of "LightHouseNaija" was shining bright.

E be like say nothing fit stop the shine. From Yaba Tech to Sokoto polytechnic, the dream dey everywhere.

But nobody knew they were already dancing on the edge of a cliff—good times were about to finish.

Na so e dey be for Naija: when rain too dey fall, make you check say flood no dey come. Dem no sabi say wahala dey cook for back.

Just when everyone thought Adewale Okonkwo would keep moving forward and achieve even bigger things, wahala burst.

No warning, no leak. One day, everything just scatter—na like generator wey suddenly off for wedding.

"LightHouseNaija" disappeared from the public eye, just like that, without warning.

Some people dey suspect say spiritual attack dey inside. Some say na government hand, others say na envy. Nobody really know.

He was banned.

The official statement no even come quick, but online, everybody don reach conclusion. “They have banned our teacher!”

And all this started from a simple online argument.

But rain no dey fall forever—one small mistake fit turn sunshine to flood.