Osariemen (Festus)
Festus was born in Lagos, Nigeria in the 1970s, and grew up at Falomo Ikoyi, Lagos Island with his parents and 8 siblings.
Growing up in a Christian family, Festus remembers serving in various ways at his local church numerous times each week. This involved helping with various aspects of the service like administering incense and ringing ceremonial bells. Festus also remembers how he enjoyed being part of the church choir, especially when they sang Carols at Christmas outside and inside people’s homes in his community.
Festus has fond memories of playing football, table tennis and other games with his friends, as well as enjoying long hot days together at a local outdoor swimming pool.
Other fun times involved eating good food and watching films together in a Rotunda, although Festus recalls how scary one particular film called Nagin was, in which a woman turned into a snake!
There was a strong feeling of community in his neighbourhood and Festus reflects on how active the whole community was in raising each child.
Lagos is generally very hot and sunny and the British weather was a big adjustment when Festus first moved to London in February 2005.
Festus also reflects on how it took time to adjust to various differences in the way people greet and relate to each other in the UK compared to Nigeria.
Since 2007, Festus has been raising his family in Basildon, Essex and he is thankful for great neighbours and a strong feeling of home.
Festus grew up in the Falomo Ikoyi area of Lagos Island, in the South West of Nigeria. Lagos is the largest metropolitan area in Africa, with a population of 23.5 million people (roughly 2.5 times bigger than London!)
Photo of Lagos Island in 2007 by Benji Robertson, used under licence
Festus reflects that the region around Benin City, where his parents were from, is well known as a centre of exquisite creativity and culture.
Festus has many fond memories of his childhood at Falomo Ikoyi in Lagos Island with his family and friends.
Festus speaks of his parents with great admiration. His Dad was a Police officer and his Mum, who was an active Business Woman, would often travel overseas.
Festus shares that we all go through rough times and there will always be storms and challenges in life, but we just need to hold on tight, work hard, be positive, have faith and believe in our dreams and goals.
Festus’s parents have been a huge inspiration to him through their values of hard work, honesty, humility and how they have treated others with care and respect.
Festus’s parents, who were originally from Benin City (about 327km / 200 miles east of Lagos Island) taught him the value of treating people with love and respect, as well as the importance of education.
Family is important to Festus and he regularly speaks with his 2 brothers and 6 sisters on the phone.
Festus shares how glad he feels to be raising his family in Essex and that they felt so happy when they received such a warm welcome from their local neighbours when they moved from London to Basildon in 2007.
Lagos is generally very hot and sunny and the British weather was a big adjustment when Festus first moved to London in early February 2005.
Festus lived on Mitcham Road in Tooting Broadway when he first moved to London in 2005 to be with his wife, who at that time had just completed her studies and was working in London.
Festus remembers the excitement he felt when he first arrived in the UK at London’s Heathrow Airport on a chilly day in early February 2005.
Festus studied at university in Benin City, where his parents had originally lived, and he remembers being shocked when he saw snakes in the garden in Benin, as this was not common in the busy urban surroundings of Lagos. Festus went on to study at Kingston University in London, following his move to the UK.
