Studying at SLU: A journey from Nigeria to new perspectives in environmental communication
About four years ago, I faced a decision that would shape my professional path, academic journey, and personal life.
As a young Nigerian, I watched many friends and colleagues leave to study in the US, the UK, or other European countries. Sweden was never on their list.
I knew no Nigerians in Sweden - I only read about Dr. Alban, who moved to Sweden in the 1980s to study Dentistry at Lund University before becoming a DJ and later a dancehall musician. You probably know his hit song, It’s My Life. But back to my story. Choosing to move to cold Sweden and accept an offer from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences to study Environmental Communication and Management was an uncertain decision. I wasn’t sure what was coming - or what I was stepping into.
When the admission came through, reality set in. I was about to spend the next 24 months nearly 8,000 kilometres from Abuja, in a country whose entire population was about half the size of Lagos, the city I grew up in. Nothing prepared me for winter with temperatures as low as –20°C or for navigating a culture and food so different from mine.
26 months went by quickly, yet they were deeply meaningful. I lived each day with purpose. The non-hierarchical relationships with lecturers, the exciting field trips, and even the repetitive lectures all contributed to a positive and memorable experience as a Master’s student in the Environmental Communication and Management programme at SLU. My internship at the Nordic Africa Institute in the summer of 2023, and later, the process of bringing together everything I had learned to explore climate scepticism for my thesis - and winning two outstanding awards on Thesis Day - were great highlights. Academically, the programme was not as rigorous as my previous studies in Nigeria, but it was enriching in different ways.
Outside the classroom, the city of Uppsala offered its own gifts: long walks in nature, reading by the riverside, getting lost on long forest runs, discovering new biking routes across the city, writing and publishing my memoir Random Acts of Kindness, and speaking at high‑level events on Water, Slow Fashion, and Climate Policy. I also volunteered twice with the Stockholm International Water Institute. And of course, playing football almost every summer and autumn evening with my neighbours was pure joy.
Back in Nigeria, my work continues to position me as an image‑maker for Sweden. I am grateful to have returned with more knowledge, passion, and purpose. One of my proudest moments was using my growing Swedish language skills when my team hosted HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden during her visit to Abuja and Lagos in the spring of 2025. I still remember how warmly she appreciated my Svenska as we spoke across the table during a dinner by the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
My work now extends beyond communication to influencing and shaping policy at national and regional levels. My training in Environmental Communication and Management from SLU has also shaped the Climate Talk Podcast, where I make climate science more relatable and highlight climate solutions and leaders. Moreover, what I find most fulfilling is the opportunity to mentor young Nigerians and help them gain clarity in their academic and career paths - three of whom are currently studying in Sweden.
In the words of Dag Hammarskjöld, whose life and work continue to inspire me deeply, I echo “Thanks" for all that has been, and "Yes" for all that will be. SLU prepared me for what lies ahead. Whatever it is, I am ready. My time as a student there will continue to shape me and my work, and I remain grateful that I made that decision to study at SLU.