2819 comes to London

A couple of years ago, I discovered Philip Anthony Mitchell on YouTube. What I liked about him was his very direct preaching style; he doesn’t sugarcoat things or tell you what you want to hear. He tells you what you need to hear. Everything he preaches is biblically based, and he’s not afraid to speak truth regardless of how people feel about it. One thing about me — I love outspoken people (as I’m quite outspoken myself lol). Since then, I became a digital disciple. I said to myself that one day I would fly to Atlanta to see him preach in person. I had even discussed this with someone from my church who had been thinking the same thing.

Last November, I saw on the 2819 Instagram page that there would be a summit in London on 1 February 2026. I was over the moon — I started messaging my friend to let her know, but before I could finish typing my message, she had already messaged me about it. We were determined to make it to this event by any means necessary! We were thrilled. Luckily, on the day the tickets were released, she was able to secure tickets for us. I was so happy that the event was happening at ExCeL London, which is local to me, and on top of that, the event was free! This was perfect. Many people from my church also got tickets.

When 1 February 2026 came, I was fired up. We got there a couple of hours before the event and were near the front of the queue. I couldn’t believe it was finally happening — I would finally see Philip Anthony Mitchell preach live without having to travel to Atlanta. While in the queue, we even prayed that when we got inside the arena, we would get seats near the front in the middle, and guess what? God answered that prayer, and we had a perfect view. As soon as we walked inside the arena, it felt so surreal. I actually felt like I was in the 2819 Church in Atlanta, as the setup was identical to what I have been watching on YouTube every week.

The praise and worship was amazing. I loved the songs they sang, including Jehovah Gibbor and Marvellous (I have been playing Marvellous on repeat). When I saw Philip Anthony Mitchell on the stage, I was so excited!!  His message was about the book of Jude. Pastor Philip emphasised that we do not have much time left and that we need to be serious about our faith and get right with Christ. We need to speak up and contend for the faith; we can’t be scared to “offend people” or be passive, otherwise other religions and ideologies that do not align with Christianity will continue taking over the UK. If we are not careful, Christians in the UK will be persecuted (which has already started happening). We have a duty to spread the gospel and defend Christianity against worldly movements. This message really moved me, I was locked in the entire time. I genuinely don’t think anyone in that arena left the same — it made all of us realise there’s a lot of work for us Christians to do. 

I am so grateful to God for allowing me to have this life-changing experience and for being able to share this with my sisters in Christ. For years, I had been praying to God for Christian sisterhood. I wanted a group of mature Christian women who could provide me with wise counsel, challenge me to grow closer to Christ, and lift me up in prayer. God answered that prayer for me (“Walk with the wise and become wise" Proverbs 13:20). We can’t walk on this Christian journey alone. God has been showing me the importance of community and being in the right environment for growth. That is why I'm also grateful for my church community. Though I’ve spent most of my life in church since childhood, ARC Forest Gate is the only church I have ever felt fully connected to. I remember praying to God about what I wanted in a church, and ARC ticked every single box. I will forever be grateful to my girl Shak for inviting me to this church. Since joining the church, my faith has grown more than ever before. I believe it is alignment, as both ARC and 2819 have been journeying through the book of Matthew in the ESV version during their sermons. I am excited to continue walking with Christ in this community, to grow in boldness in my faith and to spread the gospel. This season has been full of answered prayers, love, joy, and peace.

IShowSpeed Africa Tour

As a millennial, I only became aware of the streaming world about a year ago. What I found fascinating is that young men in their early 20s were becoming millionaires purely from live-streaming their day-to-day lives. Two popular streamers I see mentioned a lot are Kai Cenat and Speed. I didn't realise how influential these young men were. I had seen clips of Speed in China and Europe, where huge crowds of people were following him and screaming his name. I was shocked; in my eyes, he was getting more attention than most A-list celebrities. I wondered why he was so famous.

Recently, Speed did a tour of Africa, visiting 20 countries. As an African myself, I decided to tune in to parts of the tour. It was very entertaining and educational. Seeing how he was received all over Africa, and the large crowds he drew from people of all ages, showed how much influence he has. I had assumed his audience was mostly Gen Z, but it clearly included people of all ages.

From the Egyptian pyramids, to the Maasai tribe in Kenya, to the AFCON finals in Morocco, to Speed receiving a massage in Ghana while the women chanted "Kurya Kurya Kurugengen," it was an epic tour. What surprised me was the number of online clips of people (mainly Americans) who were shocked by what they saw in Africa; they had believed the whole continent was nothing but dirt, sand, mud huts, and poverty. I was thinking: in this day and age of the internet and YouTube, how did they not know that Africa has cities, especially with YouTubers such as Wode Maya, who has been showcasing Africa on YouTube for many years?

Speed single-handedly shattered many negative stereotypes about the African continent and introduced a new audience to its numerous cultures. He took his time to embrace the local people in each country he visited and immersed himself in various cultural practices such as naming ceremonies, cultural dances, eating local dishes, and learning words in different languages. I liked that he was open to learning about these cultures and did not judge them negatively.

One downside of the tour was the racist abuse he suffered in North Africa. To be honest, it didn't surprise me; my parents previously lived in North Africa and told me about the racism they experienced. While at a football stadium in Algeria, objects were thrown at him by football fans, and he was called the n-word. I understand not all North Africans are racist, but there is a lot of racism in those countries towards Black people. For example, during the Morocco vs Senegal AFCON final, Morocco kept stealing the Senegalese goalkeeper's towels. Morocco also allocated only 2,850 seats out of 69,500 (just 4%) to Senegalese fans. Even the Moroccan reporters walked out of the press conference when the Senegalese coach came in. One of the worst things, in my opinion, was a Moroccan official breaching protocol by not handing the trophy directly to the Senegalese team. That is why I am glad Senegal beat them and won.

The tour shows how diverse Africa is, with its many ethnic groups, languages, and cultures. Africans are not monolithic. I am glad that the beauty of this continent has been showcased to the world. I’m also glad that years of negative propaganda have been challenged by this young 21-year-old and his team. I’m sure the number of visitors to the continent will increase dramatically because of this tour. If you are African or of African descent, it is something to be proud of. I am looking forward to when he does part 2 of the African tour.

Sinners

*Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers.

When I first heard about The Sinners film, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I wanted to see the film because I'm a big fan of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan films (plus Michael is FINE! lol). On the other hand, I was questioning whether I should watch it as a Christian, especially with a title called "Sinners". I saw a lot of discourse about the film online, some Christians watched it and loved it and others said it was demonic and were against it. We even had a discussion in church about it and people's opinions were split. Ultimately, whether to watch the film or not is down to one's own personal conviction. I ended up watching Sinners with my family and we enjoyed it. Is it a pro-Christian film? Nope, but there are elements of the film I believe are in alignment with Biblical principles which I am going to explore.

In the film, the vampires could only enter the jukejoint if they were invited inside. I see this as a powerful analogy: the devil can only gain access to our lives if we open the door to him. We don't have to explicitly invite him in but our actions, choices, and sinful behaviour can serve as an open door. When we sin, we create spiritual entry points that give the enemy room to operate in our lives. This is why repentance is important, to close these doors and reaffirm our alignment with God.

Another significant element is the character of Remmick, the head vampire, who I believe represents Satan. His goal was to turn everyone into vampires to build a community that reflects his values and submits to his control. In the same way, Satan seeks to lead people away from God and into his own kingdom. Remmick tempts others with the promise of a better life as a vampire—offering freedom, immortality, and community. This mirrors how the devil entices us with the temporary pleasures of the world. This reminds me of Matthew 4:8-9 when Satan tried to tempt Jesus: "the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me". Stack is an example of someone who gave in to temptation and ended up becoming a vampire. The main lesson I took from this is to resist temptation otherwise, in the end it will only lead to your downfall.

Another powerful scene is when Sammy recites the Lord's prayer—and Remmick recites it alongside him. I found this to be a key moment in the film. It serves as a reminder that the devil knows Scripture too. During Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, Satan quoted Scripture in an attempt to deceive Him (see Matthew 4:6). This moment highlights a vital truth: being a Christian isn’t just about knowing Bible verses. Head knowledge alone doesn’t equate to true faith. There are people who aren’t followers of Christ who can quote Scripture front to back—but that doesn’t make them Christians. True Christianity goes beyond information; it’s about transformation. It means having a personal relationship with God through Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, purifying our hearts, renewing our minds, and guiding our lives. Though Sammy was a Preacher's son, his actions show that he didn't have the Holy Spirit in him as his god was his guitar, which he chose over his faith.

Music is a major element in the film. I’ve often spoken out about the music industry and the kinds of messages it promotes. In the movie, Sammy uses music to summon spirits from both the past and the future—including Remmick himself. We know that Satan was an Angel of music before his fall from heaven. That’s why I believe music is spiritually powerful—it can influence atmospheres and even open doors to the unseen realm. There are stories of artists who engage in rituals, smoke, or drink before creating music, sometimes claiming it enhances their “creativity.” One of the members of the Backstreet Boys did an interview and said that there are witches at record labels who demonically pray over albums before their release. Music isn’t just entertainment—it carries frequency, emotion, and intention. It can be used to uplift, worship, and heal, but it can also be used to manipulate, deceive, and invite spiritual influence. That’s why it’s crucial to guard your ear gates and be mindful of what you’re allowing into your spirit through sound. As believers, we should exercise our discernment when choosing the music we listen to.

The film also incorporates elements of Hoodoo, a traditional African American spiritual practice deeply rooted in African ancestral wisdom and nature-based rituals. In the film, Annie uses it to protect her husband, Smoke. She does not use it for evil. Her character is portrayed as wise and discerning, and her spiritual knowledge proves instrumental in the fight against the vampires. This can be interpreted as being pro-Hoodoo. As someone who has previously researched different African spiritual systems, I wasn't offended by this. Watching films or shows about vampires and the supernatural doesn't phase me, as I grew up watching Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Nollywood films that have voodoo in them (as Christians, still use your discernment). There are many spiritual belief systems/religions on this earth that millions of people believe in. As a Christian, I believe that none of them can touch Christianity. In the Bible, there are many instances of people worshipping different gods yet time and again, God shows himself to be more powerful than all of them.

Overall, I think Sinners is a great film and presents a layered narrative that intertwines spirituality, culture, and the unseen battle between good and evil. While it contains controversial elements, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on how faith, identity, and discernment play out in the real world. It raises important questions about how we engage with the world as Christians. Ultimately, it reminds us to stay spiritually aware, guard our hearts and minds, and seek God’s truth above all.

The Revolution will be Televised!

I never thought that in my lifetime I would witness an African leader capable of uniting not only Africans on the continent but those in the diaspora. I never thought I would witness an African leader who could defy the West and survive numerous assassination attempts. The Pan-African in me is screaming with joy!! This is all due to Captain Ibrahim Traore, the young President of Burkina Faso, who is changing the narrative.

As history shows, any African leader who defied the West and prioritised developing their own country and uplifting their people often paid with their lives. An example of this is Patrice Lumumba of Congo. Another example is Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, who achieved a remarkable amount despite his limited time in office. He increased the literacy rate from 13% to 73%,  promoted self-reliance and rejected foreign aid, and focused on building schools, health centres, water reservoirs, infrastructure projects, and many other accomplishments. Like the West typically does (in this case, France), they used a black person close to Sankara to assassinate him, his own childhood best friend, Blaise Compaoré.

Many people see Ibrahim Traore as Thomas Sankara reincarnated. During his short time as president, Traore kicked out the French, paid off Burkina Faso's debts, increased the GDP from $18.8 billion to $22.1 billion, made education free, invested in agriculture, and is currently constructing roads and factories, building a new airport, plus more. Like Sankara, he is pushing for self-sufficiency. Many of us have never seen a leader like Traore; the support for him is worldwide. On 30 April 2025, there were worldwide protests—from London to New York, Jamaica, and across Africa—as people came out to show their solidarity with Traore after American General Langley accused Traore of using his country's gold for his protection. We also know from history that this is another tactic of the West, creating false narratives of leaders. In this age of social media, I don't think this will work.

Even if Ibrahim did use his country's gold for protection, it is justified. His actions have made him a target, and there have been 19 assassination attempts on his life. One of his close bodyguards was paid $5 million to kill him, but the bodyguard took the money and then informed Traore (talk about integrity!). I believe France is scared. Traore's actions could set a precedent for other African nations to follow. Their grip on Africa is weakening, Niger and Mali already kicked them out. France has been receiving $500 billion annually in colonial taxes from Francophone African countries, and the way things are going, this is not going to last. Former President of France, Jacques Chirac, even said that France would become a third-world country without Africa.

What I believe has helped is Burkina Faso's alliance with Russia. I have seen some discourse online about people who are sceptical about this relationship, due to the history of foreigners exploiting Africa, which is understandable. To be honest, Russia does not have a history of exploiting Africa, and every country needs allies. Look at BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa & others). Russia's intelligence was able to help foil multiple assassination attempts against Traore, so I'm not against it. 

I believe there is a shift in consciousness in Africa; the people have had enough. How much suffering and exploitation can a continent continue to endure? There are only so many times you can poke the bear before it reacts. The average age of an African is 19 years old, the population is rapidly increasing, most Africans have access to the internet and can see what is happening in the world. Traore is a beacon of hope across the continent and the world. All of these factors are great conditions for radical change. I believe we are currently and finally starting to witness the rise of Africa.