Two Episodes. Two Second Acts. One Truth.

Hey Afropolitan family,

This week we're doing something different — two episodes, one newsletter. Because both conversations landed on the same truth from completely different angles.

Ibrahim Sagna almost died in Dubai and rebuilt his life around one question: What's the version of me uninterrupted?

Sofi the Oddity's mom called her crying when she went viral — and Sofi had to answer a harder question: Who am I living for?

One built a $40 million position from $750K. The other turned a $36K salary into $25K brand deals. Both had to choose themselves to get there.

Let's get into it.

EPISODE 1: IBRAHIM SAGNA

$750,000 became $40 million in six years.

"Africa is not potential. It's been working and making money for many people, for centuries. That's why we were colonized — there was value to extract."

Ibrahim Sagna said this within the first five minutes. And it reframed everything.

Ibrahim spent 30 years in global finance — IMF, AFC, Afreximbank — enabling over $30 billion of financing across Africa. Then he left the safe job to build Silverbacks Holdings.

10 exits. Lemfi at 29x. Flutterwave at 24x. Cassbana at 9.7x. Moove at 5.1x.

His thesis: Possible → Probable → Inevitable.

Fund managers hunt possibilities. Silverbacks farms the inevitable. When a company graduates from probable to inevitable — expanding beyond Africa, acquiring global customers — they double down.

With Moove, they invested $750K when the company had seven cars. Today their position is worth $40 million. Lagos to Brazil to Japan to the US. Now they're deploying Waymo's driverless fleet in Miami, Phoenix, and London.

On almost dying:
Ibrahim got COVID in Dubai. Couldn't walk to the bathroom. One lung at 20% capacity. The other at 60%. The doctor told him another day would have been too late.

He quoted Buddha: "Every human has only two lives. The second one starts when you realize you only have one."

On staying the course:
"The version of you uninterrupted — free from the noise, the doubt, the distractions — is the only version worth building. Stay alive long enough to be lucky."

On distribution:
"If you don't control the distribution, you lose the story. Think about how many people visit Italy to see where Christ was born. A country he never went to. That's distribution. That's storytelling. That's the game.

EPISODE 2: SOFI THE ODDITY

$36,000 a year.

That was Sofi's first American salary. Her first Instagram brand deal? $25,000. For one post.

The math was clear. The path wasn't.

Because when 2020 hit and her videos started going viral, her mom wasn't celebrating. She was calling in tears. Saying things so devastating Sofi's eyes bled from crying.

"I went into a depression episode for months. I lost money. I didn't post. I didn't do anything."

This is the part of the creator economy nobody talks about. Not the brand deals. Not the followers. The phone calls from family who hate what makes you happy. The guilt of succeeding at something your culture never approved of.

On the African wound:
Sofi's therapist asked her: "Who are you living for?" Her answer broke her open: "My family."

The more indispensable you become, the more you prove the original wound was right — that you're only loved for what you provide.

On choosing herself:
Sofi's mom still asks which man is financing her lifestyle. Still can't fathom that Spotify flies her daughter around the world.

But Sofi stopped performing. She chose herself. Even when it cost her the one thing she wanted most — her mother's approval.

On representation:
Manager vs. agent. The 20% split. Why agencies forget you the moment you're not viral.

Most creators don't understand what they're signing. Sofi asked the right question: Who gets hurt if I fail?

A manager takes 10%. An agent takes 10%. That's 20% of nothing if you don't book. They only eat when you eat. That's skin in the game.

On building anyway:
From a secret blog her family didn't know about. To a $7,500 Home Depot deal at 10K followers. To becoming one of the most authentic voices in the African creator space.

Her cheat code? Being unapologetically herself.

THE COMMON THREAD

Ibrahim had to nearly die to realize he was living interrupted.

Sofi had to break down to realize she was living for everyone but herself.

Both had to choose their second act.

Naval once said: "When working, surround yourself with people more successful than you. When playing, surround yourself with people happier than you."

Ibrahim surrounded himself with inevitabilities. Sofi surrounded herself with joy.

Both found freedom.

What's interrupting you?

📞Want access to experts like Ibrahim and Sofi

What if you could do more than just listen to the people who've built?

Convo by Afropolitan lets you book 1-on-1 video calls with in-demand experts from Africa and the diaspora. Founders. Investors. Operators. The people shaping the future.

Sometimes one conversation changes your entire path.

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_{This episode is brought to you in partnership with Vban, the borderless banking app built for Africa’s digital workforce. Use the code AFROPOLITAN to sign up: https://vban.com so they know you came from us}

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If these conversations moved you, share them with someone who's still performing for approval or betting on "potential" instead of what's already working.

And reply to this email with one question:
What would the uninterrupted version of you build?

Ibrahim almost died and realized he had more to give. Sofi broke down and realized she had been giving to the wrong people.

Both chose themselves. Both found freedom.

Your turn.

Warmly,
Chika & Eche
Co-Hosts, Afropolitan Podcast