Stephanie Busari

This year, I’m choosing intention over resolution. Here’s a list of 26 things I want to do this year. Some are big, bold and audacious. Others just require some planning and thought. One thing is sure. I am going to have fun ticking them off my list! Did you make a list? Share yours in the comments ❤️

SBB Media Wrapped 2025. Last year, we did the work that mattered. In 2025, we helped leaders find clarity in their voice and took African stories to global stages. We expanded into publishing, documented living history, amplified culture, and centred humanity in every space we entered. From training Nigeria’s First Ladies to hosting global platforms in Dubai and New York. From launching Her Story to telling stories inside palaces, prisons, summits, and studios. From policy and diplomacy to culture, film, and impact-led storytelling. 2025 stretched us, sharpened us, and reminded us why this work exists. We believe stories should challenge systems, honour truth, and move people forward. That belief guided everything we did. Thank you to every partner, client, and collaborator who trusted us with their story. Onward into 2026.

“Sometimes the fear is loudest right before the breakthrough.” A year ago, the corporate path I had carefully cultivated for 16 years came to an end. I was scared. I questioned my relevance. I wondered if the phone would stop ringing. I struggled with identity more than I ever admitted. But here I am. Doing work I love. Building SBB Media. Working with people I respect. Choosing my time. Choosing my pace. Living with a freedom I didn’t know I needed. This is for anyone standing at the edge of a decision. Don’t leap blindly. Prepare. Put support systems in place. Cushion the landing. Then take the step. Growth rarely feels safe at first. But clarity often comes after courage.

Saturday’s commencement address at the American University of Nigeria was the culmination of more than a decade of reporting and fighting to ensure the world did not forget the Chibok girls. I now realise it was never simply about telling the story. It is an assignment to help them, and others like them, whose lives have been shaped by terrorism and conflict. The work continues. Enjoy the highlights from a truly special day ❤️

On Saturday, I had the honour and privilege of delivering the Commencement Address to the Class of 2026 at American University of Nigeria. Among the graduates were 12 of the Chibok girls who were taken from their school in 2014. Their Boko Haram captors had tried to deny them an education. A decade ago, I obtained the exclusive proof of life video that showed they were still alive. That footage mattered. It helped keep the story from fading after the initial global outcry of Bring Back Our Girls. This weekend, I watched with immense pride as some of those same young women walked across a stage and collected their degrees. Each of them was handed a rose, a small but powerful symbol of celebration as they received their convocations. I’ve covered many stories over the years. I’m not sure anything has come close to this. After the ceremony, we had lunch, and I asked what they wanted the world to know. They had a simple message for their Boko Haram captors. One told me: “I won. You could not stop me.” It was an emotional moment. What stood out was not only the defiance, but the quiet determination. These are young women who endured deep trauma. They had every reason to give up or be defined by what happened to them, and they chose not to. That choice says everything. It speaks to their strength and determination to triumph over tragedy. In my address, I shared that a degree is more than a qualification. It is a record of persistence. Of showing up again and again, through challenges both seen and unseen. Over the years covering the Chibok story, one thing has stayed with me: their refusal to be forgotten. Stories like this don’t end when headlines fade. These women are living proof. I’m deeply proud of them. Watching them, I kept thinking about the version of this story that could have been written, but wasn’t. They refused it. They wrote their own. And now they are building futures that will outlast tragedy. Congratulations to the Class of 2026. And my sincere thanks to President Dwayne Frazier, the faculty, and the entire AUN community for the invitation, and for the work you continue to do in supporting these students and helping shape what comes next.

When I first reported on the Chibok girls, I made a promise that their story would not be forgotten. I obtained the proof-of-life video that helped bring some of them home, and I have spent the past 12 years covering their story in different ways. It has been a defining part of my career, and one that has stayed with me. What I never imagined was that years later, I would stand before them as their Commencement Speaker at the American University of Nigeria @aunigeria To watch these young women walk across that stage, after everything they have survived… I don’t quite have the words yet. But I will find them. Congratulations, Class of 2026. This moment belongs to you. You made it. #SBBMedia #ChibokGirls #AUNCommencement2026 #StorytellingMatters #WomenWhoLead

I first met Isha Johansen @ishajohansenfcj in Sierra Leone, where I was covering the devastating mudslides for CNN. We hit it off and stayed in touch over the years. I always knew she had a powerful story, a woman navigating the male-dominated world of football at the highest level. What I did not know was that ten years after that first meeting, I would be the one to bring that story to life. I am proud to announce the second book from my imprint, @wearesbbmedia SBB Publishing: _The Uncommon Enemy_ by Isha Johansen is now available for pre-order ahead of the UK launch in June 2026. It is a gripping, unflinching account of what it truly costs to take on a system that is determined to crush you. Order your copy here: https://bit.ly/tuepreorder #TheUncommonEnemy #IshaJohansen #SBBPublishing #NewBook #PreOrder

This is exactly why platforms like SBB @wearesbbmedia exist - to teach people how to shape their stories and craft their narratives in a way that makes people genuinely listen, because that skill influences decisions, opens doors, and sometimes determines how you are received before you even walk into the room. It’s why we built SBB Media @wearesbbmedia and why we collaborate with global platforms and summits; so that these stories don’t stay confined to the spaces where they were born, but travel into rooms where they can shift thinking, influence outcomes, and be taken seriously. Storytelling is not passive, it is one of the most powerful tools you have. Watch the full conversation on YouTube - link in bio. #HerStoryGlobal #SBBMedia

Super proud of my girl Tochi. @tochitalksdiaspora Walking away from years at a news network to build something of your own is not easy. It takes courage, faith, and a very clear sense of who you are. Tochi has all three. She sent the most thoughtful box ahead of her premiere and I was so touched. Tochi Talks Diaspora is here and the conversations are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Well done Tochi. So delighted for you. Now go follow, like and subscribe on YouTube @tochitalksdiaspora Rooting for you ❤️

Loved this full-circle moment with former CNN colleagues, telling a story that deserves a global stage, with a special SBB Media client at the centre. Can’t wait to see this one on CNN… Coming soon

*Twelve years ago today, the Chibok girls were taken. Today, one survivor is ready to speak.* Grace Dauda spent three years in captivity in the Sambisa forest. For a long time after, her story lived in silence. The trauma was there, but carried quietly, with dignity. With my storytelling and leadership platform, _Her Story Global,_ I believe women should tell their stories in their own words, and in their own time. I have spent much of my career close to this story, witnessing, listening, understanding the weight of being heard, and the cost of speaking. Now, Grace is ready. To remember. To honour what was endured, by herself, and by the others still missing. Her voice will be heard first on the _Her Story_ podcast. I am honoured to help bring this story to light. *Coming soon.* #HerStoryGlobal #SBBMedia

Lagos lunches are fast becoming my go-to for unwinding and catching up with friends, old and new… Had such a fun one with my new pal Bisi, Head of Comms and Marketing for @danessa_myricks who came bearing treats 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 I’ve been meaning to try the products for a while, so I’m super excited. And of course, I loved hearing about Danessa’s journey too because you know I’m always here for the story behind the brand. A true legend in the game… go and read about her. The vision. The consistency. The work it takes to actually build something that lasts. Thank you, @abisi123 Bisi. Looking forward to retaliating soon ❤️