78: When Success Feels Empty: A Nigerian Artist on Rediscovering Meaning | Ayola

Nigerian-born artist Ayola shares how walking away from a decade-long career in the pharmaceutical industry allowed him to reconnect with his true self. After years of professional success but growing emptiness, Ayola made the bold choice to leave Canada, return to Nigeria, and rebuild his life as a musician — confronting identity loss, financial fear, and the cultural expectations that equated stability with success. Now, as a touring artist moving between Africa, Canada, and the UK, Ayola unpacks what it means to live a life that actually feels like your own — one that values creativity, purpose, and trust in the unknown.Find Ayola here:https://www.instagram.com/ayolamusic/https://open.spotify.com/artist/2HhGrOwO1aePIaDgMoGauGhttps://www.youtube.com/@ayolamusicTIMESTAMPS00:00 - Ayola's Story06:11 - Building a New Life as a Musician Touring Canada07:32 - How Culture Shapes Art10:44 - Chaos as a Catalyst:14:05 - Letting Go of Overthinking19:58 - Advice to His Younger Self22:10 - Ayola's song with Amaka: “Bout You”