Doing Life With… is a BellaNaija Features series that shows how people live, work, travel, take care of their families and… everything in between. We document life for all people and ensure that everyone is well represented on BN.

Did you miss last week’s call with Emmanuel Faith? You can catch up here.

This week we do life with Ini Cashone of the most talented and versatile Nigerian creators currently serving in the US Army.

Hi Ini. How are you today?

I feel blessed, honestly. I just got back from a 10 month deployment and it feels good to get back to normal life. It’s been a long journey, but I’m really grateful to be here.

Good job, Ini

Thanks.

Can you share a little about your background – your upbringing, education and all the important moments that shaped you into who you are today?

I come from a family of five. My father was a broadcaster for OSRC in Ondo State for many years, and my mother was a civil servant, but she was really involved in culture and entertainment in Nigeria. Growing up, watching them both balance their careers while being so involved in their communities really shaped who I am today. Their influence is something I carry with me, especially my mother’s creativity and love of bringing people together.

Speaking of your mother, you said you chose your talent to host shows from your mother. How’s it going?

I definitely got my talent for hosting from my mom. She was one alaga ijoko and alaga iduro at Yoruba weddings, and I would always accompany her to those gigs. I may not have realized it at the time, but looking back now, I can see that’s where I got it from. It’s going well – being in the army, where my time is limited, but I’m still making my online presence known. It has even led to hosting concerts, weddings and events, and I absolutely love doing it. I’m also working on hosting my own shows, which has been an exciting new direction.

So, from Ondo to the US Army, how did it happen?

My mother was already living in the US before the rest of us joined her. After I finished high school in 2014, we packed up and moved. Then in 2019 I decided to join the army.

What about content creation?

I started creating content by coming up with skits and different scenes, just for fun. At first it was something I did casually, but as I continued I noticed that people really connected with what I was putting out. It was exciting to see the reactions and the support I got – that’s when I realized this could be something much bigger than I expected.

That’s really cool, Ini. You do many things; how have you managed to combine all these things without one failing the other?

I have been able to combine everything quite naturally. It feels like second nature to me – whether it’s entertainment or army life, it just flows. I don’t have to stress too much about content because it comes so naturally to me; it’s just who I am. The key is managing my time wisely, making sure I get enough rest and finding balance. I can’t let the pressure get to me, so I always try to keep my cool and keep things cool.

And what has combined everything taught you in real life?

One thing I’ve learned is that you can do whatever you want with life. If you want to tackle 5,000 things at once, you absolutely can. It’s about managing your time wisely, knowing when to rest, when to take it easy and when to apply pressure. If you find that balance, everything will fall into place.

What has been a particularly proud moment in your life’s journey?

I’ve had many proud moments, but the most recent one that stands out is how I managed to stay consistently online during my 10-month deployment. Being in the army, especially in the infantry, is no joke – you are constantly tired, hardly get any rest and sometimes there is no access to the internet. But despite all of this, I kept up the momentum and maintained that consistency. I’m really proud of myself for pulling through.

Those months must have been tough

I say it.

What does success mean to you, Ini?

To me, success is doing what God wants me to do. It’s about fulfilling God’s expectations for my life, not living according to someone else’s. In this age of social media, it’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s success. But as long as I’m focused on my path and what I’m meant to do, I know I’m successful.

Is there a part of your journey through life that you find very challenging?

I feel like every day brings a new challenge, and the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward. One of the most challenging parts of my life was growing up in Nigeria. It wasn’t easy, and moving to America was a huge transition – adjusting from a Nigerian lifestyle to an American one can be tough, and it can be lonely at times. But once you find your people and stick to your path, everything starts to fall into place, or as my people say, “you’re fine.”

Do you have an unconventional thought about the world that you think people might not agree with?

One thought that may be a bit unconventional is that I believe that everyone needs therapy. No matter who you are, whether you’re happy, sad, big or small, you need it. I think of the world as a garden, and we are all like flowers or trees in that garden. We all need a gardener, someone who understands how each tree works and can help it grow, stay healthy and be fruitful. We all need care and attention to truly thrive and develop in our own unique ways.

It is caring

Thanks.

Curious, what is a typical day in your life like?

My life is sort of divided into two modes – army mode and civilian mode. In army mode, my mornings are pretty routine: I wake up, work out, eat, and get ready for the day’s mission or task. Some days are more relaxed and others are a bit more intense, but it’s pretty structured. Then I just repeat the process. When I’m in civilian mode, it’s a little more flexible. One day I might be shooting content, the next I’m editing, or hosting an event during the day or night. It really just depends, but my mornings tend to be pretty consistent.

If you could remove anything from your life, what would it be and why?

If I could remove anything from my life it would definitely be taxes and people with bad vibes. But honestly, taxes are kind of their own bad vibes, so it’s really the same thing. Other than that, I wouldn’t change much. I’m fine with how everything else is.

One thing people will be surprised to know about you?

It used to surprise people that I was in the army. A lot of people didn’t believe it when I told them, and some still can’t. But beyond that, I’d say people might be surprised to know that I’m actually an introvert. I am usually quite shy, reserved and enjoy my own company. I don’t really like being disturbed. But when it’s time to get active, I can definitely be the life of the party—just without the drinking. So, yeah, I’m always sober.

Thanks for being on Doing Life With, Ini

Thank you for having me.

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Many thanks to Ini Cash for having this conversation with us and answering all our questions – and quickly too, we must add.

Love this content, have feedback for us or want to be a BellaNaija Features contributor? We would love to read from you. Send us an email: (email protected). Join us on Saturday for the next episode!