You know, not every Nigerian dream has to end in Canada; some go all the way to space. And today, history is riding a rocket.
Chief Owolabi Salis, a U.S.-based lawyer and spiritual leader, is hours away from becoming the first Nigerian to travel to space, aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 mission. As the world tunes in, so does an entire country, watching, wondering, and, for once, witnessing a Nigerian rise beyond borders, beyond barriers, beyond gravity.
Nigeria’s Long-Awaited Entry Into the Space Race
Salis is part of a six-person civilian crew set to board New Shepard, the suborbital vehicle developed by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. This marks the 33rd mission of the New Shepard program, and its 13th human flight.
The launch was originally scheduled for June 21 but was delayed by weather. Now, the crew is back on standby, ready for liftoff within hours on June 22.
For Nigeria, this moment has been decades in the making. Despite having a space agency (NASRDA) since 1999 and launching several satellites, no Nigerian has ever crossed the Kármán line, the invisible border of outer space. Until now.
From the Mainland to the Moon: A Different Kind of Astronaut
Chief Owolabi Salis isn’t your typical astronaut or scientist who was obsessed with rocket science ever since he was a kid. Neither is he an engineer or pilot. He’s a lawyer, a political figure, and the spiritual head of The Soul Makers Ministry, known for preaching diversity in a divided world. But that’s what makes this even more relatable.
His symbol on the NS-33 mission patch is a lotus flower, a nod to spiritual growth in hard places. For a country where many dreams wilt before they bloom, that symbol feels deeply Nigerian. Make no mistake, this mission is bigger than Salis; he’s dedicating this mission to victims of discrimination and civil rights violations. He’s taking their stories, our stories, with him, beyond the Earth.
Why Did It Take a Foreign Rocket to Launch a Nigerian Dream?
Here’s the uncomfortable truth; It’s great that a Nigerian is going to space and all, but why did it take a private American company to make it happen? Why haven’t we done this ourselves?
Nigeria has brilliant young scientists, space enthusiasts, engineers, and innovators. But we also have poorly funded labs, broken public schools, and a government that treats STEM like a side hustle. How many more young Nigerians could reach the stars if the system actually backed them?
A Signal for the Future
Still, Salis’ journey proves what’s possible. Not just for the privileged or powerful, but for any Nigerian willing to dream outside the atmosphere. This launch puts Nigeria on a new map. It forces conversations about space, science, diaspora talent, and the untapped potential hiding in plain sight. And for every 15-year-old in Kaduna, Surulere, or Aba who loves physics but doesn’t know what to do with it, this might be the push they needed.
What Nigeria Must Do Next to Reach the Stars
Here’s what comes next, or at least what should:
- Reinvest in NASRDA, and give it a real mandate.
- Introduce space science and astronomy programs in public secondary schools.
- Fund scholarships and global exchange programs focused on aerospace and innovation.
- Stop burying STEM under budget dust.
Let’s turn this one launch into a long-term pipeline.
A Lotus in Orbit, A Nation on the Rise
When Salis boards that spacecraft today, he’ll be more than just Nigeria’s first astronaut. He’ll be a symbol, a signal, a lotus in orbit blooming for a country still trying to find light.
He’s proving what Nigerians have always known deep down: we were never too small for space. Just too starved of opportunity.
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