Samia Oursana Interviews Obehi Ewanfoh About His Works In The Diaspora Community in Verona and Italy
The African proverb reminds us: “Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots.” For Obehi Ewanfoh, the “rain” came in the form of systemic exclusion and the biting winters of life as an undocumented migrant in Italy. Yet, these hardships failed to erode his essence. Instead of fading into the margins, Obehi leaned into his identity as a storyteller, constructing a “Digital Sanctuary” that would later evolve into a global movement for educational empowerment.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
In a profound exchange with Samia Oursana, Obehi, the host of the Obehi Podcast and founder of AClasses Academy, delves into the trials that shaped his award-winning documentary, “Creating the Blackness of Africa.”
This journey, captured in Elvio Pasca’s investigative profile, “Racconto l’Africa d’Italia” (I Tell the Story of Africa in Italy), serves as a powerful exploration in personal narrative. It chronicles the exact moment a leader ceases to be a mere “Subject” of the global migration crisis and becomes the “Sovereign” of his own legacy.
Turning Story into Strategy
Though first published on January 30, 2013, this narrative is more than a memoir. Instead, it speaks to the now pioneering work, the Story-to-Asset framework of Obehi digital presence.
The Story to Asset Framework is a transformative approach that helps professionals and leaders and entrepreneurs tun their narratives into powerful marketing assets that attract their ideal audience.
From the Classroom in Uromi to the Shadows of Verona
Obehi’s journey began in Uromi, a town in southern Nigeria, within a large and vibrant family of ten. Before leaving for Europe, he was promising young man with teaching experience and a stable life.
However, the reality of the Diaspora often begins with a “shock to the system.” Upon arriving in Verona via a visa obtained through the help of his older brother, Obehi faced a trial that many in the Diaspora know but few discuss openly: the descent into “clandestinità” (undocumented status).
For several years after his visa expired, Obehi lived as a shadow in the system. He was forced to adapt to the humblest of labors, working as a street vendor to survive. This period was marked by profound regret, leading him several times to rue the day he left Africa for a Europe that looked nothing like what he had imagined.
In the framework of Narrative Strategy, this is the ultimate form of “Economic Tenancy.” When a human being is stripped of their documents, they are effectively evicted from the “legal house” of society. Yet, it was during this period of invisibility that Obehi used writing as an anchor to keep his thoughts from drifting into total despair.
The Data-Driven Insight: Internet as the “Great Equalizer”
The breakthrough in Obehi’s story, the “Decoding Formula” that saved his mission was Digital Sovereignty. Because he was undocumented, he was barred from enrolling in traditional Italian educational institutions.
However, in a chance encounter, a fellow Nigerian immigrant visiting Verona from Milan offered a spark of “genial” insight: online education. Because the digital world didn’t demand the physical residency papers that the Italian state did, it offered a loophole toward freedom.
This wasn’t just a suggestion; it was a turning point that allowed him to bypass systemic barriers and begin building slowly:
- The Anchor of Writing: Obehi used the pen to describe everything he lived through, eventually resulting in his first book in Italy Between Africa & Europe, a mirror for many young people feeling lost in the Diaspora.
- The Virtual Diploma: He enrolled in the London School of Journalism, graduating in 2010. This allowed him to cultivate his passion for journalism and writing in general, despite his legal status.
- Multimedia Mastery: After discovering video editing software by chance, he perfected his skills through the New York Director School via online program.
- The Content-to-Asset Pivot: He began filming, editing, and uploading videos to the internet, creating a digital footprint that no local bureaucracy could erase.
“In some way, the internet saved me,” Obehi reflects. This is the core of AClasses Academy’s mission. We understand that traditional institutions often have “walls” designed to keep the Diaspora out.
By leveraging the internet, Obehi bypassed the gatekeepers of Verona to build a global platform, now with over 1000 video interviews on the Obehi Podcast, nearly 3000 articles on his blog and several other pieces of content on his social media profiles.
The Sovereign Pivot: Turning Trauma into “Sovereign Assets”
By the time he received his residence permit in 2010-2011, Obehi was no longer just an immigrant; he was a Documentarian and Author. During his interview with Samia Oursana, it became clear that he had successfully codified his struggle into a series of high-value assets:
- “Creating the Blackness of Africa”: An award-winning documentary (2011) that challenged political constructs and European imaginations of African identity.
- “The Journey – La nostra storia”: A visual record of multiculturalism and the African presence in Verona.
- The “Evideos (WeDiasporan)” Production House: A non-profit platform dedicated primarily to documentary work, allowing him to tell the stories of Africans in Italy and beyond through his own lens.
Obehi moved from the “Referral Lottery” of street vending to a position of Narrative Authority. While working as a hotel receptionist to provide a stable financial floor, he spent his remaining energy on his true mission: documenting the African Diaspora stories and the changing face of Italy.
See also Obehi Ewanfoh: 3 Lessons from My 10-Year Research on Building a Legacy from Scratch
Owning Your Genius for the Next Generation
Obehi’s story, as explored in his interview with Samia Oursana, answers the fundamental question: “How do I protect my future when the system is against me?”
- Bypass the Gatekeepers: If physical schools close their doors, the digital sanctuary of the internet remains open to those with the discipline to learn.
- Codify the Pain: Your “clandestine” periods or professional setbacks are the raw data for your first book or documentary project.
- Build Your Own Horse: Obehi didn’t wait to be hired by an Italian TV station; he founded Evideos (WeDiasporan) to produce his own work.
Conclusion: The Architect’s Mandate
Obehi Ewanfoh is the living embodiment of the “Story-to-Asset” methodology. He took a story of “clandestinità” and turned it into an award-winning career as a director and author.
Today, through AClasses Academy, he helps other leaders and founders of the Diaspora do the same, codifying their 20+ years of expertise into permanent systems.
“Everything started with two online courses,” Obehi says. This is the invitation we have given to you. Your “Digital Sanctuary” is waiting. Book Your Free 15-Minute Legacy Strategy Call Now
