"Messy Can't Stop Her": RRU alum inspires women with her podcast

Royal Roads University alum Judith Obatusa is changing lives with her podcast, Messy Can’t Stop Her. The podcast provides a platform for women to share their stories and empower one another to overcome challenges and embrace their unique qualities. Obatusa’s message is simple, but powerful: “Don’t let messy situations hold you back. You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy.”

The podcast introduces listeners to thoughtful topics like forgiveness and the stories we tell ourselves, as well as sharing stories about women who have found their passions or pursued a calling. Obatusa also distills the “Nuggets of Wisdom” in each episode on her web site.

Obatusa, who holds a Master of Arts in Intercultural and International Communication, has faced many challenges on her journey. After relocating to Canada as a permanent resident from Nigeria in 2012, she still felt that she wasn’t enough.

“I’m an African,” she says, “I was raised in Nigeria and in my society, there is a lot of judgement.”

For a time, Obatusa felt like she was just going through the motions without a clear purpose.

“In the course of life, many of us stop dreaming,” she says.

She saw that many women were facing similar struggles and not acknowledging their own value and the importance of their voices.

“As women, we have something valuable to share with the world.”

Studying at Royal Roads showed Obatusa that her differences do not detract from her worth and opened the door for her to see that what she judged the most about herself is what makes her unique. For her, the experience was life changing.

“To accept myself and to appreciate myself, it started me on that journey,” she says. “It doesn’t mean that I still didn’t have challenges after I did my master’s, but it changed my life.”

Obatusa describes her personal life as “in chaos” when she enrolled in her program. Her children were going through difficulties, her marriage was in turmoil and some people in her life were questioning if it was the right time for her to take on a master’s program. But Obatusa says she realized if she didn’t do it now, when would she ever do anything? 

“To say that you have to have no mess before you are worthy of sharing the goodness that you have come to earth with, is saying you should just go and die,” she says. “Because we don’t know when chaos ends.”

Obatusa believes that her time at Royal Roads not only helped her learn about and accept herself but also gave her the courage to proudly use her voice without shame or fear of judgement.

“It’s something that runs through the fabric of the school,” she says. “They want every student that comes through that university to use the potential that is in them to help our world.”

Obatusa also credits Royal Roads with teaching her that context is everything — to look beyond actions, listen beyond words and be willing to give people a chance.

“People have value because they are people,” says Obatusa, “Value is not in external things, it’s innate in you for being human.”

Empowered by her experience, Obatusa, who was profiled by Royal Roads in 2021 for her part in the book The Warrior Women Project, is now inspiring other women to see that they are more than their circumstances.

The title of her podcast, Messy Can’t Stop Her seeks to inspire women with the courage to transform the world, no matter their situation.

“I wanted a woman who hears those words to know that no matter what is going on in your life, it can’t stop you from anything you say you’re going to do,” she says.

Obatusa hopes to empower women to embrace their potential and use their voice without shame, just as her time at Royal Roads helped her to do.

“I will always refer to that first door, that little space that opened up the possibility for me to be where I am today, and anywhere I go after.”

We always want to hear stories about the people, programs and places that are the Royal Roads experience. Share yours via the Royal Roads Story Exchange and it could be featured on our web site and social media.