Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, ableism, illness, and mental illness.

In her interview, Omoshalewa reveals that she is a princess, born to the second wife of the king of Ondo State, Nigeria. She grew up devoted to her studies and palace affairs, following the king around during his meetings. She was loved by the queen and reviled by the queen’s children, most of all the heir apparent. 

Omoshalewa is proud of her Yoruba roots, while knowing that some of her family’s practices might not be understood in the United States. She met Secret at university, where they bonded over their shared love of the campus flora. When she told her parents that she would marry a “common” Igbo man, her father laughed, and her mother was suspicious. Omoshalewa knew that the marriage would go against her family’s expectations for her, especially since Igbos reject royalty.

In spite of the contradictions between them, Omoshalewa and Secret remained in love. Omoshalewa cites the conflict and contrast between them as the source of Zelu. Even if she cannot understand Zelu’s novel, Omoshalewa knows that her husband would.