Salis describes space travel as “a spiritual journey” and urges African youth to embrace exploration beyond Earth’s limits

Owolabi Salis has described his recent journey to space as “a spiritual journey,” urging African youth to embrace exploration beyond Earth’s limits and see the universe as a gateway to deeper understanding.

In an interview with ARISE News on Friday, the Nigerian lawyer and politician, who joined five others aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft on June 29 for a suborbital mission, said the experience was both transformative and humbling.

The flight lasted 11 minutes, reaching a peak altitude of 105 kilometers and crossing the Kármán line the internationally recognized boundary of space.

“I felt like a soul was leaving the body. Then when you unstrap yourself from the seat, you start floating like a bird.”

Describing the view of Earth from space, Salis added, “You see the planet Earth suspended in space. It’s a small place, and that’s where people are making trouble and fighting each other. I recommend world leaders be flown to space. One or two days up there will humble them.”

According to him, the space trip marked the continuation of a life-long quest for discovery. Salis had previously traveled to both the North and South Poles becoming the first Black African to do so in a single season before applying to join Blue Origin’s spaceflight program.

While he declined to disclose how much he paid for the mission due to a non-disclosure agreement, he noted, “It’s expensive, and it’s not considering the security, equipment, and people involved.”

Salis said the experience aligned with his exploration of “spiritual geography” and his belief that divinity can be found in all parts of the Earth.

“The Almighty Lord that created this planet put beauty everywhere. Pilgrimage is not limited to any one place,” he said.

On the political front, Salis, who has previously contested for office in Nigeria, used the opportunity to call for systemic reform.

“Democracy as it is practised now suppresses the minority,” he said, proposing a proportional representation system that evaluates presidential candidates state-by-state to ensure fairness and transparency.

As he reflected on the precision of the cosmos, Salis concluded, “If the Earth is revolving around the sun with such precision, then someone, some spirit, is in charge. The controller of the universe is completely different from the one described by existing religious theories.”

Having visited over 100 countries, Salis said he plans to continue exploring the world’s physical and spiritual dimensions.

“Every time I go somewhere new, I see something different that helps me understand the Creator better,” he said.

“I went to space not just for myself, but to open the door for others,” he added, expressing hope that younger generations, especially in Africa, will be inspired to reach beyond perceived limits. (AriseNews TV, but headline rejigged)