Owolabi Salis, a New York-based lawyer, financial consultant, and self-described spiritual thinker, has made history by becoming the first Nigerian to journey into space.
His mission aboard Blue Origin’s NS-33 flight wasn’t just about exploration—it was a deeply personal and spiritual quest to understand the mysteries of existence.
In an exclusive interview, Salis shared the motivation behind his extraordinary voyage, revealing that his spaceflight was more metaphysical than scientific.
“I wanted to explore the soul—its origin, its essence, and its destination,” he said. To him, Earth, which he calls “Planet 3,” is a mystical body suspended in space by the sun’s beam and spinning at unimaginable speeds. This image reinforces his belief in a higher power beyond traditional doctrines.
Driven by this curiosity, Salis wrote to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin expressing interest in conducting spiritual research during a suborbital flight.
After securing approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and paying an estimated $2 million (an exact amount he declined to disclose), Salis underwent rigorous astronaut training before being cleared for launch.
Although originally scheduled for June 21, the NS-33 mission was delayed due to high winds and eventually launched on June 29.
During the brief flight, Salis experienced three minutes of weightlessness, describing it as “floating like a bird” and “witnessing the Earth suspended in a vast, dark void.”
The sight, he said, confirmed his belief in the existence of a supreme being. “From what I saw, the Almighty Lord of the Universe is not necessarily as portrayed in religious books,” Salis explained, suggesting that his revelations challenge traditional teachings.
Salis is no stranger to spiritual discovery. He has traveled to more than 120 countries and visited the North and South Poles—journeys he describes as pilgrimages to nature’s extremes. He now plans to explore isolated volcanic islands by boat as part of his ongoing spiritual research.
Though retired, Salis funds his expeditions through past earnings from a successful legal and civil rights career in New York.
He is also a familiar name in Nigerian politics, having run for Lagos State governor multiple times. Despite never winning, he says he has no regrets and remains passionate about political reform in Nigeria.
He advocates for the implementation of “equitocracy”—a system of fair and inclusive governance—as an alternative to the country’s current “assisted personality politics.” He also urges the federal government to adopt community policing to improve grassroots governance and public safety.
Looking ahead, Salis believes space tourism will become more accessible. He is actively encouraging more Nigerians to seize the opportunity to travel to space, asserting that the experience holds not only scientific value but also profound spiritual meaning.
First Nigerian in Space: I Felt Like My Soul Was Leaving My Body – Salis
We were all flying and orbiting like birds. We could see the planet suspended through the window.
Owolabi Salis, Citizen Astronaut/US-Based Lawyer and Politician pic.twitter.com/412mpbeZoy— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) July 4, 2025
