For twenty-two years, the air over southeastern Nigeria has been quietly recording the negotiations between monsoon winds, ocean currents, and human activity — and scientists have finally learned to read what it has written. A study tracking surface ozone across ten stations from 2002 to 2023 reveals that geography is destiny when it comes to air quality: inland communities breathe air that swings dramatically with seasonal rhythms, while coastal zones enjoy a marine moderation that their inland neighbors do not. The findings remind us that the atmosphere is not a uniform ceiling above us but