Let me very first start this short article by saying that I do not know Linda Ikeji personally, we aren't buddies, and I have actually "satisfied" her only a couple of times at celebrations ...

Written By:
Francesca Uriri

Published On:
24 Sep 2016

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However with all of that being said, I also have a deep and abiding respect for her. Is that ironic? Perhaps. But I've pertained to comprehend that you can disagree with someone on something and still respect them. Whether you accept it or not, Linda has actually revealed through her exceptional journey of being a blogger and opinion influencer, that she is a motivation to numerous individuals all over the world. She has boot strapped her way to success utilizing a model that was once out of favor and belittled. She's an Outlier, and manages to motivate, incite and baffle many at one time, and with fervour.

I can't think of a lot of individuals who have actually run a modelling firm, an events business, a publication and a bunch of other businesses, stopped working at them, and still kept pressing forward. I likewise do not understand of anyone else (a minimum of not on this side of the planet), who is legally making lots of money by blogging.
[ad] I suggest, before Linda, whoever thought it was possible to buy a house in Banana Island, and open a string of media-related companies acquired from the earnings of running a gossip blog site? If the United States of America has the "American dream," then Linda Ifeoma Ikeji has the "Naija Dream." Strong, ruthless in its pursuit of happiness and hope, and ultimately, effective. Here's a female who struck ground no eventually in her life, and is back to level 100. You have to appreciate such grit and decision, due to the fact that as my Sapele people will say "E nor easy."

Linda or "Lin-Lin" as she's fondly called by those who are close to her turned 36 years of ages a couple of days back; and to mark her big day, she posted a 14-minute long video on her blog site. Within hours of her posting this video, social networks was buzzing with all kinds of remarks and remarks about it - and I understood that I needed to see it for myself. 3 minutes into the video, I wasn't quite sure whether I liked it or not, because it came off as slightly insincere and scripted; plus Linda looked a little unpleasant facing the electronic camera. However, something changed soon after - I'm not even sure what. But the veneer of coolness split, and something more warm, earthy, genuine and vulnerable spilled out.
[advertisement] And as Linda began to speak about her failures, her desires, her relationship with God, her belief in the validity of her dreams, her utter awe at how her life turned out, and the affirmation that she still "strategies to be around for a long period of time," something in me likewise provided method to the hope and inspiration that she was sharing.

And possibly it was a psychological minute, perhaps that thing was short lived, however I recognized it, and I felt it strongly. Because it was genuine, powerful and sincere. And in that one special moment, I forgot all the times I disliked Linda, or all the annoying things she had done, and in that suspended space, between my laptop computer screen and her video, I commemorated with her. I cheered her on, and I desperately wanted her to succeed.

So you can imagine my irritation when individuals took simply a couple of seconds of that video - of her desiring an incredible male for a spouse - and turned it into a celebration for awful small talk, senseless rhetoric and painful remarks. How do you condense ALL she stated, and narrow that down to just one segment of her video? What is wrong if she freely (and very honestly I might add), spoke about what she desires? Is her desire for a partner somehow less legitimate or shameful due to the fact that she discussed it in the open? If she had spoken about additional growing her business or buying another house - would those statements be met with derisive remarks? Is there not a quiet strength and self-respect in such a guileless program of vulnerability? When individuals truthfully and honestly open up themselves, the least we can do, the least we ought to do as human beings is to accord them the respect and self-respect that they deserve.