Let me first begin this article by saying that I don’t know Linda Ikeji personally, we aren’t close pals, and I have actually “fulfilled” her only a number of times at social gatherings …
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 regard for her. Is that paradoxical? Perhaps. But I have actually pertained to understand that you can disagree with somebody on something and still appreciate them. Whether you accept it or not, Linda has shown through her exceptional journey of being a blog writer and viewpoint influencer, that she is a motivation to numerous people all over the world. She has boot strapped her way to success using a model that was once out of favor and scoffed at. She’s an Outlier, and handles to influence, incite and baffle lots of simultaneously, and with fervour.
I can’t think of a great deal of people who have actually run a modelling firm, an occasions company, a magazine and a bunch of other businesses, stopped working at them, and still kept pushing forward. I also don’t understand of anyone else (at least not on this side of the planet), who is lawfully making lots of cash by blogging.
[advertisement] I mean, before Linda, whoever believed it was possible to buy a house in Banana Island, and open a string of media-related companies gained from the profits of running a chatter blog site? If the United States of America has the “American dream,” then Linda Ifeoma Ikeji has the “Naija Dream.” Strong, unrelenting in its pursuit of joy and hope, and eventually, successful. Here’s a female who struck ground no at some point in her life, and is back to level 100. You have to appreciate such grit and determination, because as my Sapele people will state “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 ago; and to mark her special day, she posted a 14-minute long video on her blog site. Within hours of her publishing this video, social networks was buzzing with all kinds of remarks and remarks about it – and I understood that I had 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 somewhat insincere and scripted; plus Linda looked a little unpleasant facing the cam. However, something altered soon after – I’m not even sure what. But the veneer of coolness split, and something more warm, earthy, real and vulnerable spilled out.
[ad] And as Linda started to discuss her failures, her desires, her relationship with God, her belief in the validity of her dreams, her utter wonder at how her life ended up, and the affirmation that she still “plans to be around for a long period of time,” something in me also provided method to the hope and motivation that she was sharing.
And possibly it was an emotional minute, possibly that thing was short lived, but I acknowledged it, and I felt it strongly. Because it was sincere, powerful and wholehearted. And because one unique moment, I forgot about all the times I did not like Linda, or all the frustrating things she had actually done, and in that suspended space, between my laptop screen and her video, I commemorated with her. I cheered her on, and I desperately desired her to be successful.
So you can envision my irritation when individuals took simply a few seconds of that video – of her desiring an man for an other half – and turned it into an event for unsightly small talk, ridiculous rhetoric and hurtful remarks. How do you condense ALL she stated, and narrow that down to simply one sector of her video? What is incorrect if she openly (and really truthfully I might add), discussed what she wants? Is her desire for a spouse somehow less legitimate or shameful due to the fact that she spoke about it outdoors? If she had spoken about additional growing her service or buying another house – would those statements be consulted with derisive remarks? Exists not a quiet strength and dignity in such a guileless show of vulnerability? When individuals truthfully and truthfully open themselves, the least we can do, the least we should do as people is to accord them the respect and self-respect that they deserve.