For Linda Ikeji and our Collective Lessons in Vulnerability

[racheljackman]

<br>Let me first start this short article by stating that I do not understand Linda Ikeji personally, we aren’t friends, and I’ve “fulfilled” her only a number of times at social gatherings …<br>
<br>Written By:
Francesca Uriri<br>
<br>Published On:
24 Sep 2016<br>
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<br>However with all of that being stated, I also have a deep and abiding respect for her. Is that paradoxical? Perhaps. But I have actually come to understand that you can disagree with someone on something and still appreciate them. Whether you accept it or not, Linda has actually revealed through her remarkable journey of being a blog writer and viewpoint influencer, that she is an inspiration to countless people all over the world. She has boot strapped her way to success using a design that was once undesirable and scoffed at. She’s an Outlier, and handles to influence, incite and baffle many at one time, and with fervour.<br>
<br>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 organizations, stopped working at them, and still kept pressing forward. I also don’t know of anybody else (a minimum of not on this side of the world), who is lawfully making tons of money by blogging.
[ad] I mean, 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 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 ultimately, effective. Here’s a woman who struck ground zero at some time in her life, and is back to level 100. You need to respect such grit and decision, since as my Sapele individuals will state “E nor easy.”<br>
<br>Linda or “Lin-Lin” as she’s fondly called by those who are close to her turned 36 years old a couple of days ago; and to mark her wedding, she published a 14-minute long video on her blog site. Within hours of her posting this video, social networks was buzzing with all type of remarks and remarks about it – and I knew that I needed to see it for myself. 3 minutes into the video, I wasn’t rather sure whether I liked it or not, since it came off as somewhat insincere and scripted; plus Linda looked a little unpleasant facing the camera. However, something changed soon after – I’m not even sure what. But the veneer of coolness broke, and something more warm, earthy, genuine and vulnerable spilled out.
[advertisement] And as Linda started to speak about her failures, her desires, her relationship with God, her belief in the validity of her dreams, her utter amazement at how her life ended up, and the affirmation that she still “strategies to be around for a long time,” something in me likewise paved the way to the hope and motivation that she was sharing.<br>
<br>And possibly it was a psychological moment, maybe that thing was fleeting, but I acknowledged it, and I felt it highly. Because it was sincere, powerful and genuine. And because one special minute, I ignored all the times I disliked Linda, or all the bothersome things she had done, and because suspended area, in between my laptop computer screen and her video, I with her. I cheered her on, and I frantically wanted her to be successful.<br>
<br>So you can imagine my inflammation when individuals took just a few seconds of that video – of her wanting a fantastic male for an other half – and turned it into an occasion for unsightly small talk, ridiculous rhetoric and upsetting remarks. How do you condense ALL she said, and narrow that down to just one sector of her video? What is wrong if she freely (and very truthfully I might add), discussed what she wants? Is her desire for a spouse somehow less legitimate or shameful because she spoke about it in the open? If she had discussed additional growing her business or purchasing another house – would those declarations be fulfilled with derisive comments? Is there not a quiet strength and dignity in such a guileless program of vulnerability? When people truthfully and honestly open up themselves, the least we can do, the least we must do as people is to accord them the respect and dignity that they are worthy of.<br>

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