Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji, recently acquired a property worth
over N500 million in the priciest real estate location, Banana
Island, Ikoyi.
SEE PHOTOS: Inside the new home of Linda Ikeji »
She had some words to say, especially to young women.
She said on her blog:
"My name is Linda Ikeji. I'm a blogger. I'm 35 years old and I have
never...never ever in my life slept with a man for money. Not
only have I never done it, I have never even consider it...and here
I am with a house that cost me over half a billion naira.
Listen, you are beautiful and you are stronger than you know.
There's absolutely nothing you can't achieve if you set your
mind to it, put her heart and soul into it. Up until five years ago, I
was a struggling entrepreneur. I can't tell you how many offices
in this Lagos I sat in for hours waiting to see people who could
support my business...but most times, I never passed the
reception area. But I never gave up and I never stopped believing
and here I am today.
You too can be this..you can be better than this. No dream is too
big, no dream is too small, no mountain is too high...it's all in your
mind. It's all up to you. If you believe in you, in your God who is
guiding you, then the sky is your starting point.
Please stop waiting around for a man to give to you...to put food
on your table and put clothes on your back. I promise you, you
can do it for yourself. Start thinking big, believe in yourself, be
creative and start working. Realize that your dreams are
valid...and nobody will make your dreams come true except you.
Find what you are good at. Find something that you are
passionate about. Work hard at it. Be consistent. Be patient.
Start young. Even if you're not young, it's never too late!
READ: 'Go and Marry' trends on Twitter as Linda Ikeji shares
photos of new home »
"I have been hustling since I left secondary school..started
modeling before I entered university in 1998. Was running a
modeling agency even while I was a student and made it a full time
business after I left university. I never doubted that I would
succeed one day, because I was determined. And please do not
think this happened over night. I've been blogging since
2006...November this year will make it exactly 9 years. God,
consistency and hard work brought me here today.
SEE PHOTO: Throwback of Linda Ikeji and Denrele in
University »
"Unfortunately, a lot of our young girls aren't patient and some
are lazy, they want it quick and fast but it doesn't work like that.
Success takes time - takes hard work - takes passion - takes
consistency - but more than anything else, it takes the Grace of
God.
I was a 30 year old broke woman and on my birthday, a very sad
and depressed me turned to God and begged him. I told Him you
promised me, when will You fulfill Your promise? Am I not Your
child? Have I not lived according to Your teachings? When will
You bless me? Please God help me...and with tears in my eyes, I
begged Him. I cried and I begged and I begged and I begged. A few
months later my life changed. Never underestimate God's love
for you and the power of prayer.
SEE PHOTOS: Grass to Grace photos of Linda Ikeji »
"And never stop working. Listen, I make enough money to hire so
many people to work on this blog while I go do other things and
enjoy myself...but I don't do that. I'm up while some of you are
sleeping, and already blogging before some of you wake up. I
don't take this for granted. I know to stay on top, I have to
constantly work and nobody will be as dedicated as I am because
this is not their own thing. It's mine and I have to keep feeding it.
So I'm constantly here!
Young ladies, I promise you...you too can do this. You don't need
to spread your legs for any bladdy man - because of how much?
N200k? That's how much my shoes cost - so why you should give
up your body for that? Your sacred body? God's temple? 200k
that you can make in a week or even in a day if you pursue your
dreams and still have your dignity intact? You think people don't
see that you're messing around with all dem old married men and
talking about it? Think ladies, think! When next a man propositions
you...tell him to get lost, that you will get yours yourself! Abi,
aren't you a woman? You know what they say about women? "A
woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong she is until
she gets in hot water.". You are so strong, you don't even know!
Also, if you want God to bless you, you have to have a clean
heart. All these backbiting, hating on others, trying to bring
people down with hateful words, action etc - God doesn't like
ugly. He has over 6 billion people to look after and you think he
will pay extra attention to you if your heart is ugly? Wish people
well, help people when you can. Be good to others. But more than
anything else be good to yourself. Believe in yourself. It's very
easy to give in to feelings of self-doubt and back down when
things get tough, but you have to know that God will not give
you anything you can't handle.
I swear to you, you are underestimating yourself. If you know
the power that you have inside. If you know the things that you
are capable of. If you know how far you can go...how high you
can reach but you are holding yourself back because you're
afraid of failing, because you don't think you have it in you. If
only you know that you're stronger than you think. You are so
powerful, you don't even know it. I'm not more special than you
are. I don't have two heads. We serve the same God. Why can't
you succeed? Think ladies, think.
Like Barack Obama's sister said, poverty is not an excuse! I used
to sell/market beer at Sheraton hotel, Lagos when I was in
university for N1,000 a day. I once lived on 'puff puff' and garri
for weeks in UNILAG and I was supposedly a top model but
nobody knew what I was going through. Trust me, I know poverty.
Did you know I lived in Idi-oro, Mushin for 15 years? Up until when
I was 25? Did you live in Mushin? Eh, so what's your excuse? I
can't even say some things here for my family's privacy but here
I am today because I never doubted myself and I never allowed all
the doubters to distract me. I was focused. I was determined. I
worked hard and I knew the God I served won't let me down. The
road was long, sometimes very frustrating and painful but look
at me now. God did it because he saw that I was willing!
"Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed.
If I fail, no one will say, “She doesn’t have what it takes.” They
will say, “Women don’t have what it takes.”
Please believe in yourself and watch God use you to set as an
example for others.
May all your dreams come true!
Kisses."
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