Ever since Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji, debuted her pregnancy bump, she has faced backlash for obvious reasons.
For years, most fans of Linda, 38, knew their model as a self-styled celibacy advocate known for her stance against premarital sex. Linda would later clarify she was against “casual” not “premarital” sex.
During her infamous beef with the Nigerian superstar, Wizkid, in April 2016, the latter accused her of sleeping with his music video directors and in response, Linda said, she was living a ‘celibate life’.
And so when it became clear on May 20 that Linda was pregnant, it was a rude shock and then she became the butt of internet jokes.
Critics also claimed she deceived gullible young ladies by preaching celibacy, while having a secret romantic affair that resulted in pregnancy outside of wedlock.
The blogger, who eventually welcomed a son named Jayce in the U.S. in September, has since come under serious scrutiny over the paternity of the baby.
She maintained a prolonged silence on the controversy.
But in a shocking move on Friday morning, Linda finally released photos of her three-month-old son, confirmed that a socialite, Sholaye Jeremi, is his father and also apologised to fans for falling pregnant outside wedlock.
“I was led by my heart and my clock ticking and even though I have no regrets, I’m sorry if I let any of you ladies down by the decision I made,” Linda wrote on her blog.
“I hope you do better than I did,” she advised her many fans. “The ideal thing would be to find a man you love, who loves you back and gives you stability, get married, have kids and raise a family, not being a single mum or a baby mama. I was 37 years old at the time I conceived and if I want to be honest, my age played a role in me allowing myself to be pregnant out of wedlock.
“I don’t want to be having kids in my 40s or struggling with fertility later in life. This wasn’t the plan but like I said before, life happens. You just have to find a way to make the best of what life throws at you. And so for any young girl this means anything to, I am truly sorry. I am not sorry I had Jayce, I’m just sorry I didn’t go about it the right way.”
Reactions from Nigerians to the blogger’s disclosures have been diverse.
On social media, while some backed her, others questioned her decisions.
Leo Da Silva of Big Brother Naija fame tweeted, “The only morals from the Linda Ikeji story is simple:
1. Nobody is a fountain of knowledge.
2. Don’t live your life based on what you read or see because those are other people’s realities. Focus on yours.
3. It’s okay to have standards but life doesn’t respect anyone’s standards.”
Is_salsu on Twitter wrote, “My problem with Linda Ikeji is this Holier than thou attitude. From talking about celibacy to getting pregnant. From mocking a baby mama to becoming a baby mama. From saying she will never sleep with married man, to…. maybe ending up as 2nd wife. She needs to chill.”
“Linda Ikeji had sex before marriage, got pregnant outside wedlock, and is now thanking God for sending her a sperm donor in the person of her baby daddy. Nothing God will not see sha,” Favour Onyeoziri tweeted.
Tessy Mama’s tweet read, “Linda Ikeji didn’t add the parts where she’d visit Jeremi uninvited and get sent back home because she was literally stalking him. But she said he’s been the one always begging.”
