Close-up with KC Ejelonu
Email: kcejelonu@gmail.com Twitter: @kcejelonu
A few years back, I decided I was going to be an actress and I am living that dream right now. Over a month ago, I was down and thinking to myself “what is the next step?” A relationship I was in had just ended but it felt as if the other party was still around me and I wanted him out completely. Everything around me seemed dark.
Later on, I was diagnosed with peripheral oedema – the swelling of tissues, usually in the lower limbs, due to the accumulation of fluids – and was told I might never walk again or my legs would get amputated. Shock took over me. The first thing would have been for me to pray and reject such but I could not even think for myself. My family began constantly praying for me. Few friends wanted to find out what was wrong with me but I was not straight with them. I could not say I was diagnosed with peripheral oedema.
All I kept saying to myself was, “God but I am not done here.” Then I started rejecting it all – that lonely feeling, sickness, etc. Gradually, everything started falling into place the way God wanted it. I asked God to also weed out any unnecessary friendship in my life. Oh boy, such things are time wasters.
Some of my friends soon showed their true colours, but unlike the usual me, I did not take one minute of any drama. I am such a lover girl and I love all my friends equally and sometimes I am extremely too nice. But at this point I was not having anybody’s wahala.
Wana Udobang shared one of her articles titled “Power of People” with me and I want to share some things I loved from it with you:
“Grow up!!! We are no longer at the playground…the beauty of new friendships, especially when you are much older, is the fact that you get to choose. It’s no longer the gang culture of the school playground. Your survival is not dependent on your crew. You don’t have to be friends because they are part of the cool crowd. You actually get to choose – perhaps you share or exchange values or you just enjoy each other’s company. The other beautiful thing about the power to choose is that you can be yourself. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
During my recovery stage, my mum brought out a bag of some of my old things she had kept. Inside the bag were scripts I wrote over 10 years ago. At that moment I knew I just had to get back to the things I love which are acting, writing and producing. I plan to learn how to edit videos professionally. I am aware it is a lot of work but I believe it is part of the Journey.
What would happen if I shamelessly promote myself for 365 days?
What does the word “ashamed” mean to you? That would be when an individual is reluctant to do something through fear of embarrassment or humiliation. The opposite of that would be “shameless” – not having any fear.
It is my social responsibility to share. If I want this world to be a better place, then I have to share my gifts because sharing is caring.
I have since given myself the permission, doing me with no fears. I don’t want fear to hold me back. I want to die knowing I tried and not die with fear. I am more than an attractive person, I really have something to say and this is my time. I am ready to do me.
It’s really hard not to compare yourself with someone else, and I am guilty of doing that sometimes. Come on, I am only human. But every time I see someone doing well I am happy for him or her because I don’t know how he or she got to that stage. I am a firm believer in “everything happening for a reason”.
So if you are just like me, and you are scared of doing what you want to do or you have doubts and about what people would say of that wonderful idea running through your mind, then join me in this journey and let’s do this together.
Follow through with what you intend to put out there. The difference between the people who move ahead and those who are stuck at the same point is commitment.
You have a choice to live a life of happiness and freedom or a life of self inflected hell.
It is up to you to make the right choice.
