Can or are you able to really say honestly who you are? Someone once said if you do not know who you are, other people’s opinions will give you a false interpretation of who you really are? Well, I think that is very understandable right? This is because we as much as our friends, families and loved ones may know the ‘basics’ about us including our name, our place of birth, our parents, probably our age (probably not the case where people decide to hide their ages for some reason best known to them…wink**) and others.

Well, this is not the concern here? But aside these ‘basics’ what about what you are made of? Your character, attitudes, dislikes, your deep seated demons, pretence games which come to play once in a while…among others. These things constitute who a person really is. I mean given different situations, we can all be nice, compassionate, gentle, interesting, hold good conversations and the likes….but that character exhibited there may just be a nine day wonder! You know that deep down you are acting (living a lie or pretending to be someone you are not, at least for a while).

And you know one thing about acting? It has to be BELIEVABLE ( an attribute some movie actors lack, but hey they still make their monies right?). But one thing is, assuming or making a character come to life does not mean that is who you really are…For instance I don’t think a person who plays the role as a drunkard or a womaniser in a movie is like that in REAL life. Yet, many people even after the movie has been sold out and producers making their profits and all still associate the character with the person such that they are quick to believe that the actor is like that in real life (meaning they REALLY played that role really well right?). I once heard one Nollywood actor say he was walking down the street and people starting insulting him and throwing things at him just because he PLAYED the role as a LOVER BOY in a movie, breaking the hearts of girls here and there.

Isnt that interesting? Well it is, because the same way that people who ‘acted’ or ‘played’ out a character very well are being abused just because they were very believable, I think the same could be said for most people in the world today. This is because they are playing the character of someone else and made it soo believable to the extent that they HAVE become associated with it. This means you have killed your REAL SELF in order to allow your OTHER SELF (like I learnt in Social Studies) to come to play. This is very dangerous as such anybody who gets to this stage needs to do a serious self re-examination and identify the root cause like How did I get here?

More so, some people are very comfortable living the lie. Why? Because it may get them to some position they have been craving for, FOR A VERY LONG TIME or in order to someone or keep up amidst a group of friends. In fact there is always a benefit lying in there…somewhere. But the HONEST truth is, people will end up falling in love with the wrong person (which is not you) but that person you are trying hard for them to accept and LIKE. At the end of the day, different strokes for different folks! You decide to show your TRUE self for people to appreciate you or hate you OR show them your OTHER self and let them love you or hate you. Because at the end of the day, either ways, not everybody will like you anyway so PERSONALLY, I always do myself a BIG favour and be REAL…no need for fakeness (Not in my dictionary).

Thanks for reading. God bless you all!

My name is Gertrude Asumadu, a 24 year old young lady who is passionate about women empowerment, girl child education and overall helping others to achieve their own dreams. I am a graduate of University of Leeds with a degree in BSc (Hons) Economics. My time in university was the turning point for me I believe as I have been able to stretch myself and in essence on way to achieving my purpose.

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