Social media personality Blessing CEO has publicly apologised to Nigerians for comments she made in the past, breaking down in tears in a video shared on her Instagram page on Tuesday, according to Information Nigeria.
The emotional clip comes only weeks after the influencer, whose real name is Nkiru Blessing Okoro, regained her freedom on bail, and months after her young son died while she was being held in custody.
Alone in a parked car
According to the report, Blessing CEO explained that she chose to film herself by herself inside a stationary car because she did not want her mother to watch her fall apart. She said the two women had been concealing their tears from one another, and that she lost control after she saw her mother weeping that morning.
Addressing Nigerians directly, she said: "I am so sorry for speaking about the pain I have never felt carelessly." She also acknowledged that words on their own could not prove she was truly sorry.
Describing her state of mind, she added: "I’m so broken at this point. So broken that I’m losing myself."
She likened her situation to the biblical prodigal son, saying she was prepared to turn her life around and "correct every wrong" so that her late son would be proud of her.
A message to Bryan
Her son, Bryan, reportedly aged nine, died in June after an asthma attack. At the time, Blessing CEO was on remand at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos over allegations of fraud. She said in the video that she could not fulfil the conditions attached to her bail back then, which is why she was not by his side when he passed.
Speaking to the boy in the video, she said: "I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I came late."
She also revealed plans to go and pick up Bryan's school bag, uniform and books, and to find ways to keep his memory alive.
Why Nigerians were angry
The apology follows a wave of backlash over earlier remarks she made about domestic violence and about the death of Bimbo Ogbonna, the late wife of her fiancé, businessman IVD. Many Nigerians felt those comments lacked empathy, Information Nigeria reported. IVD had previously been cleared in that case.
IVD also shared his own message, separate from hers, in which he asked his family, friends and business associates to forgive him, according to the report.
Legal troubles continue
Blessing CEO was granted bail in late October, but her legal battles are not over. She still faces separate fraud cases, among them an alleged N69 million property fraud for which she has been arraigned. These remain allegations before the courts.
