When I was told to open an Instagram account and reactivate my other social media accounts, I didn't want to but because I also wanted a place where I could engage my fans I decided to. In no time I started getting offers from social media "gurus" who offered to grow my "follower-ship" with a snap of their fingers and boost my online ratings, so "brands and products would kill themselves over me". Offers that were hard to resist, but when I sat with my team and reviewed, we found out these "gurus" often purchased faceless followers, likes and even comments, so I asked myself if I wanted to be a sensation borne out of falsified popularity. I weighed the options between quick internet fame, the money that came with it and being sincere by letting my true personality grow my accounts. I settled for the later. "Ah, Bros e go hard for you to get endorsements o if you no get reach 1 million followers"… "Just buy, everybody dey do am" were some of the arguments I heard but in my heart I knew it couldn't be everyone and even if it were I wouldn't, I thought to myself, after all, I didn't get my Glo deal by how much internet fame I had. At way less than 200k plus followers, I got a call from Heineken and went to Vegas for the 007 Spyfie Experience. At way less than 1 million followers, Johnnie Walker snatched me up and with my less than 1 million followers, I turned down countless endorsement, influencer and ambassadorial offers. Slowly but surely, my followers grew. I didn't have to create a scandal, deny my faith or be politically correct. I did not have to pay for one follower, like or comment. I did not even know I had a million followers till yesterday at the office when my Creative Team Lead pointed it out. Today, I humbly but proudly thank my 1million real followers for being the best anyone could ever ask for. I am indeed reminded that you don't have to do it because everyone is doing it and that "doing it" doesn't guarantee that you will make it because the race is indeed not to the swift but it is The Lord that shows mercy. Be Still and #LetGodElevateYou #ElevateWithRMD #DoNotConform #KeepWalking #Rmdsaysso

A post shared by Richard Mofe-Damijo RMD (@mofedamijo) on Dec 30, 2017 at 6:45am PST

Looking back at 2017 and my heart is full… Thank You Jesus. The Orchestrator of my life's journey. The creator of the ends of the universe. The lion and the lamb. Omniscient. Omnipotent. Yaweh. Oyigiyigi. Arugbo ojo. Alewilese. Aleselewi. Alagbada ina Way maker. Game changer. Promise keeper. Mighty God. Miracle worker. My shield. My shelter. The solid rock upon which i stand. My firm foundation. My advocate. My adviser. My director. My helper. My provider. My healer. That which you were to me last year, i know you will be to me this year because you never change. Your love remains the same. I take zero credit. It's all you. Do with my life, that which you please…trusting that you will never give me more than i can bear and at the end of it all…may i hear you say 'Well Done, you can come on in''. 2018…I Am Ready And I Am Unafraid, Unphased And Unstoppable!!! #happynewyear

A post shared by Adesua Etomi (@adesuaetomi) on Dec 31, 2017 at 5:09pm PST

The most important thing in life is to find your GOD GIVEN PURPOSE, not always easy, but once you do and once you spend your everyday putting the building blocks into that GOD GIVEN PURPOSE, it will never fail. That is God’s promise to those who listen to HIM. Therefore do not fear, just keep forging ahead and see how that purpose multiplies and becomes unstoppable! Let the word impossible become POSSIBLE because with God all things are possible. I live, work and pray by this principle. Wishing you a glorious and magnificent GRACE filled 2018. Please share this message with all your loved ones, so that they can have an unstoppable 2018. MoAbudu – CEO, EbonyLife TV & EbonyLife Films. #ifyoucanthinkityoucandoit #greatyearahead #followyourgodgivenpurpose #happynewyear #2018

A post shared by Mo Abudu (@moabudu) on Dec 31, 2017 at 1:54pm PST

Looking back on 2017 with gratitude.. And looking forward to 2018 with an attitude.. of #Joy #happynewyear #2017 was so amaaazing. #2018 will be even better. May it be our best year yet.. in Jesus name.

A post shared by Banky W. (@bankywellington) on Dec 31, 2017 at 11:08am PST

I’m typically very private, but I promised that I would share some of my story for the sole reason that God has been so good to me. The year didn’t start off so great. I lost a lot of work in a very short amount of time which did nothing for the anxiety that I have battled with for years. Mixing that with a couple of very toxic personal relationships, I sunk into a depression twice this year. I desperately tried to pull myself out of it and with the help of my amazing mother, a very protective brother and the support of my best friends, ( & a needed sabbatical in the summer) I was able to recalibrate. What was holding me back? Was I really being honest about the cause of my misfortune and my severe depression? It was time to make a change. I had to break free from certain situations & I also had to have very harsh conversations with myself ( if you’re ever brave enough to do this, I must warn you; it’s excruciating, but so worth it). I realized that I had let challenges and people dictate to me how to feel about myself. I lost my confidence. I lost my voice. I lost my bravery. Bravery is what I prayed for during this period and bravery is what I was blessed with. It’s the same bravery that has kept me going since my move back to Nigeria. It’s bravery dipped and coated in God’s love. It went away from me for a while, but i got it back! From late July to now, it’s all turned around. I was asked to be on panel at a Google summit, I’ve landed my first acting gig in a major production, I’m currently collaborating with a couple of successful brands and businesses, plus I have a great management team. All the aforementioned literally came over the last four months of the year; the plot twist I was desperately praying for. I’m still healing from numerous scars, but the future looks brighter everyday. I’m feeling more like myself these days and I’m dancing and smiling again. No one knew what I was going through,save a few people, and the ones that did really came through for me. I appreciate all of it. And to you, reading this, thanks for your support. Always. Cheers to a New Year. May you find your space in the world and may it be glorious. Love, DG 🥂💫🖤

A post shared by Dénola Grey (@denolagrey) on Dec 31, 2017 at 2:37am PST

#MondayMorningMotivation #Purposeful2018 In this YEAR, YOU must KNOW who YOU are CALLED to SERVE, NOT who you WANT to SERVE. SOME are CALLED to Princes, SOME to peasants and SOME to be SERVED. Whichever side of the divide you are, EXCELLENCE will EARN you CROWNS. If there’s any FAVOUR you want to DO for YOU this year, it’s to DO all YOU can to FIND and ALIGN with that PURPOSE. Do NOT be MOVED by SIGHT especially your NEIGHBORS grass, rather INSPIRED by the SPIRIT and PUT in the WORK to GREEN up your GRASS. SEED time and HARVEST time will NOT miss you, just that SOMETIMES the RAINS might take LONG BUT it will COME. Welcome to 2018 my friends! 📸 @elvibephotos Aso Oke antique chair by @ile.ila Agbada @aramanda

A post shared by Adebola Williams (@debolalagos) on Dec 31, 2017 at 10:50pm PST

Thankful ❤ My Dad passed away in March, on the day I was completing my final Stanford Seed transformation plan. You're stronger than you think. Super grateful for everything – 2018, may Blessings and Billions 😁 fall on me and you.

A post shared by Uche (@uchepedro) on Dec 31, 2017 at 10:17am PST