Nigerian blogger, Linda Ikeji has apologised to her fans for giving birth to her baby outside wedlock.
For years, most fans of Linda, 38, knew their model as a self-styled celibacy advocate known for her stance against premarital sex. However, 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.
However, on Friday morning, the famous blogger took to her Instagram page, released photos of her three-month-old son and 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.”
Although this has generated lots of reactions from her fans, Linda maintains that nurturing her son has been the best experience of her life so far.