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With Season 1 of Real Housewives of Lagos under her belt, Chioma Ikokwu is officially an OG – but what has she learned since joining the global sisterhood?
We sat down with Chioma once again, to hear about the lessons she’s learned since becoming a Real Housewife.
Chioma Admits She Was Nervous, Going In To RHOL
OG she may be, but that doesn’t mean Chioma Ikokwu didn’t have some anxieties going into Real Housewives of Lagos.
In fact, she tells us she was “Slightly nervous” about meeting her co-stars.
“I wasn’t sure if the other ladies would like me, if they were going to accept me.”
However, by far her biggest cause for concern was the audience’s reception of her.
“I was nervous about public opinion, because prior to the show, not a lot of people knew a lot about me. Yes, I was popular on Instagram because of my fashion, but people kind of knew me at face value, and never really got to know my personality.”
On top of wondering whether people would like her for who she was, Chioma adds that the thought of what might be featured in the show was a major sticking point.
“I wasn’t sure how I was going to be portrayed, because with these shows, there’s a lot of footage that goes in. They can film for, like, six hours, and there’s only two minutes of that shown, because of the editing involved. So, I was definitely nervous as to how I was going to be put across to the public – not even necessarily how I am, but how I would come across, post-edit.”
Chioma Shares How Life Has Changed, Since Joining The Show
As for how she feels about her public perception, since being on the show, Chioma is happy to report that she’s got a ton of great feedback – and she chuckles that she’s more than happy with the edit she got.
“The show has definitely given people an insight into my personality, and the very essence of what makes me, me. People have also got to see how family-oriented I am – and some have even commented that I’m ‘actually’ intelligent, if you can imagine!”
Chioma adds that the entire experience has only benefited her, business-wise – and she’s not shocked about it.
“People are no longer seeing me as just a figure on Instagram. They feel like we’re friends, and that’s definitely impacted my business. The more people are exposed to you, the more you can draw them into your business, so I’ve definitely used that to my advantage.”
As for her personal takeaways from the show, Chioma explains that just as she’s been exposed to the audience, she’s also been exposed to people she would never have met before – and that’s been a major advantage.
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“It’s given me a new perspective on life. I don’t know if I’d say I was sheltered, but I always kind of lived in my bubble with my friends, social circle and my family, and that’s stayed the same for most of my life. Just meeting other people from different walks of life and going through these experiences with them as shaped me mentally, and it’s kind of made me a different person, to a certain extent.”
Chioma Reveals Her Biggest Takeaway From The Experience
It’s precisely that newfound exposure to others that led to the biggest lesson Chioma learned from being on Real Housewives of Lagos.
That is, “Never judge a book by its cover.”
Oh – and don’t expect everyone to have the same heart as you.
“I’m the sort of person that gives everybody the benefit of the doubt, but just being on the show and going through some of the things I went through, I think it’s caused me to be a little bit more cautious in life with people. Not everybody will handle or treat people or situations like you would, because people are raised differently and have different exposures. They have different family values and backgrounds – and what makes them who they are is very different from what makes me, me.”
Chioma adds that another thing she learned from the experience is just how strong she is – though she’s not giving away any hints, here.
“After this experience, there is nothing I cannot handle, there’s nothing anyone can put to me, or bring to my table, or show me, that I cannot handle or deal with. When you watch the show, you’ll understand what I mean.”
In light of all the lessons learned, we asked Chioma if there was anything she wished she could tell her pre-RHOL self.
“I think I would tell myself to be physically, mentally and spiritually ready for the journey I was about to embark on. Things are going to happen that you least expect, but you are going to be fine, either way.”
“I’d basically just tell myself to get ready,” she continues. “Sometimes it’s all fun and games, and we have a great time. But, there are other times when it’s mentally challenging. There are even times when it takes a physical toll on your body, because the schedule is insane … but I was able to do it.”
Ultimately, she smiles, “Know that you’ve got this.”
Wise words from a bona fide OG!
Catch up on episodes of Real Housewives of Lagos every Saturday on Hayu.
