Jumoke and TY Bello - Sweet Serendipity and True Inspiration

Who hasn't heard of Jumoke Orisaguna? Come out from under the rock you have been living. Her gift has kept on giving - fabulous pictures, over night popularity, ThisdayStyle cover, modelling contact, a new home, finishing school...the list goes on.

I was on the phone with my friend, Ifeanyi, and he asked me what I thought about the 'Jumoke story' and if I felt it was being blown out of proportion. My thoughts at the moment he asked that question are what I want to share with you.

I am a generally positive person. I am not a wishful thinker. 

Now you would wonder why I felt the need to state that; well, a lot of people who are following the band wagon of positivity sweeping over the world are, in fact, wishful thinkers. It is WORK with a positive attitude that gives celebrated result. And not 'slight work' (that's a phrase that is getting increasingly popular on social media these days), but real, serious, calculated work. 

With everyone seeking inspiration from everything these days, there has been the tendency to blow little things out of proportion and create an inspiring story out of the simple things. Don't get me wrong; appreciate the simple things and don't take them for granted. But spinning an entire chain of inspirational quotes from the simple fact that you slept and woke up and are religious enough to attribute that to God's grace...please. Can we stop?

Jumoke's story so far, is a breath of fresh inspiration air. It is real - people's fortunes sometimes change when they least expect it. It is a perfect story of Time and Chance and is refreshingly different from the forced inspiration we are fed regularly on social media. But perhaps an even deeper inspiration in the mix of things is TY Bello. 

She set out to create a story, shooting with an international star. She had her own concerns with work and perhaps her personal life. Her mind must have been painting pictures of the things she would love to capture and maybe saying silent prayers for coincidentals that would make the story in her mind's eye come to life. But still, she recognised a defining moment. Not a defining moment for her, which is what most of us have trained ourselves to look out for, but a defining moment for someone else. Did TY Bello think that this beauty she captured would go on to make international news, get a new house or even a brand deal? 

Jumoke's story is heart warming and makes me appreciate sweet serendipity. The TY Bello input, however, is for me, the story that is inspiring. 

In no bid to take away from the deliciousness of tapping into Jumoke's grace and blessing, I think we all should not misconstrue the true inspiration and even deeper meaning and message in the occurrence of events. TY could have been pre-occupied with the task she had at hand to notice anything special in Jumoke; she could have used her as the random bread hawker who gave her shoot with Tinnie Temper an added edge; she could have invited Jumoke to her studio and used her for personal shoots to feed her own artistic cravings and not share Jumoke with the rest of the world. 

For me, the true inspiration in this tale is that of a woman who was able to see beyond herself and into someone else; a woman who made a few decisions that have re-written the life of a total stranger. A woman who used her influence, network and professional resources to set the standard for giving into the life a total stranger...not for recognision (seeing as she has very quickly let Jumoke into 'the world' and is not hovering around her like an eagle) but possibly, for the mere fact that she was deeply stired in her spirit to do it. 

So the next time you feel the need to reach out to someone and say a kind word, show an act of kindness or make a life changing input in their lives, don't think about how it would benefit you (unless you are some sort of Angel investor...lol) or if you will be regarded as a crazy person. Just do it. You never know, your random stranger could become the next Jumoke.