This is one of the most shocking things I have read in a very long time. My instinct was that there was something very wrong with the Linda Ikeji blog shut down and a twitter character called @MrAyeDee. I discussed it in the podcast episode below and wrote about it here. Wow! Here we are and indeed there is something very wrong and possibly very dangerous , per the screen captures shared on her website.
Indeed, this is one of the most disturbing things I have read in a long time. I need to digest all of these, first.
This guy actually gave Linda Ikeji the articles he claims she infringed on, with full permission to use.
This is crazy! Needless to say, Linda needs to be thinking about contacting the police (NYPD) and all other applicable law enforcement agencies at this time.
-Uduak
UPDATE: 10/10/2014
Having mulled over these facts, here are my thoughts:
- I believe Linda Ikeji’s note but I also believe there is more to this. She said she “loved” the guy.
- I am unwilling to discuss @Mrayedee and Linda Ikeji’s personal affairs and will no longer publish any further stories of this case as this case has gone from concerns over Intellectual property rights to indeed a revelation that there was some sort of personal relationship with the two.
- Takeaway lessons for all: I will share what I shared before on my social media platforms —> 4 Lessons from Linda Ikeji BLOG Shut Down: Get a Lawyer, incorporate, respect copyright laws, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
- I hope the lessons learnt will only make Linda stronger and an even more formidable business woman.
Between Linda Ikeji v. AYE DEE
What you are about to read is quite long…and chilling! I wasn’t going to share this info in public but after I showed it to some family members and a few friends who came to the house this morning, everyone agreed that I need to share this, that you all need to read this. You see, what happened with my blog wasn’t about beef. It wasn’t because I showed off my new SUV. It wasn’t about plagiarism, or copyright infringement. It was something deeper, very personal and maybe even more dangerous. Some would call it obsession. Please continue…
To understand this I am going to start from the beginning but before that I want to talk about plagiarism. My understanding of plagiarism is when you take someone’s work and republish it verbatim as your own work. I don’t do that. But if I have ever done that in the past then I apologize. It was an oversight. I do get a lot of original content, way more than any other blogger in this country. Some of the biggest news stories in this country in recent times was broken by LIB. From Goldie’s death (God rest her soul) Aluu4, ABSU rape, P-Square saga, Solomon Akiyesi and plenty more. And when I take news from other sources, I always credit them. When I don’t give credit is when the news is everywhere so I write it in my own words and make it mine. I don’t believe that is a crime. I admit that I have used photos without giving credit. I apologize. That will never happen again. You learn every day. And I have learnt from this.
Now about Mr Aye Dee. Let me start from the very beginning so you guys understand what really happened. Like I said earlier, this was not about copyright or plagiarism. It was personal. Very personal. In 2009 or 2010…(not sure) a guy named Alex who used to run 1976AD blog contacted me. He said he was impressed with my work and wanted to encourage me to never relent. Alex Info 1976AD (how I knew him back then) and I became very good friends online. In fact he was my confidant. Every time I had questions or challenges, I would reach out to him.
By 2011, Alex 1976AD and I became quite close…online. We even exchanged numbers and spoke a few times. He always reminded me how proud of me he was. He told me I would one day become a phenomenon. I wasn’t number one at the time but he told me that I would one day be the biggest news site in Nigeria…that he believed in me that much. He was my friend, my supporter; he sent me news to post on my blog. He wanted me to succeed. He told me things to do to get more readers. He knew a lot about the internet and how it works so I always went to him for advice. He was my anchor.
In 2011, Alex 1976AD made me his blog’s Person of the Year 2011. I shared that post excitedly on my blog. He said I was the most deserving Nigerian for the award that year…and he wrote the most beautiful article about me. He was so proud of me…and never hesitated to tell me. I was grateful. I was happy to have him as a friend…even though we’d never met.
Then we stopped talking. I sincerely can’t remember when exactly. I know that Alex 1976AD tried to reach out to me mid last year…but I can’t remember if I responded. If I didn’t, it was an oversight. I’m really bad at replying mails because I get so many and I’m always busy blogging…but anyway.
On Wednesday around 2.07pm…my long lost friend Alex Info 1976AD contacted me via gmail chat. I was so happy when I saw his name pop up. I was like yay…Alex 1976AD! He would know what I should do in this situation. I thought he was reaching to me after all this while because he’d seen all the craziness going on and wanted to lend support…but what he said to me next shocked me to my bone marrow. He said ‘I hope u’re sitting down’. Thankfully I was because I would have literally fallen if I hadn’t been sitting.
You see, my good friend and biggest supporter Alex 1976AD told me he was Mr Aye Dee. The same guy who started this. The guy that got Google to shut down my blog. It wasn’t about plagiarism or copyright infringement…it was about a scorned former friend. It was about love turning to hate because he felt I’d abandoned him after I became big. Please patiently read our chat below…
The last time he tried to contact me was on July 12th 2013…before reaching out again on Wednesday
I will copy and paste the convo from here on because it’s quite long. Linda Ikeji is – me: Alex Info 1976AD/Mr Aye Dee is – info
info: I assumed you knew and were just forming
me: are u for real or ur just messing with me???
me: u are aye dee?
me: the person I thought respected me the most?
info: I do
me: u gave me woman of the year
info: Yes
me: are u for real?
info: that is why I was confused when I sent messages and you ignored all of them
info: I was like what have I done to this woman
info: I have helped all I can
info: and now she is doing like I am a non-existing entity because of a simple request
me: are u for real though???
info: 100%
me: my heart is beating so fast
me: it can’t be u
info: As mine has been for over a week
info: when I spoke to Ohimai, I even told him
info: that I know her we’ve worked together but she’s ignoring me
me: ignore u?
info: I really thought success had gone to your head
info: Yes
info: I sent you email
info: sent tweets
info: all ignored
me: i never got any emails my goodness
info: sigh
me: why didn’t u try to chat with me?
me: i get hundreds of mails every day
info: I wish I could tell you why, but it didn’t cross my mind till just now
me: i don’t read half of them
info: that maybe I need to go back to the account we’ve always used
me: i see alot in spam and junk
info: That’s where mine probably is
info: Funny thing is I realized I should use this account when someone I work with who knows how you and I have worked together said
me: i’m in shock
info: I know you and Linda manufactured this beef to make her more popular, cause there is no way you would ever do anything against her willingly
me: i don’t do much gmail chatting
me: but immediately i saw ur address i was like yay! my old friend
info: lol
me: tot u were reaching out to me bcos of whats happening
info: I am
info: because it makes no sense
info: I don’t want to destroy something I loved helping you build
info: Someone I’ve prayed for
info: and someone I still believe is going to be an icon for decades to come
me: my goodness
info: It’s ok
info: No harm meant
info: All can be cleaned up
info: and have you emerge stronger
me: wow
me: so why did you decide to reach out?
info: Because I figured out
info: after I read the post from yesterday and this morning
info: there IS NO WAY this woman can write this if she knows its me
info: So had to go into this account and chat with you
info: and if you still didn’t respond then I would know
info: Cause I saw my number there but the name of one of my partners
me: wow
info: I figured she must have forgotten that she’s called me on this #
info: Yes o.
info: The whole thing has been very traumatic to say the least
info: not what was said, but whom it was said by
info: I’ve never publicly stated anything we’ve done together
info: because I didn’t want it to seem like I’m guilt tripping you
info: but you can imagine what it felt like
info: especially when to add insult to injury, you unfriended and blocked me lol
info: I was like Dereisagodo
me: i didn’t know who u were
me: u know what?
info: what?
me: Recently I wondered what u think of me…wondered if u were still following my progress because u used to reach out a lot to me back then
info: I used to but you stopped responding
me: what u tot of how much I’d progressed
me: i just wondered
info: I am VERY proud of you
me: wow!
info: Everything I told you will happen is happening
info: and it’s about to get better
me: wowLinda Ikeji has the full story.