Renowned Nigerian fashion designer, Veekee James, has said false rumours about her marriage almost put her into depression.
She made this known during an interview with her husband, Femi Atere, the Chief Executive Officer of Mr Tidy NG, on the Nancy Isime Show aired on Saturday.
James recalled that one of the most difficult periods of her career came when stories circulated online accusing her of snatching her husband from a friend, a claim she described as false.
“There was one that really hit me. That was the period when we had to ask God to help us come out of it. In the end, we came out of that one. It was a story about how I stole him from a friend and that we were sleeping with each other. So many of those things were lies. It almost put me into depression. That was the first time in my life I understood what people who say they are depressed really feel,” she said.
The designer explained how the rumours affected her emotionally, noting that she locked herself in her room for two days, crying and praying for strength.
“I remember going into my room and not coming out for two days. I was there crying and praying. I told God, ‘We know the story. If you know these are all lies they’re saying about us, help us get through this without it ruining my brand.’ I prayed and waited on God for days, and the way He brought me out was like a miracle,” she added.
James said the experience later made her more resilient, adding that she has since learnt how to cope with negative attention online.
“Even after that, I kept seeing stories upon stories. For some reason, it became easier to laugh about it. Most times, my brother would say, ‘Don’t look at them. Don’t read the comments.’ But I have to read the comments and go through them. Every time they say I’m trending, I check. I want to see what is making me trend. I look to see if I’m doing too much or if I need to learn. And I always ask God to help me and guide me,” she said.
She further stated that she plans to raise children who will be visible role models in society rather than hidden from the public eye.
“To be honest, I don’t plan to make fun videos with my kids where we’re dancing and then hide them. I plan to raise kids who will be role models in society. I plan to have children who will travel the world and show their talents. I don’t want kids that I will hide,” James said.
On her marriage, James stated that she was certain about Atere being the right partner for her after receiving divine confirmation.
“When I met Femi, I knew he was the one. But I still wanted God to confirm it. And when He did, my ears were blocked. They are blocked till today and forever,” she said.
