About
Name: Ijafiada Benhirki
Country Representing: Nigeria
what inspired you to enter the ultimate storyteller contest?
I was inspired by fear, as ironic as it may sound. Each country on our continent has a thousand and one challenges, however in my country, things as basic as the right to live or the right to speak freely is considered treason. It is masked well beneath the façade of democracy.
Speaking our reality in any form that criticizes our government is a ‘threat’ to the state. I choose to speak the truth in the face of it, come what may. Entering the Ultimate Storyteller Contest for me is a rare privilege and I believe that every voice matters. And thanks to this platform, I finally have the courage to want to be heard.
what does storytelling mean to you?
I sometimes imagine what life might look like if I couldn’t speak. If I didn’t have a voice for some reason, either by nature’s choice or some other doing. There are many in that category, but we should never call them disadvantaged because every single person under the heavens has a story to tell. An artist, a songwriter, a doctor, nurse, or farmer…basically, everyone!
Storytelling to me is living out loud and by that, I mean sharing and living my life like tomorrow doesn’t exist and isn’t guaranteed (which of course, it isn’t). It’s in the memories you hold dear to your heart, the pictures you share, post or comment on, the travel experience, the marches and protests and my favorite of the lot — it’s in the stroke of a pen.
why did you choose the story you told in your first submission?
I chose this particular story because for the longest time, I have battled post-traumatic stress disorder. And while I don’t have actual battle scars; staring death in the face, being unsure of my next breath – it is something I have lived with since the sad encounter on that fateful day in 2018. Africans, or should I say Nigerians, don’t really believe in counselling or outlets that let your feelings show. That doesn’t really fly where I’m from so I’ve had to pretend for the longest time that I was okay. But I know that many Nigerians like myself live that horrible reality each day, especially in recent times when crime rate has been on the increase. No one is safe.
press ❤️ below to vote
Press the heart icon below to vote, and If this story touched you, don’t forget to leave kind words of encouragement in the comment section below.
606
Your story is very rich and inspiring.
Wow wow wow! Super inspiring and amazing! Well done 👏🏿
I loved the video! Keep up the hood work
This is awesome 👍
Cool…Don’t stop creating
Inspiring
Beautiful and inspiring
I couldn’t help but cry listening to this.
That’s inspiring my dear, God got your back.
Amazing
So inspiring
Inspiring
That’s a good piece, well done!
Inspiring and it’s such a beautiful piece darling. Kudos!!!
Awesome
Fantastic! Don’t stop. This is beautiful. Presentation, awesome!
Awesome story.
Beautiful story keep soaring
Amazing
Wow, inspiring Sis. Keep up the good work.
She is a pearl in her generation
Beautiful
This is really amazing 👏👏👏👍
Wow….This is really amazing 👏👏👍
Hmmm more than just a story, this is the ordacity truth coated with humour and finise. A thumbs up for you
Very rich and inspiring
Soo beautiful.. all I see is GRACE!!
You’re absolutely inspirational….
Motivating
The story is touched my souls mind. Keep it up dear.
Fantabulous
Fantabulous writing
Awesome Ijafiada! You are truly an inspiration to your generation in these last days of the last days. You will continue to move from glory to glory and from greater to greater heights IJMN! This uncle is proud of you!
Wow this is so powerful
Keep moving dear may God help you
See you at the top.
Keep it up dear,the sky is your limit.
Weldon dear 👏
Just out of this world, more grace
Wish u all d best of luck in all ur life endeavors. This is amazing.
This is a great peace my sister. Success all the way.
“To think a time would come that I would be so sad of where I’m from …..”
#speak
So inspiring, well done
Beautifully and courageously said Jafu !! You’re an inspiration to a lot of us.I am very proud of you. God Bless !
Uncle Sam Nggilari.
This write up is so inspiring. Great job sis❤️
The story is not touching it is incredibly awesome. Congratulations.
Very inspiring story. Kudos to you.
Wow! So inspiring. Jafu Beauty we are really proud of you darling.
Wonderful inspiration
Many books have been written and many citations have been taken from them. But not every book is special and not every quote is worth reading. To save you some massive amount of time, i have created this selection as one of the most beautiful write ups of all time. Enjoy reading! And if you enjoy reading write ups have a look at these, kudos to you
Awesome !!!
Wow wow. Super inspiring
Waooo beauty, your story is inspiring. See you at the top.
May Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ give you more WISDOM and COURAGE (Joshua 1:6&7)
Such an amazing story darling 💖💖
Benhirki. Your story is wow. I love it
Beautiful write up more grace❤️❤️
Fantastic, what a reality.
Congratulations darling.
Congratulations my dear sister I wish you greater heights in all you do, more wisdom and knowledge IJN.
This is so Inspiring! God bless you, my dear Ijafiada, and yes this is the bitter Truth. More grace and more inspiration.
Your write up is inspiring. I love it.
Inspiring
I love this
This is so rich and inspiring. Good luck Namesake
Excellent!!!
Amazing stuff Jafu , more grace to you on this pilgrimage which you have embarked on.
The truth of the reality we face collapsed in 4minutes.
Thank you. This is amazing and much much needed.
So touching and powerful, keep soaring Jafu.
Beautiful and inspiring story, Good luck!!!
You story is one of it’s kind very inspiring keep it.
Wonderful/amazing effort my daughter. Keep riding on and remain focused on your dreams, the sky is your stepping stop. Congratulations and all the best.
So inspiring and motivating. Well done
Well done my darling 👏👏👏
Vote
So inspiring
Well done
Amazing sis good luck
This is very inspiring, more grace and kudos!!!
Super Super Excellent my dearest!
Nice one
INDEED THIS IS A GOOD WORK
Very interesting
Fantastic write up. All the best
An all inspiring outing
Inspiring! Keep it up 👍 proud of you my beautiful Angel Ijafiada, keep winning! Big Sis Annastasia.
Great! Poetic and thought provoking!
Inspiring! Keep moving my beautiful Angel Ijafiada, Proud of you dear.
Inspiring! Keep moving my beautiful Angel Ijafiada, Proud of you dear.
Amazing
Keep on moving. Proud of u
I am so so grateful guys. I don’t take it for granted, not even the tiniest bit. Thank you for all the support and yes, this message very much needed to be said!
you deserve every bit of it keep doing what you know how to do best god bless you.
Keep soaring girl…beautiful story. All things work together for our good. The sad event of 2018 have become a beautiful story…proud of you dear
It is so amazing…gushhhhhhhhh I love spoken words but this one is mind blowing and inspiring and it’s also an eye opener of the shitty things that are going on in this country…woooowwwww
So inspiring Jafu! God bless you and keep it up.
Wowww so inspiring, and creative use of words
May Heaven hear your heartbeats in this story and provide resounding solutions for you, your generation and posterity in Jesus name.
This is soo inspiring speaking about what is happening in our country at the moment. Go girl the sky is your starting point
Beautiful story
Quite inspiring and full of thoughts
Awesome
Always proud of your ability
The world is your stage Queen. Go rule!
Wow, that’s great, so aspiring, keep it up.
Wow, that’s great, so inspiring, keep it up.
Super inspecting dear.
Very lovely and inspiring, you’ll go higher places🙏
Soo inspiring!!!
Best of luck
This is a Story spoken in Poetry. Though Frightfully experienced but Beautifully told. Well done my daughter. Remain Blessed.
Soo inspiring !!!
Best of luck.
Nice one. Very inspiring. Keep it up
Amazing!
Awesome
Wonderful! Very inspirational!
Awesome and inspiring. More grace my daughter
Awesome story dear
What a breath-taking piece!
Quite incisive!! Thanks for doing us proud dearie. God bless your future!!!
Wow super inspiring what a great piece
Bravo!!! We are proud of you dear sis. More grace for greater heights.
Keep it up!
The story is breath-taking, presented from the heart oratorically with courage, precision and record- breaking demonstration of agony,fear and pains arising from injustice, insecurity and bad governance of the day. Jafu you are an iconic brains and beauty. Keep making us proud dear
This is really a nice work.The sky is your starting point.
Motivational dear, best of luck.
This is more than awesome, better days are certainly here!. Keep it up my Girl.
An inspiring story, ride on love.
Very inspiring
This is a painful but realistic description of where we are in Nigeria. May God have mercy on us.
Jafu, this is heart touching. May God turn this to prayers to save Nigeria🇳🇬
Awesome 👌
So inspiring
Excellent write up!
Good write up Ijafiada!
You are such a great gift to this generation!
Sky is your starting point my dear we are proud with you. Wish you all the best of luck
Awesome, more greece to your elbows
A courageous story dear.More grace and God’s wisdom and guidance to do more.
Good write up keep it up
Good one
I have no doubt you can do more than this, my darling cousin. More greese to your elbow Yar kawu.
Nice one. Well done
Our next Chamamanda! Go in this your might. Great work.
Your write -up is simply awesome. More wisdom.
Inspirational Story👏
Great story told from the innermost recess of the heart
So inspiring, best of luck dear
Wow ,weldone your story was insightful
The story make sense and inspirational
Beautiful story and very inspiring!
You are very articulate, great speaker indeed. Well-done, dear!
Beautiful story and very inspiring!
You are very articulate,great speaker indeed. Well-done, dear!
Keep soaring higher Ijafiada
Well written and inspiring…
… More from you..
More grace to excel my dear, the Lord is your strength
Much as we are competing, I must admit that I have admired your zeal today; we were with you down at number ten but you have battled you way up… I am from Kenya with the Umoja Band story but I have given you a vote in the spirit of healthy competition…
Wish you well… Hope we will all make it to the semi final stage.
I am brought to tears and I am truly humbled and grateful. Thank you so much and I wish us all the best in our endeavors. You have inspired me.
She is beautiful
Inspiring.
Very beautiful and inspiring
Keep it up
Waw….. Nice inspiration dear. Keep it up
Awesome story, great talent, keep it up.
More grace sister.
So Amazing, keep it up sister
What an inspirational write ups… you just cheered me up, keep soaring higher sis.
Congratulations, I’m impressed.
What a piece, we are proud to have you, greater heights
This is beautiful…keep it up
Waoh!!! What an inspiring piece 👍🏽👍🏽♥️ keep soaring high and higher dear 💞we are proud of you.
I love this
This is great! More grace for a greater heights.
What a piece, we are proud to have you, greater heights
What a wonderful story. I love to see more of these stories young Nigerian displaying.
Nice one dear daughter of Zion: your story is very inspiring and educative! We are proud of you Girl…
Amazing… Simply amazing..
Welldone
It’s a beautiful story
Very Inspiring my Daughter. Keep the struggle running
Awesome my daughter, may the Lord keep you
Great story for us. Keep it up!
Great story. Hope this generation shall change the narratives. Many young like you shall make the difference. Keep it up.
A good story and I pray these hazy days will be over so we can leave in peace again. Weldon.
This is at that generation … gradual and grandstyling, We keep hope alive.
wow so inspiring keep it up
This is so inspiring…
This is lovely and very inspiring
Congratulations Ijafiada, this is indeed where we are in our beloved nation. I see the great need of Grace intervention. This is wonderful and reviling.
More face for greater impact!
Waw so inspiring and touching more grace
This is so inspiring big sister ❤️….keep up the good works…God will always give your voice greater platforms and you will touch the nations.
Nice work
IJAFIADA, that’s great my daughter.
Quite inspiring
Jafu,its wonderful presentation. Keep it up.
Bravo my fellow compatriot. Keep it up 👆
Wow! So inspiring,
You got this girl.
So inspiring sis keep it up!!!
So Amazing and Inspiring.
This is the generation! They know it, they feel it, they see it.. They are trying all possible to put us down but we need to “soro soke”. Never let our voices drown in the midst of all the propaganda. Big ups Jafu!
Great read
God bless all you do. You’re phenomenal.
So amazing keep it up
You are doing great
Amazing! Simply amazing!
Always a Talent!
Beautiful…..
Brilliant and focused
Well done Jaru!!!
I’m rooting for you💕💕
All the best!
Keep it up , my dear sister
Keep it up
Great piece
I find it inspiring also. Our voices, found in a story piece. Beautiful!
Keep Soaring.
Jafu, I find it inspiring also. Our voices, found in a story piece. Beautiful!
Keep Soaring.
So intriguing
You’re one of the world’s greatest Jafu! I’m really proud of you for telling the world our story.