Ma, it’s an honour having you grace this episode of, “Streetspiring Moments” I’m certain the insight you will share with us will be noteworthy.
The honour is mine, thank you.
So please tell us who is Gotname Bitrus Ibrahim.
Gotname is a daughter of the most High God, a wife, a mother, a poet, an Author, a relationship coach, and much more.
Tell us about your background, childhood, family, and education.
I am from a humble family of four, the firstborn. A Holy Spirit-filled family. Have a diploma in mass communication and a BA in English. I have taken short courses on leadership, copywriting, computers, Entrepreneurship, etc. Will soon start a Master’s.
About writing. Tell us how you started. Was it from childhood or a skill they learned?
How I started writing is hard to tell but writing loved me the day I was born. I am a natural, I have been writing poems in particular from when I didn’t know that was what I was writing.
Your blog is a reservoir of knowledge in niches such as poetry, relationships, faith, and self-growth. Plus, it has had of great impact on the lives of people. Tell us what inspires your writings.
Indeed self-growth has something to do with it, and I am also inspired by this imputed gift of seeing the needs of others met. Love inspires me to write, I see through it and persevere in love. The need to become a comforting place and an answer to questions, also the vision to solve the problem of all forms of poverty. So I wake up to write each day unfailingly because I believe my gift will open a lot of prison doors for the victims of all forms of evil.
Check Gotname’s blog
Or connect with her on WhatsApp
You are an Entrepreneur, Poet, Freelancer, Women and Child Advocate, Evangelist, Journalist, Mentor, Wife, and Mom. How do you live up to these responsibilities amazingly?
Listing them that way sounds cumbersome. What I do is one. Well, I take a day at a time. I am a woman who relies, on the Holy Spirit for all I do. He makes it worthwhile and possible. I say it is one thing because whatever gift I have was given to me by God to fulfil His purpose, one expression at a time. I am so thrilled about learning one new skill or another. Yes, the Holy Spirit helps me be a submissive wife and a loving mother too, there is no way I could know to do these without His help. Glory to God.
Is there anyone you are looking up to or you’ve looked up to, or still do in your niche as a writer?
I don’t limit myself to one genre, I am adventurous by nature. Yes! The first I look up to is the Holy Spirit, He inspired the forever best-selling book, the Bible. The writings of Shakespeare, King Solomon, David, and Deborah. In Nigeria, I follow closely writers such as Richard Ali, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chinua Achebe, Aisha Umar, etc, English writers, T.S Eliot, John Milton, Tony Marisson, Maya Angelo, etc, and the likes of TD Jakes, Joyce Mayer, Myles Munroe, etc…. As I said I read…
Tell us how you go through tough phases of your journey, to reach this feat and how you have been handling criticisms.
I keep my head up high and confident in the one who lives and dines inside of me, “God”. I believe tough times never last, these times come to shape me and push me towards greatness. People criticize what they fail to understand, we all need a little bit of positive and negative criticism now and then it has a way of keeping us humble and confident. I stay faith focused, on the truth that I need to play my part, which is to improve my writing and expression while God does His part of making the journey worthwhile by bringing about each dream a success.
Angel if Mine,” ”The Victor, a Victim,” ”I Dare to dream, the African Dream.” These three are your wonderful works. Tell us about them.
Angel if Mine, is an anthology of poems, which has themes around education, love, religion, etc. It is a miracle. The teamed poem talks about an individual inquiry about where they stand in their relationship, as distrust and uncertainties seem to be the order of the day. Using the relationship between a man and a woman as an example, I use it as a symbol of how the government and the people’s relationship has been and the church or the religious sects are with their congregants. You will find I write a lot of stires.
‘The Victor a Victim’ is a novel, telling a story set in Nigeria and with characters, we all can relate to. This book addresses terrorism, morality, and extremism.
“I Dare to Dream the African Dream” is an academic poem book. I took my time to write historical themes, one that young people can always refer to.
I also co-authored my first academic publication on the topic: EXPLORING THE TRAUMA OF SOCIAL CRISES IN ADAMU KYUKA USMAN’S “THE DEATH OF ETERNITY”, which was published with other great authors titled; Tradition, and Society: A Festschrift on Kyuka Lilymjok.
A few months ago on World Poetry Day I was given an award for my contribution to promoting poetry as a means of communication and recognized as a Nigerian poet. It is so humbling and an honour to be awarded amongst other well-respected Authors and poets by the Institute of Authors headed by Dr. Haruna Penni.
You can download any of my books on my blog gotnamewrites.org or Amazon.
You will find links below
Shop on gotnamewrites.org
Shop on Amazon
In your interview with Daily Trust, you commented; ‘’They (people, especially those going through trauma) need to look inside of them for the courage to thrive using their various talents.’’ Can you please shed more insight on that?
It is not enough to rely on others to understand your traumas and help you do something about them, the victim must act courageously and search from the reservoir of capabilities and qualities embedded in them to excel in this space called earth. Talents are different expressions of grace that help us thrive in a competitive world. The victim has no control over their oppressor but they have control of who they will be henceforth, defeated or triumphant, healed or bitter the choice is always there. No one can take you to your destiny that’s your decision to make. In addition, no one can make you relevant that is your journey to make, so also the healing process can only be when you decide never to be defined as a victim but a victor who went through hell and did not stop in hell but overcame and now gives hope to others by showing them a way out of their predicament.
You have been in the creative writing industry for a while. How would you rate the growth of the Industry in present times and its impact on the younger generation?
The creative industry has grown tremendously with the help of social media and modern technology. There is a far more profitable avenue for the youth for-profit and expression in recent years.
See Gotname’s interview with Daily Trust
What are your growth/success habits?
Stay in Him and His word. Love perfectly. Forgive quickly, express yourself through art, read, write, learn, correct, stay focused, and don’t stop reaching out for a better world through compassion. Stay humble. Remain faithful to God’s purpose, and to your spouse, and be that righteous role model for your children and the world. Take trips, and learn from different cultures and people.
What’s your take on this statement by Nora Ephron; ”Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.?”
As I said earlier on, each of us was created capable, and with all that is needed to succeed, we just need to believe and act out in faith. There is only so much that people can do for you, you make the turns and decisions, and you encourage yourself knowing that you are that Hero you need and the world waits for you, not the victim. Nora Ephron is wise.
In a piece, what would you like to tell young ladies and women out there?
You can have it all. Education, professional career, marriage, children and still save the world. Stay focused, and wake up ready to conquer your foe and that’s procrastination, ignorance, failure, fear, and poverty.
After all, is said and done, what does Gotname Bitrus-Ibrahim want to be known for?
First that I love my family, and I good mother and mentor. That Gotname is a lover of humanity, who wants to see that children go to school, that women thrive, that she healed, built ruined places, alleviated poverty, reconciled humans with their creator, and that she came, saw, and conquered with her love-inspired pen.
Thanks a lot, ma for honoring the invitation to share words of insight and some amazing facts about yourself.
Always my pleasure.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to share and leave a comment.
Thank you Darling.