From A Blog Friend To A Real Life Friend

Victor with Ufuomae, proudly displaying some of the books authored by her.

I started this blog because I believed (and still believe) that I have something good to share that would be a blessing to someone out there. I also wanted to use the blogging platform to hone my writing skills.

To a very large extent, both objectives are already being achieved. But I will be the first to acknowledge that there is always room for improvement. And as I communicated in an earlier post, blogging has helped my personal development in many ways.

Over all, blogging is helping me become a better version of myself.

Another side benefit of blogging is the opportunity it has afforded me to interact online with people from across all continents of the world. In the process, I have forged many beneficial online relationships with people I am yet to meet physically.

And I know I am not the only one who has had that beautiful experience. There are bloggers who have been able to turn their blogging friends to real life friends. And it looks like I am joining that league now. Hang on, I will tell you about that in a moment…

Ufuomae (in the picture with me above), author and founder of Grace and Truth and Ufuomae’s Series Blog and Fair Life Africa was one of the earliest followers of this blog when I came on the blogosphere three years ago. Since then our interactions have continued and remained online. But all that got to change (for the better) during the week.

I have been aware that Ufuomae had published a couple of books in e-books and paperback formats. So finally I decided to place an order online for three of her books on paperbacks: The Church Girl 1&2, The House Girl and Perfect Love.

I was expecting the books to be delivered to me through a courier service. But I was pleasantly surprised when she contacted me to say she would deliver the books to me in person.

“Are you home today?” she asked. “I was thinking of bringing the books in person.”

Ostensibly, she only recently realised that we have been living in the same city all along.

“Oh really, you will bring the books in person?” I enthused. “Wow, it will be such an honour to finally meet you in person.”

Being someone I admire a lot, it had crossed my mind on several occasions that I would one day meet this passionate Christian blogger in person. But I had thought I would be the one to go look for her.

You can now see why I was feeling so excited to have her come look for me. The experience was wonderful for me. It would not be wrong to say I count it as one of the most important moments in my blogging journey.

And at the end of the day, this was how Ufuomae herself on her Instagram handle captured her experience of meeting me physically for the first time:

It was really lovely to meet you in the flesh @Victor_Uyanwanne! Wow 😎 This world is small… I think I first discovered your blog, VictorsCorner in 2015, and I was super pleased to find another African representing Christ on the blogosphere and doing it so unashamedly 😉 It was a while before I realised that you were Nigerian too 😁

The biggest surprise came when you ordered three of my books, and I learnt you actually live and work in Lagos!!! But the biggest biggest surprise was realising that you’re actually a BIG FAN of mine 😲 Wow, you made me feel like a real celebrity today 😎 thank you! It was nice getting to know you in the flesh, and I hope to learn more from you too.

Shout out to your office colleagues! Let them head over to books.ufuomaee.org and start ordering their own books.

(Yes, she met with some of my colleagues at work too. And they were pleased to meet with her as well).

Let me end this post with my response to Ufuomae’s Instagram post shown above, with the assurance that she and I have moved from being just blog friends to real life friends.

You made my day. It was my pleasure meeting you… in real life. Wow… Thank you so so much for everything. You are as fantastic in real life as you are online, even more.

Yea, it’s true I ordered your books.. The good part, noooo, the great part is that you graciously autographed them for me. You are doing great [in your blogging journey]. And I know you will do more. Just keep the flag flying. I will be there to cheer you on.

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Have you ever had anyone you met through your blog become your real life friend? I look forward to reading your experience in the comment section.

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