Miss Inspiration Rebrands Herself!

I’ve changed my name.
William Shakespeare wrote the famous words “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” It’s true that changing your name doesn’t necessarily change who you are, but there is something in a name.

A name is a first-impression; an introduction to the world, so to speak. In the minds of all others, your name is a snapshot of your character, your personality, your looks, your voice, your speech, your deeds, and everything else that makes up you. Words are powerful, if you say something long enough and consistently enough, it’s likely to become a reality. I believe that over the course of time, we become our names. Your name is what everyone speaks every time you’re seen, or thought about, or mentioned – should it not then be something positive? (I’ve always wondered why any parent would give their child a name that means something negative. That child has to answer that name for at least the first 18 years of his/her life, and perhaps for the rest of his/her life. It behoves parents to do a thorough investigation to find good names for their children. Anyway, that’s a subject for another day.)

Why would anyone change names?
People change their names for various reasons: getting married or divorced; adopting a pet-name or alias to differentiate themselves from other people who share the same name; disassociating from a negative past; secrecy - going in witness-protection programs; and so forth. Finding out that one’s given name has a negative meaning is an uncommon but very good reason to change a name.
I believe each individual is unique – a divinely-inspired, uniquely-crafted, original masterpiece. It is the desire to stand out from the crowd that causes people to adopt aliases, unique names that are either self-given, or created by friends and/or family members. Used long enough, an alias can come to identify a person, more-so than his/her given name and eventually replace the given name. This happens often enough especially in the entertainment industry.

Why change my name?
Technically, I’m not changing the name on my birth certificate just yet. My given name, Ifueko, means a person who is gentle or meek or tolerant, it’s not defined exactly, but it’s a description of a desirable attribute. I like it, so it stays! My long-standing nick name, Fex, is derived from my given name - don’t ask how, just take my word for it – and it’s unique, so it stays too! Well then what name am I changing? That would be my most recently adopted name, my alias, or brand, so to speak: Miss Inspiration.

Miss Inspiration made the news recently. The headline read ‘Miss Inspiration Does Inspire!’(By the way if you haven’t read the beautifully-written, highly-inspirational article yet, you can do so via the following link: http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=144066#)
Why on earth would I want to stop being referred to as ‘Miss Inspiration’ then? Well, I have discovered that the names ‘Miss Inspiration’ and ‘Lady Inspiration’ and ‘Inspired Woman’ and so many other similar names are ALL already being used by other great women out there; other great women perhaps similar to me, but NOT me. Just like there’s only one you, there’s only one me: a divinely-inspired, uniquely-crafted, original masterpiece! Simple – I’m unique, and so should my name be.

What then will my name be?
What shall I call myself? I shall call myself who I am, naturally.
Well, who am I?
I am inspirational, yes.
My story is inspirational, definitely.
I am inspired, indubitably; better still, I am inspired by the very source of true inspiration, God. Besides that, I am female, a woman, yes, though the people close to me prefer to describe me as a ‘lady.’
So I’m inspired, and I inspire - and what is the primary method of my inspiration? Simple: WORDS.
Words in a poem, words in a song, words in a speech, words in a story;
Words written, words painted, words embroidered, words engraved;
Words in a card, words in a book, words in motion – a play, a movie;
Words amplified, words recorded, words spoken, words whispered;
Words, inspirational words, my words – inspired by God’s Word!

Some time ago, in trying to find a way to describe inspired words that also inspire, I came up with the word InspiroLogos, formed from a combination of two words: the English word inspire and the Greek word Logos. The word ‘inspire’ according to Webster’s dictionary means several things, including “to fill with creative power” and “to move by divine influence.” In Greek, logos means word or reason; but Logos in theology (uppercase L) means the word of God - which is my primary source of inspiration. InspiroLogos therefore means inspiring something or someone using words, especially the word of God. InspiroLogos is what I strive to do; so it has inevitably become my brand.

In conclusion:
What really is in a name? Some say nothing, I say potentially everything. My name is unchanged: Ifueko Fex Ogbomo. My motto still stands: I aspire to Inspire. But my short-lived, though beloved alias, ‘Miss Inspiration’ bows out gracefully to make way for the new brand.
Who am I? ...
I am creative, intelligent, insightful;
I am warm, nurturing, giving;
I am influential, positive, innovative;
I am soft, gentle, beautiful;
I am humble, gracious, virtuous;
I am the glory of man – a woman;
I am all I am because ‘I AM’ says I am.
I am Lady InspiroLogos – the inspired one who inspires.

Now it’s your turn – who are YOU?
Hint: To find yourself, discover your gift; To be yourself, manifest your discovery!
- Lady InspiroLogos