Stella Dimoko Korkus' City People Magazine Interview.

Stella Dimoko-Korkus runs one of the most popular blogs, www.stelladimokokorkus.com, online. And her blog is really hot as it breaks exclusive stories. What makes Stella’s blog stand out from the rest is because she is a trained journalist. That is why she calls herself a Blognalist. But Stella hardly talks about herself. Last week, this tough lady who has been living in Germany for several years with her German husband spoke to City People Publisher,SEYE KEHINDE, about her life as a Blogger.
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How did blogging start for you?

Blogging started for me as a hobby.. I had internet at home and didn’t utilise it well until one day I got really bored and started my second blog after the first one was deleted for controversial reasons…That’s how I started oh.

When did you decide to make it a full-time job?

I decided to make it a full-time job when I left print journalism a few months back..When I was in print, I kept trying to discuss with my boss then the need to get online presence but he kept shutting me up like a fly making noise. As at the time I left print I had not made up my mind to become a full-time blogger but it just happened and there has been no regrets.

Sometimes when you have been in one place for too long, the people you work for think they are doing you a favour and I guess that is what happened. I was taken for granted and disrespected at the slightest opportunity.. I stayed out of respect for the man I worked for but I guess the cookie had to crumble at some point…I was in print for over a decade and the only regret I have is that I left like a naked man being chased with a cutlass and running because he knows his manhood was at stake.

People see you as controversial. How does that make you feel?

How should it make me feel?I have been called all sorts of ugly names, so calling me controversial is like complimenting me.

You must have lost so many friends because of your gists? Does it bother you?

Lost so many friends? Are you talking about losing friendship? When I began my career in print, I made too many friends and they kept trying to control how I write and even sometimes when I wrote exactly what they wanted and it backfired, I still got into problems with them.

I have paid my dues and I realised long ago that these celebrities only need you as a friend if they can use you and the minute they are done,you get dumped.

I am sure that anyone who has been in this job long enough will agree with me….We use them as well to get our stories. It’s a case of ”use me I use you”, However I must say here that I have made some good friends amongst the celebs. We just choose not to be open about it because anyone who is seen as my friend is seen as an olofofo or amebo.

I am even the one who begs them not to flaunt our friendship because the few who did it got burnt…So it’s cool. If I lose any friend because I have to do my job then it wasn’t a friendship in the first place but penship.

Some call you the Queen of Gossip, do you agree?

I cannot agree or disagree with whatever names I am called. However I do know that I am one of the pioneers of modern-day gossip journalism. I grew up under the tutelage of Kunle Bakare, my former boss and when you go through Mr KB, you become the best in what you do. I am who I am today because God used Mr Bakare to school and mould my writing skills into an almost perfect state. I do not refer to my use of the English language, I refer to my skills in building a story with words until that story almost stands right in front of you.

I was recently interviewed in a German newspaper and they referred to me as ”gossip girl” and went on and on because they read my blog in Germany as well and are amazed. So let me do the job and leave the name calling to those who scrutinise the job…abi how you see am?

The name, Stella Dimoko, sends shivers down so many spines, how does it make you feel

I do not agree with that. How can my name send shiver down anyones spine? Do you mean the mention of my name makes some people uncomfortable? Na them sabi.

I know I have people who hiss when they hear my name because we have fallen out for reasons best known to us or them. These celebs,especially those in Nollywood are the biggest liars I have come across. If you fall out with them,they tell lies to back up what they think you might want to write about them. If people hear my name and shivers run through their spine, they should put on a warm jacket and get warm. I am a human being and even when I do it wrong, I apologise and correct myself….

Who is the real Stella? Tell us more?

Tell una more what? I am human, I make mistakes, I learn, I love , I hurt, I live and let live….sometimes..lol

I am very down-to-earth and very benevolent and would do anything to put a smile on the face of anyone who is less privileged or hurting due to societal circumstances.

I am not who people say or think I am but I am not even interested in convincing anyone into liking me or correcting any impression because the people who matter in my life know the real me and that’s really all that matters. I am a very confrontational person but I listen to the voice of reasoning when and if I have to.

Can you let us into your private life?

Private life? Wetin you wan come do inside? What do you want to know? I have the most amazing husband on the face of this earth…..In his eyes I do no wrong (lol) – we have been married for a decade and we got the most beautiful children any ONE  could ask for.

I really don’t like talking much about them, this is about me, face me and leave them out…Besides my job as a journalist has taught me to be selective of the kind of questions to be answered.

Some people are myopic in reasoning and no matter what you say, they only believe what they want to. So NO matter how much of my private life I put out here, it won’t change how some people think I live and  again I do not like to flaunt anything at all…Some people say I married an old man and I have never corrected that impression because it isn’t true and even if it is, aint nobody’s business abeg.

Which is the most controversial story you have written to date?

It’s like asking me to count the hair all over my body and tell you. I cannot count but you know that the controversial stories accredited to my name will need proper documentation. I am not going to start counting sheep over this. One of the most controversial stories I have done till date still pays the bills of some certain people who might not like me mentioning this here.

How do you see competition amongst bloggers?

Competition is healthy, should be healthy but some certain bloggers think the blogosphere is their birth right and no one else should reign there…I am not boasting but in the short time I have been online, I have done very well both in attracting traffic and in making money and enemies-enemies who are bloggers.

Some even go to the extent of hiring third parties to fight me with words anonymously, they open troll accounts and come to leave comments that they think will bring me down but I am here to stay. l stay  because it is by God’s grace….not man!

Are you  friends with some bloggers?

Friends? Haha that’s a big word…I am friends with Bella naija, I love her to bits, her determination and drive is awesome. I love laila….and I am friends with some journalists who have online news portals, that’s all.

What stands you out from the pack?

I didnt just wake up and sign up for a blog, I am a seasoned reporter and I brought to the blogosphere my print media experience. Most of these bloggers are just emergency casaualities that happened in the nick of time. I call on more seasoned pen pushers who can open internet portals to do so and let’s make this blogging thing the new ish of journalism.CULLED FROM CITY PEOPLE MAG ONLINE

*lol...nah old piksure be this oh....that human hair chased me in the dream,had to dump fixing...lol