Akothee: Private apologies don't heal public wounds

Singer-turned-businesswoman Esther Akoth, better known as Akothee, has taken to social media to impart wisdom on the topics of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The founder of the Akothee Foundation firmly believes that anyone who mistreats and humiliates you publicly should also seek forgiveness in the same manner, rather than in private. On her Instagram page, the "Dende Yom" crooner insisted that one should never accept a private apology from those who habitually humiliate you publicly.

“All those who mistreated, humiliated, and spoke ill about you in public will eventually admit publicly that you are the GOAT. Never allow anyone who ever disrespected you publicly to ask for reconciliation in private. Let them go back and apologize to the public, then come for private reconciliation. Otherwise, let everyone stay in their lane. Disrespect will close doors that forgiveness can't open,” she wrote.

The singer further advised that if one chooses to forgive, they should establish boundaries, explaining that many of these individuals repeatedly cause harm.

“You can forgive, yes, but create a huge boundary. Those who are fond of hurting people are never ashamed; you could be dealing with a narcissist who derives joy from hurting others. Do you think you have time to keep collecting yourself?!” she continued.

Akothee concluded her post by advising her followers to leave blocked individuals blocked without feeling guilty.

“Be careful, not everyone deserves to be brought back. You blocked them for a reason. You are doing well,” she concluded.

Is it a case of sibling rivalry?

Akothee's message arrives shortly after her sister, Cebbie Koks, shared her feelings about their relationship during an interview with Lynn Ngugi on the Lynn Ngugi Show. In the interview, which is available on YouTube, Cebbie described being relentlessly bullied following their fallout but maintained her respect for Akothee.

“The bullying was crazy; it took a toll on me because I used to read every comment, thinking I was okay with it. I remember each word to this day, and whenever it flashes through my mind, my body shrinks. It was also fueled by friends; when they say something, no one can justify or dispute it. They said a lot of things that made me second-guess myself and question my worth,” she recounted.

Despite their strained relationship, Cebbie reassured her fans that she harbors no ill will toward her sister.

“There's not a day when I sit down and covet what she has. I respect her; she has done well for herself. This is a woman who has pulled herself up by the bootstraps, you know, literally when society expected her to falter. This is someone that, even if I weren't her sister, I'd still admire from afar and say, 'I like that woman.' Now that I'm privileged to be her sister, why would I be jealous, why would I hate, why would I look down upon her?” she added.