I would be right to assume anyone active on social media probably knows who Elsa Majimbo is because why not? The young Kenyan Chess Prodigy and Comedianne had us laughing through the pandemic with her quirky jokes. She has been unapologetic about her fab globe-trotting life and expensive lifestyle and these days she shares wild "excessively moisturized" stories of past encounters with people - good, bad, and ugly.
Recently the media personality shared about her interactions with Naomi - yes, the Naomi Campbell which had the internet buzzing. Majimbo took to TikTok to openly speak about her dealings with Naomi - a "situationship" of mixed feelings that allegedly contributed to her struggles with alcoholism. She claimed that their relationship soured after a misunderstanding, which led to Campbell allegedly threatening her with legal action. The 22-year-old recounted their initial meeting in 2020 when Campbell visited Kenya for vacation.
As a result of the strained relationship and the ensuing conflict with Campbell, Majimbo stated that she turned to alcohol and struggled with depression. In a series of now-deleted posts on X, she mentioned that:
"Talking about the Naomi Campbell situation was very hard and scary for me. But I don't want to be owned by someone else and I want to acknowledge a lot of big hits and blows in my career came from another black woman and not my own incompetence"
"We’re not friends we’re not enemies were not anything. Talking about the Naomi Campbell situation was very hard and scary for me"
From 19 years old too. She made me an alcoholic and full blown depressed. It's now time to heal and be happy," she added.
In a Twist of events: She went on to delete the post, taking responsibility for her actions as that was the path forward for her.
"I stand by my words. Content in my decision. The tweets are deleted due to seeking peace, not fear. Y'all need to understand this is something that has happened since I was 19. My goal now is happiness," she said.
Majimbo's statements on TikTok sparked mixed reactions among netizens. Some expressed support for her bravery in speaking out about her experiences, while others questioned her motivations for publicly accusing Campbell. To be fair, she clarified that she was appreciative of Naomi's connection but she wanted to draw the line - a point, some argued was not necessary as she should just move on.
Months later, Elsa mentions that she attended an event where she ran into Edward Enninful, the former editor of British Vogue. During their conversation, Enninful helped Elsa Majimbo realize that her conflict with Naomi Campbell might have led to her being blackballed in the fashion industry.
So, the question at this point is - Does the Backlash mean Elsa should keep quiet as a sign of respect for Naomi, or as one user on X argued, it would be a good PR strategy to keep quiet? I would argue that this is Elsa's story. She can speak about it as she wants, especially if it helps her mental health, as she has said. This whole drama reminds me of all the noise when Prince Harry came out with his book - Spare. It would seem like heaven would fall but here we all are in 2024 dealing with even more outrageous - dumpster fire - issues with the world. The culture of silence has never done much good for anyone's mental health.
As spectators, we cannot know fully what she has been through. How many stories have we heard of how difficult it is for very young people to navigate the top-tier entertainment and fashion industries? Many don't survive. Even Naomi has talked about her challenges in the past, attempting to survive the industry as a Black woman.
I bet Elsa has developed a tough skin on social media to understand what speaking out as someone who is both powerful and influential like Naomi means for her because those are some serious personal details about their relationship. It is a risk no matter how you look at this and it is most likely her word against Naomi. It could result in a situation where she is blackballed and cut off including endorsements.
I doubt Naomi would even say anything because she may consider this inconsequential, which leaves the public with only Elsa's side and some mystery as to the complete truth about what happened between them. For now, we stick with Elsa's claim that speaking about it publicly was about her peace of mind and happiness.