Congratulations, Oni

Well, Oni, I see what you did.

I really enjoy any chance I get to brag on the people I’ve worked with and befriended over my years in KSI. I haven’t been around terribly long, just 3 years, but for the most part I remember the people who really affected my time in this community. a couple

I remember when Oni and Sinister joined KSI. It doesn’t seem too long ago.

I was just put up as the Founder or Co-Div of Ground Zero. I was really trying to make a huge change in the way GZ operated. Along with Centurion and Lady Rukia, we were making things go.

We made a huge push to get better members in our division. October and November 2012 was a huge time for us.

We got KSI Twice 7 and we got Oni and Sinister.

Oni joined in and, well, she was… different. At first, things went slow. We knew we had a couple in Oni and Sinister, and I saw that they could be of the same mold as Queen Jess and Chaos.

Oni was eager, intelligent and motivated. A lot like Jess. Sinister was like Chaos. Slow to move at first, not sure what role in KSI he wanted to take.

But Oni, damn it, she was determined to drag Sinister through the ranks with her.

Now, don’t get it wrong, Sinister caught on and became just as much, if not more, motivated and interested as Oni.

But Oni had that step up because of her early-found interest.

Regardless of what rank she was, she was asking questions, taking the lead and doing everything a leader could ever hope for.

I told her when she was a Captain that she was going to be a Director one day.

I’m not so sure if she didn’t believe me, or didn’t want that at the time, but she was very dismissive.

That’s because she was more worried about her squad, her people.

Her motivation even resulted in the creation of GZ’s first UK squad. Her and Sinister worked day and night (mostly night. deeeeep into the night) to get that squad off the ground.

She provided every bit of leadership any member in KSI would ever need.

So, here I am, not in Clan-Ops any more and late to the party. I didn’t find out Oni was promoted until the next day.

But I remember the hours in parties we’d spend talking KSI policy, life, world events and the everything in between.

Talking to Oni and Sinister really strengthened my resolve and my belief that amid any turmoil and uncertainty, KSI would always be OK.

As long as leaders like Oni continue to pop up every once in a while, KSI will continue to be great.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to brag on one of the best leaders I’ve ever had the privilege to work with.

Leading isn’t only leading from the top. Leading is also affecting those who you work with and under.

And as long as Oni was in GZ, and as long as I spent there with her, she taught me and helped me just as much as any other leader I’ve ever worked with in KSI.

Congratulations, Oni. You deserved this a long time ago and I hope you continue making me proud to call you a fellow GeeZeeian, and more importantly, a friend.

– ImPyyy