Why I will dedicate myself to fighting prostate cancer – Uti
What did you do differently this time from the first time you featured on the show? When I left the house the first time I participated in the Big Brother Africa, that was Season Three in 2008, a lot of people were saying I had all it took to win the prize, that I was […]
What did you do differently this time from the first time you featured on the show?
When I left the house the first time I participated in the Big Brother Africa, that was Season Three in 2008, a lot of people were saying I had all it took to win the prize, that I was exceptional, I was loved and that if only I did one or two things differently, I wouldn’t have been evicted. So, this time, I said I would do my best, even if I didn’t get the prize, I should be at the final. And here I am, God blessed us again for the second time. I am overjoyed to be here right now. I keep telling myself that one of the biggest mistakes I made in 2008 was sort of trying too hard not to have a strategy which indirectly became a strategy, if you understand what I mean. I wanted to have this aura of I don’t care. I don’t want to do anything and that affected me because I lost the plot, ended up overreacting, when I shouldn’t have. But this year, I decided I would just go in there and have fun. I took it as a three month paid vacation, I took it as a deal that wasn’t so big. I told myself, be myself 100 percent. This season, I stripped bare of all emotions I didn’t tell myself I was playing this game and people were watching. I just behaved the way I would have behaved in normal life. The only thing I did out of the ordinary was I had to make sure I clarify myself with Big Brother. Most of the times, I will tell Big Brother in the diary room that I am playing mental games; that I want to know what this person or the other thinks deep down. I will push people to say what is in their heart. It worked.
What would you do with your $200,000?
I would love to tell you what I would do with the money but I don’t know what I would do with the money yet. It hasn’t dawned on me yet that I won $200,000. It’s still like sounds and figures. There is still a feeling of joy so high, my head is still in the clouds and sometimes, I just pinch myself and say hey, wake up, stop dreaming. May be the day I check my account status and see the money in there, I would say ok, my people come together, lets decide what we can do with the money. I would talk to my family, pray and I’m sure I will get wise advice and I will take the best decisions on how to channel the money. But I can assure you, the money wouldn’t be a waste. It will be used judiciously.
What was going on between you and Sheila?
Sheila and I were very good friends in the house. She was my pillar of strength. She stood by me through it all and she is a beautiful woman inside and outside. She is a real and strong independent African woman. She is among the few women I met that I have connected with and still maintained the friendship over the years. We are close and there was the pressure from people about our relationship going forward. I like her; of course, she says she likes me too. Most relationships are bound to die immediately you cross those Big Brother doors. In our case, we will still have to talk about it. Let’s see how we feel outside of the show, and then, whatever happens, it happens. All I have to say is watch this space. Surprises, you know!
What Image of Nigeria did you portray in the house?
I always tell them in the house that I am 100 percent Nigerian. But they shouldn’t think Nigerians you see out there would be like me thus, no one should judge all my country people based on my behaviour, it is totally wrong, because no two people are the same. But as a Nigerian, there are certain attitudes I must display and that is strength. I had to show them that Nigerians are very strong people, inside and outside. Nigerians would never be intimidated or settle for anything that will make them uncomfortable or unhappy. I showed them we are actually the happiest people in the world. I showed them that we are very resilient and extremely proud of where we come from. I showed them that Nigerians are kind and forgiving.
How do you feel about Munya and his $300,000 gift from President Mugabe?
I don’t feel anything different. I was in the show with him. But it’s a great thing if he did get the $300,000 and not just some media hype to console bitterness. If it’s true, then I say bravo and congratulate him. I also hope that the people of Zimbabwe will use the same positive attitude to approach poverty, hunger and every other problem they are having. If the government has $300,000 to give to someone who didn’t win a game, then the country has no business having poor people without food and diseases. So, I just pray they use the same positive attitude to tackle poverty and inflation. He is my boy for life and I expect 50 percent of that money (laughs).
Did you consider Munya a threat?
Everyone was a threat because everyone could win the game. On the show, you may be a favourite this week because of one thing or the other and the next week, you’ve lost connection with the audience. Munya surviving six evictions wasn’t a threat, I survived five too. But I had favourites in the house – we call ourselves the midnight crew – Sheila, Lerato, Mwisho, Kaone. I wanted all of us to be in the finals. It was only Munya who wasn’t part of the midnight crew that made it to the finals. Kaone didn’t make it too. I didn’t connect to Munya. He approached me one day and asked why I didn’t like him. I avoided that question three times but the fourth time, I told him he was acting and until he becomes real, we can’t be friends. When he changed, I told him you are good people. He asked why it took me almost forever to say it and I told him because he is good people now. But Mwisho and Kaone, we are good friends, we shared a lot in common and we joked a lot. But we still fight sometimes especially with Mwisho.
Did you think you deserved to win and were you real?
I will have to be honest with you. In my heart, I thought anyone could have won. Every single person in the house deserved to win. That is why we are the all stars. Everyone was a threat. For anyone of us, we have had at least four representatives from our countries on the show. But out of the four from our respective countries, they decided to call just one of us. That means they saw that we were the best of the best – the biggest, the baddest and the boldest. We were the most controversial, the most conversational and they said, let’s bring them back to decide the best from the best. But the decision was left to Africa to decide and they said, I was the best among the best. God bless Africa. When God offers you a blessing, do you reject it?
As to whether I was real or fake. How could I possibly be faking on a show like that? No, I wasn’t. I have seen where fake people play this game and I have seen where they ended. I was stripped bare of my emotions. I was so emotionally vulnerable. I have not been that emotionally vulnerable particularly after the death of my dad. Normally as a man, you want to say real men don’t cry and all but I went in, no shame no forming, no nothing. I was me.
How did you receive news of your father’s death and did you think his death affected your winning?
When I heard the news, I was shattered. Though, when I got to the house, my dad was already ill. I come from a very positive thinking family. We were praying and there was news about his recovery because he was in India receiving treatment. The last thing I told him before he left for India was that I was called back to Big Brother. In 2008, he always told me, my boy people love you, you would have gone to the final, you would have even won but don’t worry, you are still a big man. For me, I was satisfied about my performance then but when I came out, I realised that this game is beyond you; it’s about your family, your fans, your friends and ultimately, about your country. You can’t go there and be selfish and that was the mistake I made the first time – I was in it just for me. When I heard the news, I was ready to leave the house to come back to my family. I was given 24 hours to decide to stay or leave. The first option was that, I should leave the show never to return and that they would understand. The second was that I should wait for the funeral date, come to Nigeria, bury my dad and return. At first, I just wanted to return home, but before my 24 hours lapsed, a voice kept telling me to grow up. You are an adult now it says, and there is no need to get overtly emotional. Something kept telling me, if you leave now and never return, what would you do about your dad’s death? If it’s for my mum, I have siblings and my elder brothers to take care of her, so why should I drop the game now? By the way, I have an option to attend the funeral. I pondered about this and the housemates really helped. They supported me, told me their experiences about loss, and gave me strength. The next day, I told Big Brother I was staying and I would go bury my father when the funeral is fixed. I requested for at least two day notice when the funeral is fixed to enable me prepare. But the date never came and I asked Big Brother what happened, and she said she received message from Nigeria that the funeral has been postponed to November because of flood. In my town Abo, in Delta State, we don’t have the best of roads. When it rains, the roads are horrible and you can’t drive through it.
It was like, if I had quit, I would have just come home to mourn but wouldn’t have had the burial. But thank God, I didn’t leave and I am going to bury my father. It is one of the best decisions I ever made. I may be criticized for that, but hey, I am still here to give my father the last respect. As to whether sympathy helped me win, I am not in a position to say. But when the news came, I went into the Diary Room and told Big Brother not to pity me, that she should act like nothing happened and treat me like everyone else. If I misbehaved, I should be punished and I told the housemates too. I also behaved like nothing happened.
What about tithe? Will you pay?
I used to tell my housemates about faith, which is my gift from God. I told them how I got back to Big Brother house a second time. It’s a testimony. I attend City Of David, Redeemed Christian Church of God. Our pastor had told us one weekend at a thanksgiving service that the thanks giving was about the God of second chance. We were told to pray for a second chance after giving our offerings. Even while I was praying, I never had Big Brother in mind and I kept wondering about the first chance I lost. I just prayed that God should do His will. Even on the tithe issue, I will shock you. I used to pay my tithe but because I was busy, I hadn’t been to church for about two months at a time, but it was piling up. So, I paid my tithe at the God of second chance service. That was before the Big Brother call came in. I just said, God; You said if I paid my tithe, you would bless me beyond measures. I got into Big Brother for the second chance. My tithe that day was N30,000 and guess what; my winning is N30 million. Of course, I am going to pay my tithe which is about N3.2 million.
Why were you branding Jonathan?
I am a proud Nigerian and I am not ashamed of it. I am proud to be a Delta man that is why I wear a T-Shirt saying I am from the Niger Delta, so what? People tend to push a negative image of your country in your face, so I tell them I am from the Niger Delta, so what? President Goodluck Jonathan is from the Niger Delta. When I wore the T-Shirt, he hadn’t indicated interest to contest. So, I was just pushing a positive image of Nigeria. Goodluck Jonathan is my hero. He is somebody I look up to. He is my role model and from the Niger Delta. Even the National Anthem that I sang was spontaneous, to give honour to Nigeria.
What about your music career?
As for my music and album, before I went to the house, I recorded about half of the songs. I was taking my time but now that I am back, I will work on it again. Initially, the deadline was December this year but the expectations are indeed higher now. So we will need to do a more thorough job.
What do you think of the hate campaign by Zimbabweans
I have no hate in my heart. I don’t know why they feel the way they do. But the message we preached in the house a lot was Africa unite. Regardless of what happened, regardless that I won and Munya lost, we shouldn’t stoop low to start exchanging words and hating each other. This is a good thing. If we harboured that kind of hate, we wouldn’t have suggested whoever wins, should give the rest $5000 each. I would just say let there be love, peace and let us support each other. Let us tell the world Africa can unite.
Your father was diagnosed of prostate cancer before he died. Do you have plans to create awareness about the disease?
When he was ill a lot of people supported us. When he died, a lot of people were also saying they had people who died of the same cancer. I was amazed it was that rampant. I always heard of cervical cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer but I didn’t really hear much of prostate cancer because it affected older people. With my money or not, I will push for more awareness of prostate cancer. A lot of lives have been cut short by it. It is so avoidable if you do regular check up. I am going to dedicate part of my life to an awareness campaign on prostate cancer. I can’t do it alone. I don’t know how. But I would probably reach out to the United Nations, some NGOs and other people who can help me achieve it.
What did you learn on the show?
I learnt a lot on the show. I learnt about other African countries. I grew up on the show and I discovered who I was on the show.