What prompted your decision to be a part of Big Brother Naija Double Wahala show?
For me, I have always watched the Big Brother reality television show while growing up and it had always been somewhere I had dreamt to be. I had always seen myself as an interesting personality but I always felt that you needed to have the right connection or know people before you could get into the Big Brother house but this time around, it was an open audition. You did not even need to buy a form. All you needed to do was to get to the venue of the audition with your Nigerian passport. I got to the venue of the audition late on a Saturday and it rained on that day, so I had to return. The next day, I got to the venue as early as 5am and that was how the journey started. It’s a show I had always wanted to be a part of especially at this particular point in my life when I want to switch from the corporate life to entertainment. It just seemed like the perfect platform for me.
But you were working in a bank and later resigned because of the show. Didn’t you nurse any fears while making that decision?
For me, the corporate life has not been so lucrative and I have been on the same salary pay for about four years. I had not really had that job fulfilment because banking is a routine job. Based on my personality, it was not the kind of thing I enjoyed because I do not like a routine life. At the time, I had been frustrated with the corporate world, so it seemed like the opportunity came at the right time. I am still young and I felt that if things do not go as planned, I am just 23 years old, I have a good CV and I could still get another job that would pay me relatively well. I knew that to achieve greatness in life, you have to take risks and I needed to take that risk.
When you said that you were 23 in the house, Nigerians did not believe you…
It is not surprising that they did not believe me. I feel that the reason they did not believe me is because of my accomplishments, not many people of my age have done what I have achieved in life. I graduated from school at18, I worked for about four years and within that time, I have also done my Chartered Financial Analyst level one qualification; it is a reputable finance qualification. I still have two more levels to go. To a lot of people, it is really hard to believe especially if they compare it with their life or other people’s standard. I have not always been the smartest kid but I have always been smart in my own way. I graduated from school with a Second Class Upper degree even though I was the youngest in my class. I come from a family where you are taught to be hard working. At that young age, I had some distractions but I knew that I could not attend the university without finishing without a very good result.
Did you ever believe that you would make it to the top five of the reality television show?
When I entered the house, I actually planned for the worst case scenario and that was to leave in a week or two. I compared myself with other contestants and felt I would leave within two weeks but I felt that it was a platform that within two week if you are able to sell yourself and potential you would still be okay. So I knew that even if I had a week to participate, I would try my best to sell myself so that when I come out, there would be something I can do in the outside world.
When you were asked to leave the house, were you disappointed in yourself for not winning the prize money?
At that point, I had already won. In fact, when I was part of the last five people in the house, I had already seen myself as a winner. So when I was asked to leave the house, my next question was, ‘who is going to take the money home?’ I felt that I could not go into that house, make N45m and not double the money by the end of the year. Right now, my goal is that by the end of the year, N25m should be the least amount I have in my account based on the platform. Not winning did not weigh me down; beside the person that won equally deserved to win.
Are you and Alex in a relationship?
The truth is that we like each other but the Big Brother has presented us with a very big opportunity we could actually dilly dally with our relationship and work but this is not the best time for anybody to be in a relationship. Personally, I advised her that this is not the time to be in a relationship, it is a time to focus on your goals and everything you want to achieve in life. When you get to that comfort zone that you have achieved everything, you desire you can entertain a relationship. That was my advice to her. I told her that I like her and I am sure she likes me as well but we should maintain a cordial relationship at the moment and keep our friendship going as we achieve things both collectively and individually. When we get to a stage in our friendship where we feel that we have done well and we have grown together, then maybe we could be together. When we get there or if we ever get there, the world would know.
Are you saying that you are not ready to be in a relationship?
Honestly, right now, a relationship is that last thing on my mind because that would demand my attention and time which I can put into other use. I have a timeline with this opportunity that has been presented to me. I am trying to build a brand that would never die regardless of what is happening because I know that with time, the need to see Tobi would fizzle out. So I need to milk it while it is here and make my face a constant feature. I have a lot of work to do. So a relationship is not on my plate.
When you saw your parents for the first time after the show what was the first thing they told you?
They told me that they are proud of me and my father called me his role model and that meant a lot to me. Not every man gets such words from his father. It was a great moment for me. PUNCH NEWS
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