You think second chance is an illusion? Winner of the Big Brother Africa All Stars, Uti Nwachukwu, does not agree. After participating in the reality show in 2008, Uti got a second opportunity in 2010 where he emerged winner. From then he has not looked back. Uti now presents the popular programme JARA, acts, sings and does modelling. In this interview with SAMUEL OLATUNJI at the venue of his charity concert for less privileged kids, Uti bares it all.

Everyone does charity these days. What is the idea behind this move?
For me, I have had a very successful year. I have won four awards - Leadership Young Person of the Year Award, Naija Music Video Award, Naija Modern Achieving Award, and the FAB Award. I have about five movies this year (2011). For me, it’s been a financially wonderful year. So, I thought instead of wasting money, why not help those persons in the community we tend to forget. I thought of my mother’s love and wondered how she would have ended up if all her children were not successful, considering that she is a widow.

I decided to take care of these people the way I would have taken care of my mother. I was about to have an end-of-the-year party, go to the club with different people, spend money and everybody would have gone home drunk. But it would just have been another huge waste. I saw an opportunity to give back, not just to widows but also to orphans, the blind, the deaf, and the less privileged in general. I want to urge my celebrity friends to do the same. Also, people that are capable should try and donate something to impact the lives of those who need a helping hand.

Where did you get these disadvantaged people?
They are from different places. From different less privileged homes in Lagos and some widows’ homes such as God’s Wives Widows’ Home. Ify, the president of my fan club, was the one responsible for reaching the various homes. Our plan is to entertain them and make them feel loved and happy by entertaining them and also giving them what we have put together for them.

What did you donate, items or cash?
Mostly items. A lot of people don’t like to give cash because of embezzlement or fraud and I don’t even like collecting money because I don’t want a situation whereby they will go out and start saying stuffs like they collect money, now see this one e don go buy this, buy that. So I even encourage people to give more of material and food items that will cater for essential needs. And my fans have all contributed, so we have a good show.

Is this a sort of brand extension for you?
I’m not doing it for anything else. I’m doing it for God and these people. Because what I’ve achieved is not by my own power. A lot of Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora voted me as the winner of Big Brother Africa. So, it will be foolish and selfish of me not to at one point or the other give back. Hopefully this is going to be an annual event and if it turns out well it will be bi-annual, depending on the support we keep getting. I am a brand ambassador of Martini Rose and they have supported me in so many ways. They are also bringing drinks and even in cash. Alexander Kutor, who runs the brand, was also very supportive.

After Big Brother, you’ve been a presenter, red carpet host, actor and musician. Are you trying to see where you fit?
By the grace of God there is none of these things that I can’t do. All these talents are in me. I didn’t go to school to learn them but found myself doing them well. I don’t know about you but I have been receiving a lot of compliment. People really love and watch JARA. We have a cult-like following; people rush home every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday just to watch JARA. That means I’m doing something good. For movie, producers keep calling. In fact, I’m supposed to be on set right now but I had to cancel the two sets and I have already been booked for January. That means I am doing something good.

How many movies have you done now?
I have done about five movies. The old movies are Bursting Out and Do or Die. The new movies are In the cupboard, Weekend Getaway, and True Citizen Speechless. There is a new movie I have done with Jim Iyke, which is about a campaign against fake drugs.

What about modelling?
Modelling is my best career. I was a model before I went into BBA 3. I was a photo model. I was not doing runway then because it was so cheap. But with the platform I have now, I won’t be paid cheap. And don’t forget the first reality show I ever went for was for movie, and I had always being a model. It’s only TV presenting that came later on, and that also came naturally. The JARA show, I was auditioned with the best TV presenters out there. It wasn’t automatic, but I came out tops because of the natural flow that occurred between me and Helen Paul. I guess that’s what they liked; the way I connected with Helen Paul.

Which of these talents are you most comfortable with?
I’m comfortable doing all. That is why I’m still doing all. Like I said, I love singing. I can see a lot of drama happening in the music industry. It is so complicated. I know a lot of models that are not given jobs. They come to me and say, please, hook me up. Definitely I’m going to have an agency some day. By the time I retire I’m going to run an agency because models are not respected at all in this country. So, I need to change that focus. But I’m going to keep acting and also start producing. If God shows me that I can direct, then I will direct too.

How long have you been around?
I have been around but not too long.

Out of the many winners of reality shows you seem to have found a way to be relevant. How did you do it?
Well, I won’t say I did any thing but it is just God that did it the way it is. Don’t forget I had the opportunity to get back to the house. The first time I went I didn’t win but I did a lot. What I realized is that a lot of people loved me from the first time. Then I was still in school. But when I went back the second time, thank God I was declared the winner. I didn’t rest at all. I just started pursuing my talent. I went for numerous auditions. I let people know that I was available to act, to model. It is only God that can tell how I’m doing it all. What I can say is I’m just grateful to God. God has been so merciful to give me his grace and his favour.

What are your other aspirations?
All those things I plan for the future, they all went away because you know man proposes and God disposes. So I really don’t like to dish out what I want to do. But something I will let you know is that I’m not going anywhere. We are going to explode the entertainment industry. I’m not saying we are going to riot oh; revolution in terms of respect for entertainers and quality production. There is a lot to come out with entertainment-wise and even goodwill-wise. I wish God would put me in the position to help people.

Are you still with the girlfriend you had before you went to the house?
No! We actually broke up before I was even called back to the house. I was really going through a very terrible time before I was called back into the house. A lot of disrespect, betrayal has been going on all because I had fame. But I didn’t have money. A lot of people just thought it was the end of the road for me. So they abandoned me. Most of them started having faith when I was inside the house the second time. She was one of those that took things up with me. Seriously, we always had problems. I think I can’t handle drama. Her drama alone is enough. I think I need someone who is peaceful and supportive.

When I came out of the house, I heard that she was going around telling people how I’m a good person contrary to what she told people before of how wicked I was. You know all these normal rubbish talk. I just laughed to myself. Now I heard she has started talking rubbish. You know those things shouldn’t bother you when you can see where God is taking you.

So you did not give her any of that money?
Why would I give her money. When I didn’t have anything where was she?

If she did not do anything, at least you kissed her?
Well, let’s say maybe.

Even for the kiss, you should have given her something
No, she should go and find somebody so next time she will be patient, because she should know that at anytime anybody’s level can change. That is why you like someone for who he is and not because of what you can get from that person.

Has the Big Brother money finished?
That’s confidential information. But I will be so foolish to have squandered or finished the money by now because I am even making more money now. It will even be an insult to God not to use the money He gave me judiciously. Let’s just say I am at a stage where I don’t have to beg and I thank God for that.

What kind of investment decision do you make?
When it is time to unveil it you will all hear. Just chill. We have plans and God is on our side.

Are you still with Sheila, your friend in the house?
We were never together. We were just friends in the house. But we are still the closest among friends. We talk every time on phone and when we have an opportunity we see each other. We are still very good friends. Relationship complicates everything. So we decided to leave it as it is now.

Can you raise a finger to the sky and say you guys never had anything together?
Na you know that one oh! But why will I raise a finger to the sky. That one na swear. I don’t swear but I can tell you that we don’t have anything together. We had a lot of support for each other.

Are you sure the support did not extend behind closed doors?
Laughs…Go and ask Sheila, she will tell you the truth.

There was this lady I wanted to toast in Ghana. When I got there, I learnt you were the person in charge. Since you have more money than I do, I told her sister that I came to marry her but I don’t have money. So what’s going on between you and Lydia?
That is my baby girl. When I mean my baby, I mean it in a good way, not girlfriend way. Lydia is someone who gets me… she understands me; oh my God! We met when I was in Next Movie Star and we were like forbidden fruit then. We were like the ones they said these ones, they will never matter, they will never be anything.

We were like rebels. But we just don’t want to settle for anything less than who we were because we believe in ourselves and we believe in God. So that common belief brought us together and we were so close. From that our set, we are the two that have gone beyond the show to make our country proud, to be successful in our professions. So that alone always keeps us together. She has my back. Anytime I’m in need, Lydia is always there for me. Any time she is in need, I’m always there for her. I can never betray Lydia and I pray she will never betray me too. Libya is a special friend, very generous. She is very, very special, a special female friend. Capital letter Special.

Is Lydia the lady?
No oh! Before they go and kill her with threat, gossip, rumour and all that. They won’t let her be; they would disturb her.

People think you are gay because you associate with a lot of male friends
Once you are good looking and you are successful, people will call you different names. There is a rumour about me sleeping with a society woman, who people called my sugar mummy. Coming from my kind of family, I will not be moving publicly with the people they say I am sleeping with. I will never defend my sexuality. Let people say what they want to say about me, but as long as I am getting paid and moving forward, I just don’t care. I will not defend myself but I will like to say all my male friends are 100% straight guys.

What about you and Ita Giwa?
Nothing happened between me and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, She is my mummy in the industry. She had my back since BBA 3 and she invited me to join her band. All these rumours came out since I won BBA 5. God is my witness I don’t have anything to do with these women. I come from a respectable family and I am a Christian. All these are false stories. When people asked if it is true I sleep with older women, I tell them to ask their mothers if I have slept with them. Also, when they ask if I am gay, I tell them to ask their fathers and brothers if I have slept with them. These rumours keep me relevant. When people don’t talk about you, it means you are nobody. Abeg, make them go boil stone. I’m not interested in their rumours. I’m interested in what God has sent me to do.

Where will we see you in another five years?
Most likely I will be in Hollywood. By God’s grace, if everything goes according to what I want from God.
Money comes with the fame, and the fame comes with women. How do you handle that?
I give them the word of God to read when they start talking to me. I say sister, your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, please do not defile it. They will say, are you not a man? I tell them I’m not God, so I cannot defile your temple.

Have you ever had a woman come to you directly?
It happens to me every single week. In fact, yesterday. If I show you my Facebook mail, you will laugh.

What has been the weirdest approach from a woman?
The weirdest was in the club. I went to pee and this woman just came into the men’s room and closed the door and said, if you don’t give me your ****, I will kill you here, and I was just laughing. Thank God I was stronger than the woman. I asked her are you serious? She said Uti, there is no how you are going to leave me here like this. Omo, this woman locked the door o. She said you think you are sleeping. It took me a while. I just told her not in the toilet, that I am not a dirty boy and that she should allow me go and book a hotel. She said no. I told her to hold my hand but immediately I left the toilet, you need to see the way I snapped her around. If I wanted to play hanky panky, it will not be that kind of woman.

I’m looking at your face to be sure you didn’t do anything
I didn’t do anything oh. See there is something we called destiny killer. I have been a victim of it before. When I was younger I followed women to the point they will like me. Some people from my younger days, if you tell them directly that this is me now, they will never believe. They will tell you it’s a lie. If you meet my friends from the past, I’m talking about my friend from early 2000 or late 90s, they will tell you, I used to be a coordinator of women in those days.

But the effect was there. Nothing I do was going right. I had a lot of disappointments. Spiritually, you know, I had to clean myself and that was when it was revealed to me that all this sleeping around with people was really affecting you adversely and if you need something to go on well for you, you need to rethink.

Is it only one woman you sleep with now?
I’m not saying anything. All I’m just saying is that I’m disciplined; a disciplined young man with the fear of the Lord in my heart. Please leave me alone.

Your sins are forgiven
Thank you.

All this God-God here and there.
Please, answer the question before chanting God this and God that! ShiiiiiYOOOR!
So, what is the regret with women? 
Abi say one work not mean say the other wan no go work.
Keep trying until you get it right. . . simple!

What has been the weirdest approach from a woman?
The weirdest was in the club. I went to pee and this woman just came into the men’s room and closed the door and said, if you don’t give me your ****, I will kill you here, and I was just laughing. Thank God I was stronger than the woman. I asked her are you serious? She said Uti, there is no how you are going to leave me here like this. Omo, this woman locked the door o. She said you think you are sleeping. It took me a while. I just told her not in the toilet, that I am not a dirty boy and that she should allow me go and book a hotel. She said no. I told her to hold my hand but immediately I left the toilet, you need to see the way I snapped her around. If I wanted to play hanky panky, it will not be that kind of woman.

Upper level skanky-hoe I swear.
Who wanno blow a john in a toilet for crying out loud. . . ?
Only in a club I guess!
This must be a ritualist looking for a peh-nis to take do some 'okpor'!

Meeen I never believe woman can do that o! Woman will luck me up and threaten to kill me if I no give her 4uck? To be celebrity good o! No wander Nigerians are are battling just to become one.

I didn’t do anything oh. See there is something we called destiny killer. I have been a victim of it before. When I was younger I followed women to the point they will like me. Some people from my younger days, if you tell them directly that this is me now, they will never believe. They will tell you it’s a lie. If you meet my friends from the past, I’m talking about my friend from early 2000 or late 90s, they will tell you, I used to be a coordinator of women in those days.

Local dude!
Prolly has a disease.
Mu che che che che che

Coordinator of women ko. . . . killer of destiny ni!

SAMUEL OLATUNJI

No wonder!

Olatunji ko. . . OLANIYI NI!

@ Lasinoh
I think that's were he made the point of being regretful of womanizing.

He sure learned the hard way.
Wetin dey sweet dey kill.
Don't you just love these 'phock and repentant' Christians.
I love and will phock ya in the name of OUR GOD. . .my loving broda and sister in Christ from anoda mother!

Mu che che che che che che

D guy still a player cuz every dog is prone to eat shit but na d one wey dey see am for him mouth

I always thought he was gay. I don't know he just gives off that vibe

D guy cool sha na him time to shine

thando: I always thought he was gay. I don't know he just gives off that vibe

Every cute guy shouldn't be gay.