Uti Nwachukwu is one of Nigeria’s most popular entertainers. He hugged stardom in 2007, with his successful appearance in ‘The Next Movie Star’ Reality TV show where he finished as first runner up and ‘Big Brother Africa’ (BBA) 3 in 2008. However, his return to the house for BBA All Stars 5 in 2010 and winning the competition was the turning point of his career. The Delta State-born entertainer tells ADETUTU AUDU he misses his late dad for every of his accomplishment.
HOW will you describe your experience on the wave-making Jara? It is wonderful, because there is nothing better when you are with someone that two of you just click. Before I finish my sentence, Helen has already known my next line; she can complete my sentence before I finish saying it, I can also do the same thing for her – every time on set is just like when you are in secondary school and during the break you want to go and play with your friends in the field. Helen is like a friend I would never have, if you understand, because we met at the audition hotel. When we recorded Jara, we record it in our own way, it is just like going to relieve yourself of your stress and at the end of the day you are being paid for it. The response was incredible. People were calling me on the BBA Uti, Uti JARA. It’s amazing how quickly people accepted the show and we are very grateful.
It has been four years that your father died, do you still miss him?
I miss my dad everyday because every experience that happens, I am kind of relating it with my father. Because when I was young, I didn’t really understand my father; when anything happened, I think my father used to stress small things and then I didn’t really know why he was so passionate about certain things, the reason why he couldn’t tolerate some certain things. But now I understand the reasons for his actions because everything that happens now that I can’t just put on with, I will just like say wow! This was what dad used to see and all that. So, every time I see his pictures, any time I am alone in my car, for every accomplishment, of course I miss him, but before he died, all he wanted from me was to be a graduate and I graduated with 3.9gpa from the Benson Idahosa University, Benin. I was the best graduating student that year; I can never forget the smile on his face at that moment and he started hailing me in our local language, but I wanted him to see the picture of this. Thank God, before he died, he already got the picture of what I could become in the entertainment industry because he watched the next movie star, he watched some of the series I did and at a point he was proud of me. Of course, I miss him every day, in everything that happens to me I miss him.
You are one of the most successful TV reality stars, why did you decide to enter for these shows?
Originally, money was never part of the reason why I joined. I just felt like going there to showcase my talent, even though I went to school and I studied science, I just needed to tell my people, ‘look here, I want to go into entertainment,’ because I grew up watching a lot of TV shows, movies, awards ceremonies and a lot and then I was only thinking about being like them because it is one of the platforms that you can use in showcasing your talents to Africans. It is by being on the most-watched reality show, for me it was just like marketing my talent just a way for people to see me and my talent. It is just me breaking into the entertainment industry; in that way, people will be able to feel what I could do.
You are a model, TV presenter, actor and a singer, which one is more fulfilling?
Financially, it is TV presenting than anything because that is the best-paid profession that I have. Monthly you will earn next to nothing, except you are an ambassador to the product, so my best gift so far was an ambassadorial gift but the original money doesn’t really pay that well in Nigeria and that has to be addressed very soon. For now, it is still a challenge because we are not as well paid as Nollywood actors. For now, financially, TV presenting and anything of event are well paying but when it comes to my person, when I did my singles, I was very happy to hear myself sing. I will be recording about two more songs this year. I think I love doing all. I am an all-round entertainer. I am not going to change it to anything, I can’t pick one; you can’t be successful in this world by continuing doing one thing. This is the field that God has called me into and I will continue doing it. Music was my first love, so, it is important to me and therefore I will not run on it. I take my time for me to get the best. I’m eclectic.
Your single, ‘Once in my life’, is a very emotional song, what inspired it?
When my dad was deceased, my best friend of nine years neglected me and my other very good friends betrayed me because of a job and people started saying all sort of things. In the past, I used to have dependent friends; they were my friends because of what they gained at the end of the day, and that was what motivated that song; I really poured out my emotions into it.
After winning the BBA, you become every lady’s sweet heart; how many calls did you get per day?
I have been getting a lot of attention right from when I was a kid. Even in school, I was a very cute kid and I had women all around me, so it’s nothing special. The attention doesn’t make me out of character. I got a lot of calls, sometimes they would just call to say they loved what I do and I do appreciate when they call me and they tell me how they love me on TV because they are my ogas and because of them I get paid. I appreciate every gesture and calls from them, but some people might want to get more than that; I am not in for such, I cannot go back to it again, it is part of what God has delivered me from. I just wanted to keep myself clean and with God on my side, God has been restraining me but both my female and male fans. I appreciate all of them.
How much of your millions have you invested in charity?
I am not going to disclose that. Are you the one that will reward me? That is not even what I am after. The only reason why I allow cameras into my charity event is because I want to inspire people because if don’t give money to charity, they would rather spend the money on partying, travelling, and all that; it is fine to do that, but it is better to remember first these people that really need you. It is between me and God and not because I want some people to give me some accolades.
How does it feel to be Uti, especially now when it seems like a lot of great things are coming your way?
I’m short of words; I’m actually in awe of my own self. It feels like I’m living a life that’s written in a book or some TV series. I thank God everyday for my blessings because I didn’t do anything to deserve any of these things I have gotten. It’s just the favour of God. Many are called but few are chosen. I don’t know why God has chosen me, which is why I always say, God should always use me to touch the lives of people so that I don’t waste this opportunity he has given me or these blessings. He has done it for me and he’s been awesome, he’s been great, he’s been kind. I’m just extremely thankful and grateful to the higher power that has made me who I am today, which is the God of Israel.
Let’s say Big Brother Africa did not happen, what would you be doing?
I don’t know, honestly. I guess I would still be where I am today but I would have had to work a lot harder to prove myself. BBA was a divine intervention and I am forever grateful for that. I am a spiritual person and I always trust in the Lord to make it happen for me.
People have argued that reality shows are a lazy way of becoming a celebrity. What is your take?
Lazy? Let them go and be locked up for 90 days with a camera tracing your every move. There is so much to prove. If they focus a camera on you for just two days, people will probably hate you forever. It is hard work, your whole life on television for 90 days? Non-stop.
