Winner of this year’s Big Brother Naija reality show, Miracle Igbokwe was all charming during his visit to THE NATION newspaper’s office on May 1. The Imo State born pilot and model who got N24 million alongside an SUV and other benefits from the competition, spoke about his relationship with fellow housemate, Nina and life after the show.
WHEN are we expecting our hit track?
You’re not the first person telling me about this. I’m not an artiste yet. But even if I would do that, it would be for the fun.
Teddy A wanted to write the song for you but you ran
Don’t worry. Don Jazzy is going to help me produce it. (Laughs)
Now, you said you want to focus on agriculture; you want someone like a Dangote to mentor you. Can you tell us more about it?
Most people see me being a billionaire unrealistic. I talked about investing in agriculture because I for one, I don’t go into things that I don’t love. Right from when I was little, apart from the flying thing, I also had passion for agriculture. I reared my own chicken. Dem bin dey laugh me dat time. I bought 10 at N150 each. They were laughing at me. After everything, I spent N1,500 to set up everything. And after three months, they all grew up and I dashed momsie like two and sold the remaining just for the fun. So, agriculture has been something I love. Obviously, if I’m going to invest, I want to invest in agriculture on a large scale. And why I always say Dangote, when it comes to agriculture, Dangote is like one of the people that has one well in agriculture. Those are the people I would like to meet to mentor me because they have the experience in it, to point me in the right direction on what to do and what not to do.
Now, do you plan on giving something back and if yes, how?
Obviously, I have so many plans. Apart from this my big dream of being a billionaire through agriculture and all that, I remember when I had the passion for flying. You know, it costs a lot. It was not realistic for me to fly. So, I finished my PPL training but my CPL training, I had issues because I didn’t have enough funds. So, what I plan on doing, I plan on owning a flying school because since I came out, I heard a lot of kids want to be pilots. But then again, going to an aviation school is not like to going to a university. It cost a lot. People that go to aviation school are always sponsored. I would love to own a flying school.
And not just a flying school because you can’t just train flight students and just leave them like that. I need to own like an airline too so that once they are done with their training, they have a job automatically. And that’s like the big plan. But what I plan to do right now is, you know, back then in school, we always had this mentality, we kids, that when they ask you, what do you want to become in future, it won’t pass these four things – engineer, doctor, lawyer. So, other job opportunities, they don’t even know about it. There is no orientation for that. I plan on going to certain schools, organise like a career day where I would invite a lot of professionals like myself to give these children more information. You’re not just limited to these four or five careers. So, that’s what I know I can do right now.
What happened to those wonderful dreads?
It’s simple. I’m a pilot. I got into the house and I saw the house was an avenue to explore. It was Alex that made the dreads for me. She came one morning and applied something on my hair and I thought it was just hair cream and before I knew it, my hair started to lock. I liked it initially and then, when we went for haircut, the barber said he liked it. So I decided to rock it. So it was just me trying new things. Now, I’m out, I just have to be realistic. I’m a pilot. All I had to do was to unlock it.
While in the house, you kept using the phrase, ‘we die here’. For a pilot who flies planes, do you that is appropriate?
It originated from a Pepsi challenge. Initially, the first day, I and Anto were going cool about it, until a pair came to chance us and took our mat. The next day, our eyes turned red and we decided to get it at all cost. That was where the phrase ‘we die here’ came about.
You’ve just been named ambassador for education by the Imo State Government. How do you intend to use that for the youths?
I saw the write up and I know my governor, Rochas Okorocha believes in education, because education gives knowledge and they say knowledge is power. So just like I said, I would love to have a school of aviation in Nigeria. Why can’t we have a school of aviation? So I would love for us to build an aviation school in Imo State, and not just a school of aviation, but also have an airline. There are so many things regarding to education that I would like to use the ambassadorship for.
What would be your advice for those who would like to go for big brother next year?
We all have this mentality that to get into the house, you have to know somebody. I had the mentality as well, but then again, it was my sister that told me about the show and the last season made me a big fan of the show. And that was why I went for it. I was like ok fine, let me just go, and be myself. If they pick me, fine, if they don’t, fine. So I went there, I was myself. Whatever question I was asked, I didn’t even try to remix it.
The way it was, that was how I said it. I was just true to myself. And to my surprise, I was selected. And that also gingered me in the sense that they picked me for being myself, if I get into the house I should just see where that takes me to. There is actually no strategy to getting into the house. Every season, they always have a team. Next season, there will be another different team, so you don’t know what they are looking for. Just go there.
Where do things stand between you and Nina presently?
It’s simple, I always said it. The kind of relationship I and Nina had in the house doesn’t change for me outside of the house from my end. It still remains the same. A lot of people are expecting a lot, but then again, since we came back, we’ve not had time for ourselves. It was on that basis that I’ve said I’ve not even seen my mom. It’s not like she cannot come and see me, but I want to go to the house. I’ve not even seen her because of the media tours and all that. Right now, I’ve been very busy. Yes’ I’ve been graced with this opportunity which has a validity period. In a couple of months, it’s all gone, so the question is what do we do with this platform now? So let’s try and put more money in the bank, that’s the priority right now.
Is Nina you kind of girl?
I’m not the kind of guy that has specifications. What i look out for is that connection. Once we connect naturally, that’s it for me. Every other thing can be sorted out. I can’t explain the connection. It just happens naturally. That’s the first thing from my end. Every other thing can be worked out. If you no too fine, we go brush you. If you no get yansh, we go work out (Laughs).
Do you still eat the way you did in the house?
The kind of food i would like to eat is not available. I wan chop things like bole. These are things I’ve missed.
I learnt that you promised Nina a car if you win. So, when is she expecting the car?
(Asks Nina) I promise you car?
(Nina responds) I can’t remember.
We were having a conversation. Okay, I can remember now, when I was telling her about Toyota Yaris. It’s a very small car because she didn’t know how to drive. She was like I should teach her to drive. I said, fine, if you want to learn how to drive, it would be nice you have this Toyota Yaris because it is very small and portable, very strong car, economical. If we get out of the house, I’m going to get her a car, Toyota Yaris.
Not that you’re going to get it for her?
I must get it for her
Okay, so you would get it for her?
Yeah.
Why were you so confident, even from the beginning and you believed so much that you were going to win?
I don’t understand (laughs). Didn’t you guys see me on Sundays when we were up for eviction. I was tensed because I had no idea what was happening because anything can happen. You don’t know who is weak or who is strong. I was always tensed.
There’s a promo during the show and only two of you – yourself and Anto – said you were going to win.
(That was) before the show. Dat one na wash (laughs).
You were so happy about the SUV.
Who wouldn’t be happy? (Laughs) When I saw the car, I was so excited. This would be my first car and my first car is a brand new car. And the colour again, blue, that’s my colour – either blue or red. I love the car.
Do you have any information on the past winner of BBN, Efe?
No, I don’t.