By Christy Anyanwu
When the Big Brother Naija Season 8, known as Big Brother Naija: All Stars, reality show started on July 23, this year, it saw some of the favourite BBNaija housemates returning to the House.
And when the curtain was drawn to end the season after 70 days activities in the House, Ilebaye Precious Odinaya, a criminologist, known as Baye or Gen-Z Baddie in the Big Brother House, took home the grand prize of N120 million and a brand new Innoson Sports Utility Vehicle as the winner of the season’s show.
At a ceremony of the grand prize presentation organised at the premises of MultiChoice Studios, Lagos, Ilebaye’s mum, Mrs Calista Emmanuel Odiniya, accompanied by her husband, spoke with Sunday Sun on how she felt, shedding more light on the personality of her daughter and how she was able to win.
Did you attend the final and presentation ceremony last Sunday confident that your daughter, Ilebaye, would win?
Well, I’m positive. I felt that, even if she didn’t win, I should be there to cheer her up; but I was positive that she was going to win because she had a lot of fans that were there for her. People were there 24/7 for her. I believed that she was going to win. I was positive about her winning because I knew the world was standing for her. There were people who felt, whether they liked it or not, Ilebayi was going to win that money, and they were there for her 24/7. With that, I had that confidence and was very sure she was going to win.
When she told you she was going for Big Brother, how did you feel?
Well, this is her second time. She went last year, but she didn’t stay long. She stayed three weeks. At first, we said, no, this is not for small children like you. She was just 21, last year. I don’t think you can cope with the house, I told her. Because I’m a Big Brother fan. I started watching Big Brother since 2006. I can tell you everything about Big Brother. I told her, this show is not for a young person like you. The show is for adults that have courage and have the mind to take whatever would come across them in the house. She said, No, she must participate. She was adamant that she wanted to go and I later encouraged her. Later, she came back telling me that she might be intimidated in the house. It was then I sat her down, I told her, know where you are coming from. Nobody can intimidate you because that money is for general, that N120 million is not for all people, it is the lucky one that would win it. Whether you are intimidated, whether you are small, whether you have a low fan base, whether you don’t have any per cent in your Instagram, just go to the house and be yourself.
With all the bashing she got in the house from some of the housemates, how did you feel when watching the show?
At that time, if I had Big Brother’s number, I would have asked him to send my baby home. I couldn’t stand it. It was just the grace of God that kept her. At a point, I wanted to tag Big Brother to send my daughter home because I couldn’t stand what they were doing to her in the house, but I thank God that she overcame and won. She would use that winning now to console herself.
What kind of girl was Ilebaye while growing up?
She is a go-getter, she’s somebody that, if she’s determined to get something, she gets it. At age nine, she started hustling when she was in Binta International School, Lagos. She started acting at age eight. She’s a go-getter. If she wants to get something, she gets it. That’s the kind of person she is. She’s a sweet girl, but she doesn’t like intimidation. And, if you intimidate her, she doesn’t look at your face. But when you are close to her, she’s a sweet girl.
Is she your only child?
No. They are four and she’s the second.
What do you do?
I am a full-time housewife, though I manage my husband’s business at times.
With all these things that happened to your daughter, what lessons have you learn about life?
Patience and tolerance. In this life, whatever you see, just be taking it and wait for the best time God has assigned for you. Even in my own life, I have been patient for years. I have been up and down and what has helped me to succeed today is patience. Imagine what people were doing to her in the BBN house. She just calmed down. Assuming she started reacting to everything they were doing to her, maybe she wouldn’t have stayed till now. Even in life, if you are not making it and you want to run and overshadow yourself, if you don’t have that patience, believe me, you won’t get to your destination. But when you have at the back of your mind that, this thing, I will make it, and you have that patience, you have to bring your heart down and pray, by the grace of God, I will get it and I will make it.
Does that mean you instilled the attribute of patience in her?
If you hear her story in one of the interviews, where she talked about when she came out of the house last year, then, nothing was going well for her. The only encouragement I was giving her was patience. I was telling her that her destiny could never be taken, it could take time. In life, we have to be patient; just as they say: the patient dog eats he fattest bone. In life, if you are patient, you will get to your destination. Our people have this proverb that says, when you are patient, you will cook a stone. I always advise her that, in life, whatever you see, wherever you see yourself, in any condition you see yourself, just be patient. Patience is my motto. I have been like that all my life. In whatever situation or condition I find myself, I always give myself that courage to just calm down. So, I have always given her that encouragement to be patient. And, you see, that patience has taken her this far in the house. Last year, she was frustrated. They hacked her account two times when she came out from the Big Brother house and she was devastated. She was frustrated, but I kept encouraging her to be patient that God would do it for her. Honestly, she heeded my advice. See someone that didn’t have fans now has the best fan base that gave her the win.
What advice would you give her concerning the money she won?
It’s big money. She has always wanted to open a foundation/charity home. Her dream is to take people away from the streets. That has been her target in life. She said, once she’s made it, she would establish a charity home and build her foundation, which she calls her empire. That is what we are going to advise her to go for. And by the special grace of God, she is going to do that. She’s a soft-hearted girl. She wants everybody around her to be happy and that’s why she’s always saying “my foundation.” By the special grace of God, I hope to support her to start her foundation.
How did your husband feel about his daughter going for Big Brother?
From our tradition, Igala in Kogi State, we are not that exposed to such programmes or lifestyle and it was very difficult for him, but the world is evolving. You cannot force what your children should do and you cannot force destiny. At a point, her father was not in support of her, but afterwards he did.
Did her dad also watch her on Big Brother?
Like I said earlier, we believe such entertainment is not part of our culture, it is not in our lineage. But when all is said and done, she maintained her stand. Her dad embraced her since she didn’t want to budge. It was then that her dad gave full support. He was there for her throughout, making sure everything came out well, and she won. He really gave her full support afterwards.
Now that your daughter is a star, will you go to church for thanksgiving?
Yes. I am a Dunamite. I am going to do a big thanksgiving in the church. Before Ilebaye came into the house, our Papa, Pastor Paul Enenche, prayed for her.