Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Uriel Oputa, in an interview, talked about her relationship with her uncle, Charles Oputa aka Charly boy.
According to her, Charly boy did not pave the way for her as she had to struggle.
Read her interview with SUNDAY SCOOP below;
Background
I come from a family that is entertainment-oriented and I had always known that I would become an entertainer. I am the only girl out of five children. My mother and my brothers were into music; so, it seemed like the natural path for me to follow. I always wanted to become rich and famous, so I could look after my mum.
Education
I had my education, from elementary to university level, in the United Kingdom. I studied Nursing at the university. However, I am not comfortable about releasing the details of my childhood; I don’t want to mention the name of the schools I attended. I’m not trying to hide anything about my childhood and upbringing. Before you get into Big Brother, you have to show the organisers your birth certificate and proof of educational qualifications. I chose to study Nursing because I had always been fascinated by children. I actually wanted to become a midwife.
Career
I’ve been in the entertainment industry for over 10 years. I started recording songs in the UK and the first song I ever produced was titled Tell Me. It was produced by someone named Olly Jay. I continued doing my thing in the UK until I decided to move back to Nigeria about five years ago. I had been releasing songs and performing at shows in the UK before then. When I got to Nigeria, I first contested in the Glo X-Factor competition. I also auditioned for the Project Fame, but things just weren’t working. The industry can be very tough. I auditioned for Big Brother Africa three years ago. I made it to the finals but I didn’t make it through. I contested two years ago as well but I didn’t make it through the final round. I felt really terrible. I knew I had a purpose and I wanted to be famous, so, I continued pursuing my dream. I then applied for Big Brother Naija last year and I eventually made it through. After I left the ‘house,’ I didn’t want to go into music immediately. I decided to explore other areas such as the media, and securing endorsement deals. I will also be starting my own TV show very soon.
Songs
Shortly before my stint in Big Brother Naija, I released a song titled Desire. It was done in house music style because that was what I grew up listening to in the UK. It was with a blend of Igbo language, which is my heritage. In all my songs, I always try to combine my British and Nigerian identities. You can basically define my music as Afrohouse/Igbohouse. I haven’t paid attention to my music career for a while because I have chosen to try out other areas.
Charly Boy
Charly Boy is my uncle and he inspired me in a very huge way. I was encouraged by what he had achieved with his entertainment career. However, I wouldn’t say that anybody really paved the way for me in the entertainment industry. I struggled for everything and where I am now. I made sacrifices like everybody else, and it took me about 10 years to get to this spot. Meanwhile, this is nowhere close to where I want to be. I believe I still have a long way to go.
Big Brother Naija
Big Brother was a very great experience for me. I enjoyed every aspect of the show and I am so happy that I was able to make new friends. It is a great platform; so, it has done a lot to boost my profile.
Mother
I have a very great relationship with my mom. She’s my inspiration and my rock. She has dementia but we are dealing with it and we have a happy relationship. She has always been supportive of my career and she taught me almost everything I know right now.