The Award-winning star in a recent interview with
PUNCH bared out his mind on his fame, why he will never date a celebrity again, his wealth and more! Check on it.
- A lot of people think that fame has altered your personality. Is this true?
People have the right to believe whatever they want to. There is
nobody in this world that would attain this level of success and fame,
and remain the same. My life has changed and I am not going to tell you
otherwise. I am not Iyanya of eight years ago; I am more exposed and
have more fans.
You can’t compare the pressure that was on me in 2008 to the
pressure on me now. For me to even have this level of sanity, I believe
it is God’s grace and people should pray and support me instead of
saying I have changed. You see me wearing nice suits but if I give a fan
my life to live for a week, not everybody will agree to continue after a
few days.
There is a lot of money but it comes with a lot of pressure.
Imagine waking up to people being rude to you on social media. You wake
up to curses because you tweeted that God just blessed you with a car,
for instance.
- But you show off on social media…
Sincerely, I don’t show off. Anybody that thinks I show off is
suffering from inferiority complex. The only people that think I show
off are those people that think they could be me or people who wish they
could be close to me but can’t be. Maybe they like me too much and
don’t want to agree they like me that much. These same people spend
hours admiring the posts I put up.
- What is the reason for putting up some of those pictures on Instagram and Twitter?
That is what social media is for. It is only in Nigeria that
people have a problem with you posting pictures. While you are
complaining that I am posting too many pictures, a true fan is admiring
same and considers me as a mentor. Believe me, a lot of people think
they know me, but they don’t.
I am just me and I still have the same friends; those that have
stayed with me and those that unfortunately have gone. Mind you, I did
not chase any of them away.
- Some of your fans think you are less humble than you were eight years ago.
Tell them to come and say it to my face and I will ask them if
they have ever had a one-one-one like this with me or they just heard or
read it somewhere.
- Are you saying you are grossly misunderstood?
There is something about a guy that never used to wear nice suits
and all of a sudden, he wears the best suits. The person has moved to
another level and what you are supposed to do is support the person and
not attempt to bring him down.
- From your experience, are fame and wealth intoxicating?
Yes, they are intoxicating. Everything we have today has a way of
affecting our behaviour or psyche. It now depends on the grace and
maturity to manage yourself. If you wake up one day and realise that
when you drive on the streets, people acknowledge you, you will think
you are a god if you allow it get to your head. I don’t have a problem
with people thinking I have changed because I am one guy who does not
get carried away by all I have achieved. I believe there is more to
achieve.
- How do you handle the pressure that comes with being in the limelight?
It’s not easy. I just try to manage these things but there are
times I feel like cursing people. They should understand I am human too;
I was in a show one day when a caller said I used my family for rituals
to enable me get to where I am. The blogs did not see that but if I
replied the guy and said ‘God punish you,’ the blogs will say Iyanya
cursed his fan. Because you see me on television does not mean I don’t
have feelings or I don’t have my own problems. I am not different from
the guy next door; I still wash my briefs.
I don’t understand all this talk about money. I just started
making money. When I make money, you won’t need to ask me if I have made
money. Can you ask Jay Z or Swiss Beatz if they have made money? When
you see me, you will know I have made money. Right now, you are seeing a
potential money-maker.
- A lot of women see you as a sex symbol. Is this deliberate on your part?
It is not deliberate; it is just me trying to keep fit and I have
seen that it helps boost my fan base. I am consistent with my exercises
and I try to work out often. It’s not necessarily for the ladies.
- As a successful artiste, do you still have role models?
I look up to a lot of people and listen to them for inspiration.
Tuface has always been an inspiration. When I discuss the things people
say about me with him, he gives me hope.
- What kind of woman do you want to settle down with?
A good woman is a good woman. You can’t just sit and say this is
the kind of woman I want. Some people think the best place to get a girl
is in the church; meanwhile, you can get the wrong girl in the right
place. Sometimes, I am worried about getting the right woman to marry
because of my status. I have had one or two women come into my life and
act like they are something. The safest thing to do is marry someone you
have known before you became a star.
- After Yvonne Nelson, would you date a celebrity in the future?
Yvonne Nelson is an amazing person, but I would never ever in my
life date or have anything to do with a female star. I am not cut out
for that kind of drama.
I don’t know about that. Why don’t you date me and find out.
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