I enjoy maximum attention from men – Yeka Onka, Nigerian Idol winner

Yeka Onka - posted by Samod Biobaku

Yeka Onka - posted by Samod Biobaku

I enjoy maximum attention from men – Yeka Onka, Nigerian Idol winner
By Obaro Itewo
itewoobaro@yahoo.com

Yeka Onka was not just one of the most talented singers discovered in the Nigerian Idol reality TV show, she actually won the show and since then, nothing has remained the same for the singer fondly adjudged by fans as Nigeria’s Whitney Houston.

Shortly after she breezed into the country from South Africa, she spoke with National LIFE about her single, ‘I will Follow You’ due for release. She also spoke about her love life and plans for her debut album and why she is not intimidated by the presence of other established female artistes.

Excerpts:

How has it been being out of the Nigerian Idol competition?
It’s being amazing. It’s being very beautiful. The experience I am having now and the one I have had before are things I have never had before. The whole thing is just so amazing and I feel so much excited - Being to so many places and meeting a whole lot of different faces. It’s really great. I feel so delighted. Everything is simply amazing.

Can you tell us more about your single due for release?
Yeah! I have a single right now. It’s an R&B song, which will be released any moment from now before talking about the full album. So for now, I am working hard to make everything perfect with full support of my management team.

We have had a lot of singing completions like the Nigerian Idol throwing up promising acts who have failed to fly as expected after being crowned. What gives you the confidence that you will go places and still be relevant?
I have the best management team. I have the best people working with me. We have a lot of plans to ensure that I remain relevant and I know the kind of person I am. I am not the kind of person that easily gives up even when it’s tough. I am just me. Nobody can be like me and nobody can beat me as being me. So as for the other reality shows you talked about, I can’t say. I only know about the one I participated in. I hope to make an impact and I hope that Nigeria will be enjoying my flavour; my kind of music. So I look forward to the best. I am expecting the best.

The industry is blossoming with the emergence of female acts like Omawuni, Muna, Eva and a lot of them with their distinctive talents and trademark. How did you hope to keep your head up?
I just want to correct this impression that people have about artistes. First of all, I don’t think I am in competition with anybody. Like I said before, you can’t beat me at being me so there is no other me. I am the first and the only Yeka Onka. I am not in competition with anybody and I am not intimidated by anybody. I am just focusing on being myself and focusing my attention on what I have on ground. I am not intimidated by anybody but I look up to them. I am looking up to people like 2 Face, Banky W and other people that have been there before me and I am learning the best I can from them. I am not in competition with them and I will never be in a competition with them.

How would you describe your relationship with the opposite sex and the kind of attention you have been getting from them? Your admirers must have increased.
Ohhhh! (Laughs) we are human beings (Laughs again). What will I say na? We are human beings. They are my fans and I love all of them. I just love them for what they are. I just love them.

Have you ever at any point in time been embarrassed by male fans?
Some people can see certain things as embarrassing but that is what it means to be in the limelight because every now and then, I got to meet people that scream on seeing me, ‘Ahhh! Yeka what up…?’ this is Nigeria na. What will you do? I can’t run away from myself. This is who I am. So, I enjoy every moment of it to the fullest. I enjoy it all.

When I asked you at the beginning of this interview about your male fans, you sounded like you were single and searching?
I not going to say I have never had a boyfriend or I have a boyfriend or I am searching. I will prefer to keep away that part of my life. But the truth is that I am single. That is what matters.

(cuts-in) but you must have had some relationship in the past?
Why should we talk about that?

It’s interesting talking about the past since it not relevant to anyone anymore. There is nothing to hide?
That is one side of my life that I don’t want to share with you.

Let me assume you are in a relationship and you not proud of the guy so you don’t want to discuss relationship. If you are in a secure relationship and you are proud of the one you are in love with, you should be able to confess it?
You know what? When I am in a relationship, you will be the first to know.

Until then we should assume you are not in a relationship?
I am single. That is all I can say.

Okay single and searching?
I am not searching but I am single (laugh).