Revealed! How KAREN IGHO has been spending her N30.6 million prize

REVEALED!

Things IBB told Karen Igho

By Samod Biobaku

Sixthsense34@yahoo.com

Before her emergence as one of the two winners of the popular Big Brother Amplified reality TV show, Karen Igho was known by most as the ‘Next Movie Star’ girl and to others for her daring modeling and dancing stunts.

On a physical level, her breasts stuck out like a shell would on a snail and over the years; even after becoming $200, 000 (N30, 600, 000 - thirty million six hundred thousand Naira) richer, it remained a tough part of her personality to shed.

However, like a cat with nine lives, Karen has continued to represent the country locally and internationally in her capacity as a winner of the Big Brother Amplified reality show.

In an exclusive telephone interview, Karen Igho revealed details of her encounter with former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida fondly dubbed IBB and some of the things he said to her.

She also spoke about her passion for the charity works as well as her plans to rebuild her grand mother’s mud house where she resides in a village in Warri.

Excerpts:

So, Karen Igho, what did you do with the N30.6 million that you won from Big Brother Amplified?

Well, it is high time that you stopped writing negative stories about me. I have you several times but you refused. Anyway, I have told you before that there is more to Karen Igho than just her breasts and that I had to do it when I had lumps. It was something I had to do to save my life. I had to reconstruct my breast to prevent me from developing lumps again in the future. I am a youth of this country and when we talk about youths of Nigeria, we are talking about the future of the country.

I have been doing a lot of charity work and under this charity work, I have done a lot on cancer, HIV/AIDS, the less privileged and other avenues where I try to reach out and give back to the society. You should have asked me what my projects are instead of just writing bad articles about me.

How would I ask you when I don’t get to see or reach you? You know the only way I could ask you is if I see you… Now that we’re talking, I’m asking you

For me, giving back to the society is key. I started off with orphanages and then I have also been doing some work in Jos. I’ve been doing a lot of work at Zawan orphanage home in Jos. I went there to see the kids and I’ve been doing a lot there ever since. There are a lot of orphans there who were abandoned by their parents and I just could not look away from their plight. A lot of them don’t have parents and I have been spending a lot of time there. You should not forget that when I look at those kids, I see myself in them especially when I look back at my upbringing and that is why I am never going to turn my back on them.

So far, it has been very tough being a celebrity. People would always want to take advantage of you. They keep trying to paint you black and write stuff that are not true and that’s why I’m calling you now to set the records straight.

Samad! The article you wrote about me is not true and I have shown you that there’s more to Karen than just boobs or negative stories. The reason I have called you is because the article you wrote about me is false.

Anybody can have lumps and I had it. My sister had it. She didn’t ask for it. She just had it. I just say that people like you and other Nigerian journalists have to be praised. When you write good stuff, you should be praised and not when you write negative stuffs that are not true. In as much as you are trying to paint me black, the fact remains that the audience have watched me for 91 days. Don’t forget that and that’s why I’m calling you to set the record straight.

I never threatened you. The only reason why I told you to drop the story was because the story was false. It wasn’t true. I initially called you peacefully to drop it. You did not include that in your story. When I came out of Big Brother Amplified, you told me you were going to drop it. I came back and the same thing was still there. There were even worse things about me this time. So, that’s why I’m calling you now Mr. Samad to make your record clean and let your ‘bloggers’ enjoy what they are reading and not try and paint me black.

In as much as I’m a youth of Nigeria, a lot of youths look up to me and a lot of people also look up to me and it would be nice to set a good example. The message I have for the youths out there is that they should not give up hope. One day, their dreams will come true the way mine came true.

I know our country is a bit difficult and I hope and pray that with time, it would improve.

Amen…

Also about what we’ve been up to; so far, I have been going around Nigeria for shows. I present… I host… I act… I do music videos… magazines. Basically, the whole nine yards or ten yards… I don’t know if I’m correct.

It’s the whole nine yards…

Okay! The whole nine yards… Basically, I’ve been doing that so I get to see my fans up close and personal, take pictures, meet then one on one and thank them. I’m still grateful to my fans in Nigeria and all over Africa. Without them, I would not be where I am today. They must know for a fact that they made me who I am today. They should be wel assured that the money that I got from Big Brother Amplified will be used in a positive way.

For instance, my grandma’s house is a mud house in the village. When you pick up stuff like that Mr. Samad, I need you to highlight the positive and the negative things about people and not just trying to make them look bad. So, I’m going to build a house for my grandma that I grew up with in the village. I am also going to work harder and make more money.

Who did you say you’re going to build a house for again?

My grandmother… You should write better things about me that people would read about instead of writing about my breasts. Na only me do implants…

Karen! Do you know the problem with you? You’re not accessible. When people have questions, they cannot reach you so they just tend to write based on available facts and information at hand.

Don’t you have my e-mail address? Don’t you have a number you can call me on? Are you not on my Facebook thing…? Can’t you inbox me?

I have sent you countless Facebook messages but you never reply so who is to blame?

It is not every time I am available for interviews. I have made my point clear, abi?

When you get messages, you must cultivate the habit or replying them by perhaps saying: “I am not available for an interview at the moment o but I’ll get back to you” or something like that.

That is why I am calling you now to tell you that I am granting you the interview you wanted and I want to personally thank you for writing the things you wrote about me. I am grateful. Who are we the celebrities without the journalists? So, thank you for all you have done and please Mr. Samad, now that I have granted you the interview because I recorded it myself here as well…

I’m going to run the interview on Saturday

So, please; once again, I would like to thanks my fans. Those who want to follow me can do so on Twitter at ‘Karen­­_Igho.’ That’s my Twitter handle. They can also follow me on Facebook. I want to thank my fans on Facebook and all those who made it possible for me. The number one thing you have to do in this world is please yourself before others. Don’t forget that we were all born alone and we are going to die alone. Life is too short to be unhappy. You also have to be good to people because you do not know where you would meet such people tomorrow. With God, all things are possible.

So Karen, you said you’re going to build a house for you r grandma. Where exactly is the village again?

It’s a village in Warri. I also need to sort my family too. I want to remind those who made it possible to win that the money I won is going to be used wisely because you only get this kind of opportunity once. I am creating awareness for the youth wherever I go. I have gotten awards here and there. I have met a lot of powerful people including ex presidents; thanking me for representing Nigeria.

Oh! Really? Even ex presidents?

Yes

Like who and who?

Like Ibrahim Babangida

Wow! That’s a big one

Yes! Those are the people who know what I brought to Nigeria. If people like that can appreciate me, so can you Mr. Samad.

Of course I appreciate you. It’s just that we often have misunderstandings

So, please comot all these things wey dey talk about breast. That was in the past. It looks all fancy and nice but it is the result of somebody having lumps. Once you get cancer, it is to late because your breast would be amputated.

So please run the story at the end of the week and let’s have a different picture and not just these boobs, boobs boobs. “E come be like say you dey carry me take sell market.”

Karen! I want you to describe your encounter with IBB

(Sustained silence)

Hello… Hello!

Yes! It was a very wonderful experience. It was a real wonderful experience. Meeting a man as powerful as IBB remains a privilege. Whether we like it or not, he has contributed to Nigeria. So, I’m really honoured to have met him. He said I was a very smart girl and that he thinks I should go into politics. Well, I don’t know about that. Well, that’s it o. I am very honoured to have been with such people. IBB was eager to meet me and congratulate me and I even got an award for what I did. I’m honoured and it should be a lesson to all the youths out there. Whatever dream you are chasing, with time, it would come in life. Your dream would come true just like mine did.

The meeting was in Niger, right?

Why do you need details?

I just want to know

Basically, leave IBB out.

Okay! Karen. A lot of your fans have been wondering when you’re going to get marrie?

Right now, I’m just doing what I have to do and just trying to do the best I can. Right now, a lot of eyes are on me and I need to make my fans see me more. Everything I have been doing is so that my fans can see me.

Basically, you see the problem why I didn’t want to grant the interview… You wrote that thing saying: “I’m a prostitute, so what?” Now, I am telling you that I have gone to see powerful people in our country who feel I have made them proud and there was even a standing ovation. Now that you went and wrote that; by the time they read that, what do you think would go through their mind? Right now, what people would have in mind would be a different thing. You need to bring that thing down. You know that, right?

I wish I could. It’s been so long…

You need to take that thing down because if you can’t… Why do you think I am granting this interview? I’m granting this interview so that you can bring those things that are not real down.

I’ll do an update. I’ll do something fresh for you.

All those things you write are not true and that’s why I’m granting you a full interview. All those ones that you wrote: “I’m a prostitute, so what?” I never granted you an interview about that one. Did i?

No you did not… and neither did I state in the article that it was an interview. The source of the story was clearly stated.

Of course and that’s why I’m telling you that you need to drop it. Things like that cannot be associated with the leaders of our country especially somebody who has made Nigeria proud. Don’t you know that I am an ambassador for different African countries now/

Of course you are

So, putting up these kinds of things that would tarnish my image should not be so. You are one of our own. You are a Nigerian journalist. Are you seeing where I’m coming from?

Yes I get you.

Don’t say you get me now and then tomorrow, I would call you and you would say I’m threatening you again.

Not at all… You didn’t threaten me today.

I don’t need to threaten you because you need to see where I am coming from.

I understand you

So, I have copied your number

But I don’t have your number and that is a problem

Let me give you my e-mail address…

Is it accessible because I have sent you countless messages on Facebook and you never reply/

I don’t really check those things because people like you, when I write something, you would go and say that I wrote something.

So, how can I reach you?

(Silence)

Karen! I’m listening…

Okay! Karenigho@yahoo.com. The interview would be up at the end of this week, right?

Yes! Definitely!

And also, please, drop all those articles because I recorded this interview, which means that I actually granted you an interview. You don’t need to go and write that you were not contacted.

No! This interview would run

Thanks Mr. Samad. Thanks for your time. Bye bye.