By Daniel Edu

During the interview, Phyna revealed that she started working at the age of three in the restaurant owned by one of her aunties, with whom she was living at the time. Her father had sent her to live with his elder sister in Auchi, and she began helping out at the restaurant from a very young age.

Phyna explained that her education was put on hold when her father had a serious accident and needed someone to take care of him. As a result, she had to pause her studies after completing Junior Secondary School (JSS3).

Reflecting on her upbringing, Phyna said, “Growing up for me wasn’t really easy. I actually grew up with my aunt, my dad’s elder sister in Auchi, and my aunt sells food; it’s a restaurant. Now, imagine a young girl at a restaurant at a very tender age. At 3, I was already in a restaurant serving men.”

She continued, “There is a point my dad had an accident, they needed somebody to be with him at the hospital. I think I just finished my JSS3 then, and I had to go with dad from one hospital to another. That caused me SS1 and SS2.”

Phyna further shared that upon her return to school, she was initially asked to repeat SS1, but she insisted on joining her peers in SS3. She successfully passed a series of exams and continued her education. However, her parents believed that pursuing further education would be challenging, so she was encouraged to learn a trade.

She said, “So, that was when I realized, ‘Dem don born me, it’s time to hustle.’ I attended a federal school, and my school fee was N14,500 at the time. That was when the hustle started. I started making meat pie, buns, became my class representative, and did hair. I saved as low as N50. We would go to shows, dance, get paid, and share the money.”

After completing her education, Phyna went on to serve in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and took up various part-time jobs. During this time, she discovered her talent for hyping. Inspired by a hypeman at a club, she realized she could do what he was doing and decided to pursue it as a career.

Phyna’s determination and work ethic continued even after her time in the Big Brother House. Despite winning money, she remained focused on her hustle, which sometimes surprised her friends. She shared, “Even after Big Brother House, some of my friends would say, ‘Phyna, the way you are hustling, you are not hustling as if you won money at all.’ I said, ‘Money dey finish.'”

Phyna’s story is a testament to her resilience and determination to create opportunities for herself, overcoming challenges and embracing various roles throughout her journey.