Big Brother Naija Season 11 winner, Temi Nkem, has revealed how she plans to spend and invest her ₦90 million cash prize after winning the “Show Ya Sef” edition of the reality television show.
Temi won the finale with 25.87% of the votes, defeating Aikou, who finished as first runner-up with 23.68%, while Sheba placed third with 9.80%. Her victory made her the fifth female winner in Big Brother Naija history.
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Her ₦160 million prize package includes ₦90 million in cash, a brand-new SUV and other sponsored prizes. The cash prize was reduced from the original ₦100 million after ₦10 million was allocated to the season’s Most Influential Player of the Week (MIPOW) fund.
Temi said she plans to invest a substantial portion of the money, support her parents, complete her university education and set aside some money for herself.
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Investment
Speaking in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES at the official prize presentation ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday, the Accounting and Finance student said she had already started thinking about how to divide the money before leaving the Big Brother house.
“I will be investing a very big sum of my money because obviously, if everybody already knows, I already said that I studied a degree in Accounting and Finance, and I took an extra degree called Treasury.
“So, yeah, that’s finance. So I know how to work with my money. And honestly, I want to get my money to grow. I’m going to finish my uni. I’m going to go back to my studies,” she said.
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The London-born Nigerian added that she would support her parents with part of the money while also allowing herself some personal enjoyment after her 70-day stint in the reality show.
“I’m also going to give my parents, and then obviously I’m also going to spend on myself. I need a little treat for myself. I need a holiday. I do, a few,” she said.
‘I thought I wouldn’t win’
Reflecting on her victory, Temi said she did not expect to win the competition, particularly because of perceptions surrounding housemates who were born or raised abroad.
She said comments from people who told her that contestants from abroad rarely win the show made her lower her expectations.
“It shows you that you have a chance. Coming into the show, if you guys heard it a lot of times, people were telling me that people who come from abroad don’t really win the show. You might not have a chance.”
According to her, the perception only strengthened her resolve to enjoy the experience and remain true to herself.
“So that dawned on me. So as I was hearing that, I was thinking, you know what? Might as well have my fun.
“Still, the show was called ‘Show Ya Sef’, so I might as well still show myself. So that’s what I did. And guess what? I still won,” she said.
Temi, who was born and raised in London before coming to Nigeria, said her victory should encourage young Nigerians who may feel that their background could prevent them from succeeding.
“If that is not determination to you guys, courage for you guys to do this, just do whatever you want to do. Do whatever you put your heart on. Keep doing what you need to do. Pray, everything. You’ll be sorted. You’ll be good,” she said.
‘70% was me, 30% the game’
Temi also addressed how much her behaviour in the house was part of a deliberate strategy.
According to her, much of what viewers saw was her personality, not a carefully constructed game plan.
“I would say maybe 30 per cent was a game, 70 per cent was actually me genuinely being curious,” she said.
She explained that she often asked questions in the house because she genuinely wanted to understand situations, rather than because she was deliberately creating a character for the cameras.
However, she admitted that she also understood the importance of not appearing too threatening to her fellow housemates.
“In the house, I didn’t want anyone to think I was a threat,” she said.
Temi said she sometimes doubted whether viewers would keep supporting her, especially because she believed she spent a lot of time sleeping and relaxing in the house.
“I really thought I was boring, I’m not going to lie. But guys, I was giving you guys quality content. But yeah, it doesn’t stop here. It only starts.
“I thought I was Sleeping Beauty,” she joked. “I thought I was sleeping a lot, waking up, going to the arena, sleeping again. I thought you guys hated that. But it seems like you guys were still finding something.”
Biggest moment
Asked which moment from her time in the house she would like to relive, Temi immediately pointed to her victory in the betPawa Friday Night Arena Game.
The 21-year-old said she entered the competition simply intending to participate and give her best, without expecting to win.
“I feel like that was my own bonus, and I felt amazing after that. I went, I screamed, I told everybody that I got them,” she said.
Temi said the experience helped change her perception of what she was capable of achieving in the house.
House relationships
Temi also reflected on the friendships and romantic situations that became part of her BBNaija story.
She identified Bluethopia, Bells, Shibi, Godessa and Araga among the housemates with whom she developed genuine connections, although she acknowledged that some friendships developed later in the competition.
She also addressed her much-discussed relationships with Barry, Kivo and Tram.
According to Temi, she initially found Barry attractive but stopped pursuing the connection after she felt he was not taking enough initiative in their conversations.
READ ALSO: BBNaija Season 11: Temi Nkem receives N90 million, Hyundai SUV, other prizes
She said she was also attracted to Kivo when he entered the house but eventually became frustrated by what she described as his attempts to tell her what she should or should not do.
On Tram, whose relationship with Temi drew significant attention during the season, she said she was physically attracted to him but did not develop romantic feelings for him.
“I’ve been telling the people that I’m here for fun,” she said.
Beyond BBNaija
Temi said her immediate plans include returning to her studies and building a future around finance, while also exploring opportunities created by her new public profile.
She revealed that although her university studies are in the UK, she can complete the programme online.
“I do want to stay here for a minimum of two years. See what Africa has for me. See what Nigeria has for me. Build on that. And the sky’s the limit. I got good content, good vlogs,” she said.
Temi was crowned winner of Big Brother Naija Season 11 on Sunday, 4 October, after 70 days in the house. Her victory earned her the ₦160 million grand prize package, comprising ₦90 million in cash, a brand-new SUV and other sponsored prizes.
The ₦90 million cash component and the SUV were formally presented to her at the prize-giving ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday.
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