Mercy Eke, a prominent media figure in Nigeria and the first woman to win the Big Brother Naija competition, is having her own interview with renowned interviewer and journalist Chude for his program “With Chude.”
Mercy Eke talked extensively when she was on stage. She discussed a number of topics, including the frequent accusations that she engages in money laundering and seduces men in order to amass cash. Mercy Eke responded to such allegations in an open manner. She said the following.
During her interview with Chude, Mercy Eke was asked “Do you think female housemates, and especially you as a female winner, get more heat than male housemates?” She responded:
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Of course. Obviously. I feel like we get more jobs because we are female. There are little or none men can do in this place. Me I can influence for clothes, hair, makeup, body enhancement. So many things. We can do so many things the men can do and the ones the men cannot do. So when we come out, it’s like okay the brands want to work with us. Me I like to enjoy my life so when they see you are living happily, they like to tag it to oh, she is being sponsored. Someone is bankrolling her. That’s why we get bashed. They want us to when you come out, start wearing rags. I think that’s what Nigerians want and blogs want. They don’t want to see you look good. Once you are looking good, hmm, there is one man behind it. It is very very offensive. And I think that it is taking away all the efforts, all the sleepless nights, all the hardwork we women put in to get where we are. They will just take everything away from you and just tag it somebody is behind you. And I’m not saying it’s a bad thing for somebody to be behind you. If you have a rich boyfriend, some people’s love language might be taking care of you, buying you nice things, giving you money. You will still have to work hard. Is it easy? Why is somebody not sponsoring you people and your sisters? Everytime they tag it men, men, men.
Oh my own, they say I do money laundering. They refer me to one movie, Ozark. These people they’ve dealt with me in this industry. I came to this industry without no help, no advice, nothing. Just myself and my team, I started building my brand. There is nothing they’ve not attached to my name that sometimes I’m like do I have this kind of money? Jesus. Because before you will say somebody is doing money laundering or something, that means [I’m very rich] and sometimes maybe I never chop that day sef. I go say Jesus, I rich for public eye oh! [laughs]
What do you think about what Mercy Eke said, and what do you think about the rumors of her being into money laundering?