Phyna drops family surname, reveals uncertainties about her origins

The 2022 Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) season winner, Phyna, has been open about her strained relationship with her family.

However, she shared her struggles on Friday as she publicly dropped her family surname, revealing deep-seated uncertainties about her origins. She cited a lack of connection with her relatives.

On Thursday, Phyna spoke about her emotional struggles on her social media handles and expressed feeling disconnected from her roots and seeking clarity about her origin.

She wrote, “I am publicly dropping my family surname, Otabor. It has been proven that I have no family, and nobody knows how I came about. I’m still searching for answers, though. It’s been rough with me lately.

”I’m in a place where I can’t even describe how I feel or what to call what I’m going through right now. Growing up and the way I was tossed around relatives, I should have suspected, but I guess I was too young. Omo, my head wan tear!”

Family feud

This announcement follows a widely publicised feud with her family in 2023, which began after her father, Felix Otabor, claimed he had not seen his daughter (Phyna) since she won the BBNaija show in 2022.

In his interview with Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Otabor said Phyna had not returned home since her win and had refused to keep her promises.

He lamented that Phyna disappeared into thin air when the prize money was handed over to her, and she never returned to care for her family.

Mr Otabor said he worked as a taxi driver before she became famous. He quit at the request of his daughter, who promised to take care of him. So, it surprised him when she eloped and hasn’t seen him since she won the N100m star prize.

He added that efforts to reach her via calls and texts have been futile, pointing out that he only sees his daughter on Facebook or Instagram when she posts.

However, Mr Otabor later revealed that she had gifted him a jeep but expressed disappointment, stating that he wanted more.

READ ALSO: Unpaid Prizes: BBNaija Phyna refuses new offer from Multichoice

Response

In response, the 27-year-old took to Snapchat, alleging she was deprived of “parental love” during her childhood, noting that her parents frequently denied she was their biological daughter. She also addressed her father’s claims, stating that she had gifted him an SUV and fulfilled her promises but was hurt by his public complaints.

She wrote, “Growing up, I always heard you were not my daughter. You are not my daughter. Yet I would beg for parental love. I have always begged people to love m.; today, I have finally accepted it. No wonder I say I am an orphan.”

In October 2022, Phyna emerged as the winner of the 7th season of Big Brother Naija (Level Up).

Her victory earned her ₦100 million, making her the second female winner in the show’s history, following Mercy Eke’s win three years earlier.