Keep Deceiving Yourselves With Brand Deals” — Phyna Fires Back At Tochi

Winner of the Big Brother Naija ‘Level Up’ edition, Phyna, has criticised advice urging struggling former housemates to hold on to their celebrity status while waiting for lucrative brand deals.

Phyna made the remarks while reacting on X to comments by fellow former housemate Tochi, who had addressed the financial struggles reportedly faced by some BBNaija alumni.

According to Ireporter Online, Phyna questioned the widespread perception that participating in BBNaija automatically makes contestants celebrities who should rely primarily on brand endorsements for income.

She also challenged the practice of measuring the success of former housemates by the number and financial value of brand deals they secure, arguing that publicly announced figures may not always reflect the actual amount received by the personalities involved.

Phyna alleged that some endorsement deals could be presented to the public at significantly higher figures than the amount actually paid to the celebrity. According to her, management fees and other deductions could further reduce the money ultimately received by the individual.

She suggested that a deal worth about ₦5 million could allegedly be promoted publicly as a ₦50 million endorsement, leaving the celebrity with limited financial gains despite the publicity surrounding the deal.

Phyna further argued that the pressure to maintain a celebrity image could discourage some former housemates from pursuing other legitimate sources of income.

She maintained that appearing on BBNaija should not be viewed as a reason for anyone to stop working hard or depending entirely on brand endorsements.

Phyna’s comments came amid an ongoing conversation among former BBNaija contestants and fans about celebrity status, financial sustainability and the realities of life after reality television.

While reacting to the debate, she also criticised what she described as an excessive class-conscious culture among some people, insisting that former housemates should focus on building sustainable careers rather than relying solely on the perception of celebrity success.