Phyna Breaks Down in Tears, Reveals How She Went Broke After Sharing ₦100m BBNaija Prize

‘The Money Finished’

Big Brother Naija winner Josephina Otabor, better known as Phyna, has opened up about her financial struggles, revealing through tears that she is now broke after giving away most of her ₦100 million prize money to family and friends.

In an emotional TikTok live session over the weekend, the reality TV star said she returned from the BBNaija house to a crowd of well-wishers but no one who actually sat her down to talk about managing the windfall.

“When I came out of the Big Brother house, everybody celebrated with me, but nobody sat me down to teach me how to grow the money. I kept giving, helping family, solving problems, and trying to make everyone happy. I thought the money would never finish — until it did,” she said.

Family Fallout

Phyna said her relatives only valued her for what she could get them. She claimed she drilled several boreholes for family members and supported them any time they came asking, but things turned sour the moment she started saying no.

According to her, the tension escalated to the point where her father approached Vanguard newspaper, requesting an interview to speak negatively about her. She also recalled a dispute over roofing sheets — her father wanted a specific expensive brand and she pushed back over the cost.

“Despite everything I did for my family, they never saw anything good in me,” she said.

Working as a Waiter

The emotional breakdown came hours after a video circulated online showing Phyna working as a waiter at a restaurant. The footage triggered a wave of mockery, with many social media users claiming she had gone broke.

Phyna pushed back hard. “What is wrong with it if I am actually working as a waitress? Why the insult? Why the whole ‘her money don finish, she is now broke’? Why is it that working as a waiter is a bad thing in Nigeria, but working as a waiter or cleaner abroad is okay?” she asked during an Instagram live session.

She also noted that brand influencer deals have dried up for many reality stars. “What would you have me do when brands no longer want people to influence for them, and maybe I cannot secure a 9-5 job? And even if I can secure a 9-5, the pay is not it. You have to wait monthly to collect a maximum of N300k. What will that do for me?”

It is a story Nigerian entertainment knows too well — sudden fame and money, no one to teach you what to do with it, and the slow quiet after the cameras leave.

Sources: Pulse Nigeria, The Newspad