Talking NAOMI CHIMA, Anita Asuoha aka Real Warri Pikin explains her journey to fame and why she chose to renew her vows with her husband despite being legally married for 10 years.
possible Can you share your grass for grace story with us?
I’ve always been a star. I danced in 2000 and 2001. in 2008, Glo RocknRoll I danced there, won and became a Glo ambassador. In 2009, I also went to the Maltina family dance hall and qualified for the family competition. We came out second runner-up. But some events in 2018 and 2019 redefined everything. I changed my name and started doing stand-up comedy and became an online influencer. I also started acting and made my debut in the movie “King of Boys”. I’ve always been in entertainment but it was defined in 2018 and 2019, all thanks to social media.
What made you choose the name Real Warri Pikin?
I used to make videos and send them to a group chat with some of my friends and colleagues when I was working at the National Youth Service. I critiqued the videos and they usually did. One day, I told them I wanted to get a name and one of them, Nene, said “Real Warri Pikin” and I told them that’s the name and from then on, it stuck. Also, because I like to identify with where I’m from, it made a lot of sense to me.
You run an NGO called Real Warri Pikin Foundation, can you share what made you decide?
What made me own this NGO was that in 2018 my children were sent home from school because we couldn’t pay school fees. It was so and many things happened at that time. I told myself that if I succeeded, I would have an NGO where I would pay the children’s school fees. I founded the NGO in 2019 and since then, I have had what I call the “Back to School” project, through which I pay school fees, and distribute writing materials and uniforms. I do this every year.
What made you depressed and suicidal, and how did you survive?
I tried to commit suicide in 2018 because I was depressed, but God saved my life. It was debt that pushed me to that point. I invested in something I didn’t know about and I was also a guarantor for other people and when the thing collapsed I was in debt to the tune of N22m. MMM, Freedom, a bunch of Ponzi schemes, and even a crypto thing that got an upgrade and never came back. At some point I was making money, involved people and told them they would live more than money. But he fell and they came for me. The debt was too much, I borrowed money from some microfinance banks but it was so much that I thought I would not get out of it, I decided to take my life but God saved me. Throughout 2019, I was busy paying off those debts when I started making an impact on social media.
Why the decision to renew the wedding vows after 10 years of legal marriage with the husband? What prompted the decision?
Yes, I am getting married again and it is my dream wedding. When we got married 10 years ago, it was a low budget wedding and not what we dreamed our wedding would be. We told ourselves that if God blesses us in 10 years, we will have the wedding of our dreams. God has blessed us, we are doing well, so come June, I will marry my husband again.
What is your description of a peaceful home when it comes to marriage?
When we have two people who forgive, when they see themselves as partners and help each other, and when the man can make submission ready for the woman, and when the ego man is ready, I respect the man.
Which comedians would you like to work with outside the country?
Kevin Hart is an American comedian. I would love to work with him because we do the same kind of comedy and talk about reality.
