Nigerian reality TV star and Big Brother Naija season 7 “Level Up” winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has opened up about the emotional struggles tied to her birth name, Blessing.
In an emotional interview clip that has since gone viral across social media platforms, Phyna shared: “The name given to me by my parents is Blessing. But I hated the name, because it felt like I was always begging for love. People always said negative things about me.”
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The reality star explained that growing up, the name never matched her lived reality. Instead of feeling cherished or fortunate, she often found herself pleading for affection from family members, friends, and even in romantic relationships. This constant sense of having to “beg” made the name feel like a cruel irony, deepening her resentment toward it over the years.
Phyna described how peers and even close associates would mock or belittle her, reinforcing feelings of unworthiness that clashed painfully with what the name was supposed to represent. The disconnect became so profound that she eventually distanced herself from it entirely, choosing the bold, distinctive stage name “Phyna” that now defines her public persona.
