By YEMISI SULEIMAN

Onyeka Gilbert a.k.a. Yeka Onka shot to fame when she emerged winner of the first edition of Nigerian Idol, Nigeria’s biggest music talent show ever. Since winning Nigerian Idol, Yeka has been busy between preparations for recording, touring and promoting her debut single. We caught up with Yeka to talk about her new life, her experience in The House, her journey to stardom, her new single, relationship and more.

How does it feel emerging winner of the maiden edition of Nigerian idols?

It is amazing, I really can’t explain the way I feel right now; the whole thing is just fantastic.

How did the journey to begin?

It started last year when a friend of mine told me about Nigerian Idol and I registered online. But before then, I was a back-up singer in a band. While I was doing back up for that band, I knew that was not what I wanted to be or where God wanted me to be. I have always wanted to do my own thing. I have always wanted to be in the limelight and so when I heard about the Nigerian Idol (contest), I registered online and then went for the first audition in Enugu.

I was not chosen, so I went to Calabar for another audition. I got another ‘no’ and finally, I came back to Lagos for the final audition. I made it past the first level and eventually, I got into The House. The whole experience was very wonderful. It is something I will always talk about and I would love to tell my children to learn from.

Let’s share your experience while you were in The House. What was the relationship like with other house mates?

At first, I was not friends with anyone in The House. I was just there for a competition because, a lot of people came with a lot of attitude; they thought it was better to be on their own and not get close to anyone they won’t know what they came with or can do. But after a while, we started bonding with each other and we became like a family. I had to learn to live and cope with other people because they were people from different places, different cultures and they had different beliefs. I had to adjust and I learnt a lot of things from them.

What were the challenges you had while in The House?

One of the challenges we had was with our songs; the procedure for performance. Every week, they gave us a list of songs, about 20 songs, 20 titles. Then, they just tell us to pick within five minutes and when we are done, we have to send the songs to our music director within five minutes. Sometimes, we might just have to pick a song by the title because the title looks very interesting, at the end of the day, when you play the song, it won’t be something you can do. So, it was a very big challenge but we were able to overcome all the challenges in The House.

You were up for eviction several times. What can you say kept you going?

First of all, I believed so much in myself and so much in my dream. I believed that I have something on the inside. I believed I had what it takes to make global impact. So, even at the point when I was getting a ‘no’ from everyone, I still believed that no matter how hard you fall, or how many times you fall, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is what you do after you fall. Those were my times of falling so I had to get up; every day I fell, every time they gave me a ‘no’, I had to spread my shoulders out and say to myself I can do this. For me, I just could not take ‘no’ for an answer.

When exactly did you discover that you could sing?

Music has always been a part of my life. It is not something I discovered at some point in my life. It is not something I stumbled upon or something I love doing. It is not like a hobby to me. It is like my life. Music is my life. When I was a little girl, I looked up to my parents because they were wonderful singers. They had some albums together and they used to have a family band. Most times, my dad if he is composing a song he calls me and says “Okay listen. This is how you arrange your song; this is how you arrange your lyrics.” So, they were a very big influence on me.

Did you think you were going to win?

I didn’t think I was going to win. When I went for the contest, I just told myself that I was going into the show to learn and meet with people and be a better singer and to have a platform for my career. Eventually, when I saw myself in the top ten, I was like okay I am moving forward. Then, I was among the top five, top three, and even when everyone felt I would be the next person to be evicted, I was still in The House; I was still in the competition. I said to myself; “Okay, I think God is taking me somewhere. Let me just wait and see what happens.”

Finally, on the last day, I told Naomi that both of us were already winners. For us to be the top two among over ten thousand people that came for the event; we were already winners and we were already big in Nigeria and in the world. Then I told her: “If you win, you deserve it.” I said that because she is a very wonderful singer and every other person in the top ten is very good. I just told her because, if it were Tony or Zoe that was there, I would have said the same thing.

Since it was both of us that were left, I thought that God was taking us somewhere. I told her that if I win, I am going to do something for her and her family because I love her so much. She is like family to me. I promised her that if I win, I was going to do something for her. I was (still) talking when we went up stage and the compere said: “Okay ladies and gentlemen, who do you think is going to win tonight”? Everybody was like Queen Naomi and I said okay, 1.5 million naira is not a bad idea; it is not bad at all. Then, the announcer came up stage and announced my name as the winner.

There was this moment of silence in the hall because every body was waiting to hear the real thing. To me, I felt it was a joke and that they were going to say: “Yeka, you are the second runner up” but after the Yeka he said nothing.

A lot of people expected Naomi to win. How do you feel about that?

The voting was very transparent; there was no rigging. So, I will just say this is pre-destination and luck. This is what God wanted even before creation, so this is the way God wants it and I don’t have to apologize.

What exactly do you like about Naomi?

We share a lot of things together our backgrounds, where she is coming from… When I was younger, things were not really moving well in my family and I had to hawk to assist my parents. When she was younger too, she did the same thing. We always talked about our past; where we are coming from and how it used to be in the ghetto how we use to play, the fun, the bad times. Most times, we just cry in each other’s arms and pray together. She is just like a sister to me.

So, where did you grow up?

I grew up in Aba.

Where did you get ‘Onka’ from?

Like I said, my father was a musician. Onka was his stage name while he was very active and I wanted to bring that name back to life. That was why I decided to use it.

What has changed about your life since you emerged winner of Nigerian Idol?

Nothing has changed about me. I am still Yeka Onka. I am still tall. I am still black. The only thing that has changed now is my bank account and then I am no longer Onyeka, the back up singer. I am Yeka Onka, the first Nigerian Idol; those are the only things that have changed about me.

Don’t people react when they see you on the streets?

That is where Nigerian Idol comes. Just now, I was talking to someone downstairs and I (told the person) I missed my old life. Now, I can’t walk on the streets without somebody screaming Yeka Onka.

I went to Shoprite recently and I actually forgot that I am not just Yeka Onka and that I am now the first Nigerian Idol. A lady just walked up and said that I know that people look alike but you look like one Yeka Onka and I started laughing and she was like “Are you Yeka Onka?” I said “yes”. That was how I got a photo session at Shoprite. People kept coming please can I have a shot with you, I will like to show my children, I will like to show my wife.

It went on and on for like 30 minutes and I was like I need my old life back. But it is fun and I am enjoying it right now.

How would you describe your dress sense?

Like I said before, I love to keep it very simple. I love to be simple. I love being comfortable in whatever I wear so at every point in time, I don’t tend to dress like Beyonce or like Rihana. I just like to dress like me.

Would that be one thing you learnt during the Nigerian Idol contest?

I can adapt to any situation, to any environment I find myself in. I have learnt to be a better singer and to manage my stage. Before I came to Nigerian Idol, I used to be very shy but I have realized that I am no longer that shy. I can speak in public. I can actually walk up to someone and say “you look good” and that I am Yeka Onka and all that.

What should your fans be expecting from you in the next couple of months?

I will be working with Chocolate City. I am actually the first girl on that label and in two weeks’ time, I will be working with Jazy Jagg on the winning song I did on the final day. He was the one that wrote the song, so we will officially release that single. After that, there are other plans like my album; we will be going for shows and a lot of endorsements.

What’s your educational background?

Before Nigeria Idol, I was at the University of Calabar studying International Relations but I am getting very busy now and I don’t know how I am going to combine education and my career. I am thinking of deferring for one year; after the one year, I will probably go back to school or maybe go aboard to study.

Do you have a boy friend?

No……… (laughing).

Are you sure?

Yes, except you are planning to get me one.

Before you won Nigerian Idol, did you have one?

No! I didn’t have a boy friend before the competition and I don’t even need one right now.

So, what genre of music should we be expecting from Yeka Onka?

I want to make the kind of music that will be accepted in the world. I want to make global impact. I want to be the next big thing that will happen in the Nigerian music industry. I want to make impact and I want to be a blessing in my world and to the people around me. I want to live the kind of life that even after I am gone, people will always say “Yeka Onka was there”.

If you have to do a collabo, who would you love to do it with?

I will love to have one with Dare Art Alade, Cobhams, I love Asa; because they are good singers and musicians. They don’t just sing, they are dedicated to what they are doing. They put positive messages in their songs unlike others that have no messages in their songs. I just love them because they are good.