BBNaija Phyna Breaks Down in Tears Over Family Betrayal and Late Sister

Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner Ijeoma Otabor, known as Phyna, broke down uncontrollably during an emotional Instagram livestream, accusing her family of betrayal, greed, and turning against her after she started saying no to their financial demands.

The emotional outburst came while she responded to a critic who wrote, “It was ur greed, nobody lied against u, stop all this emotional blackmail, u were too greedy u didnt care about ur sister’s welfare.”

Fighting back tears, Phyna spoke about the trauma of losing her younger sister Ruth, who died in August 2025 after being crushed by a Dangote truck driver. She revealed her sister would have turned 25 the following day.

“I will never forgive myself that I could not get justice and that someone lied against me and turned the case to dust. My sister deserved peace, love and justice,” she said.

The reality star opened up about how her family relationships fractured after her 2022 win. She claimed no one advised her to invest her prize money, and relatives only wanted handouts.

“Nobody was interested in me investing. Everybody wanted something,” she said. “The moment I started saying no, I ran into problems.”

Phyna alleged that her first refusal led to her father granting an interview to a national newspaper to speak negatively about her. She claimed he had demanded she buy an expensive roofing sheet, and when she suggested a cheaper alternative, he went to the press to lie against her.

“I wish I could turn back the hands of time. Immediately they announced me as the winner, instead of shouting my daddy and mummy, I should have just run because at the end of the day, I’m the one taking everything,” she sobbed.

She also revealed that during her sister’s accident and passing, some family members appeared more concerned about what they would gain from the tragedy than the loss itself.

“I’ve been the bad person since I was a child. It is not as if they ever saw anything good in me. I don’t know how God blessed me and I still remembered them,” she added.

Fans flooded social media with messages of support. One user wrote, “Sometimes I wish I could give her a big hug. The level of trauma she has experienced is a lot.” Another advised her to choose her own peace over blood relations.

Phyna’s emotional testimony has reignited discussions about the pressures of sudden fame, family expectations, and the financial pitfalls young celebrities face after winning big prizes in Nigeria.