Anthony Offiong Edet, popularly known as Thin Tall Tony was one of the housemates in Big Brother Naija and he was just evicted from the reality television show. The dance artiste got everyone talking because he was entangled in a whole lot of controversies in the house. In this interview, he explains why he kept his marital status secret, his relationship with Bisola, Tboss and more.
What’s it like being out of the house?
Life actually continues for me and there are works I’d like to do. A few people have asked if I miss the house, but honestly, I don’t. I think it was the right time for me to leave. You know, it is always good to have a breath of fresh air and see people than just being holed-up. But it’s been an amazing experience and my arms are open to all other possibilities out there.
What should your fans expect from you soon?
I’m a dance artiste but I won’t just limit myself to dancing. I have works that I have created before now and that is what I intend pushing out.
Like what?
There are some dance productions I did before Big Brother Naija with some of my colleagues that I intend pushing out. I was part of some musicals by Joke Silva, which I know would still come up. But aside that, I am working on building my own dance festival show and going back as an OAP because I used to work as one with Ali Baba on Nigerian Info. Radio is also something that I love to do. My colleagues in the house also told me that I am good at acting and I tried doing that before but I never got anywhere with it. So, I’m thinking that’s another line I should look at. It’s more about creating works and pursuing them.
What was it like in the house; you were there for like 2months plus. Did it affect you psychologically?
No, it didn’t, like I told my friend, I used to be in the Navy, so I am used to being isolated.
You used to be in the Navy?
Yeah, I went through all the rigours of training and sometimes they give you tasks and time you. All I did was to switch my mood back to that time and I lived my life to the fullest in the house. I lived like I would live if I was outside and I concentrated more on the theme of the task for every week.
What would you have done differently in the house?
Nothing, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. The thing many people didn’t know is that before I went into the house, my wife said she wanted me to keep our marriage out of the show. I respected her wish and did my best to do that even though I got a lot of information from all others.
But we didn’t see it that way and we felt you lied?
No, I didn’t lie. You know as a bachelor, I made a lot of decisions and sometimes I didn’t, I just took a step. But now, I have a backbone that I have to respect and there were a whole lot of logistics that didn’t go well before I went into the house. So, to be very prepared, I wouldn’t say that was my best choice by keeping my marriage out.
For instance, I felt that your reasons for not coming out to tell the house that you are married was one of the reasons you were evicted, because when you first came into the house many people thought you would win.
However, when the Bisola and marriage issue came up, people started arguing back and forth. So, I think not speaking about your marriage was not wise or do you think otherwise?
For every decision you make, you have to learn to live with the consequences. I went into the house for two reasons and I told them during the audition that I wasn’t into it because I wanted to win the prize money. I wanted the platform. One great thing my wife told me was that Nigerians are very sentimental and we get attached to a whole lot of things. She told me “I don’t want them to see you as a father, married, hustling and then they vote for you. I want you to use the opportunity to show what you can do, show your craft, let them know what you can do.” You see, I have been hustling for a long time now and most people only know me as a dancer. They didn’t even know that I am married, that was why I decided to stay focused on the game and I believed I did. When they asked me during the audition ‘what if you win the money’? and I answered “Who doesn’t want N25million? Of course I will take it. So, I was there because I needed the platform as a creative person and I didn’t go in with any kind of strategy, the only thing I kept secret was my marriage and which everyone in the house didn’t even know about.
You and Bisola had a thing going?
Yes. Bisola and I were close in the house, because she is a creative person. I might not be an actor but there are a lot of things I can learn from her which are still entertainment. One thing I would also like to do is to shoot my own short film and right now they are doing something like that in the house. I looked at it and I was like ha, I missed this and that was what I wanted to know. Even in the hotel this morning (Thursday), I told Mr. Timothy to give me some time, so I sat down and listened to some things she was teaching. You see those are some of the things I wanted to learn from her. I told her that she was my biggest threat in the house and that I was following her on social media as a fan. So, when I saw her on the show, I felt this was an opportunity for me to learn more.
So, should I say that you were trying to use Bisola and you wanted her to misbehave so you could have an edge over her?
No.
I watched the last show when you were drunk and you were on the bed calling out to Bisola to join you. What was all that about?
Ha, no! ( Laughs).
You were drunk then, you kept calling her to come to bed with you and all that. At a point, you guys were under the sheets and you are telling me you guys were just friends. Do you do all that with friends?
I don’t drink really and I control my alcohol intake but you see, all that was just a show. There was even a time I took a condom out of my pocket and slammed it down; that tonight it must happen, but it was all show. Bisola told me she really liked Bally. Bisola and I have spoken so much.
Don’t you think that her liking Bally came up as a result of you saying you liked Tboss and you also friend-zoned her?
I told Bisola that I didn’t think I trusted Tboss, because there were so many things that we didn’t even know about her. So, I told her go tell Tboss that I like you but I prefer her. So, Bisola and I were on a game together. I kind of got close to Tboss , so that I could know exactly what her game plan was about.
Are you telling me you didn’t have a crush on Tboss?
I swear to God. I had nothing for her, because Tboss kept saying that she doesn’t dance, she doesn’t sing until the day they gave us the egg task and she didn’t find an egg to sit on. You know the rule was that you had to do the chicken dance and she danced. Even you can see that, so I knew there was something about her she wasn’t revealing to us. You know character is like smoke; you can’t hide it for too long, it will come out. So, as soon I said that, I told Bisola to go and meet this girl that I am feeling for her that you are just my friend. But before I knew it, everyone started saying I had two wives and all that.
So, what were you guys doing under the duvet?
Anytime Bisola and I were under the duvet, it was an opportunity for us to take off the microphones and we were not supposed to do that.
Are you sure about this?
I am serious and that’s plain honesty. You see, Bisola told me she once dated a guy who was younger than her and when she found out the guy was 6 years younger she stopped the relationship. That was why she is very skeptical about Bally, because she is two years older than him.
How long have you been married to your wife?
I have been married to her for 3years now.
So, what was it like when you saw your wife?
I haven’t even seen my wife yet. I have been doing interviews but I am going home tonight (Thursday) and I am really excited about it. I have called her and she is in the know about keeping my marriage out of the show.
But it must have been very difficult for her?
She didn’t watch the show.
But she was on social media?
Yeah, before I got into the show, they told me someone had to manage my social media account and then I called her to do that because she already had my password. So, her elder sister watches the show and calls my wife up to update her anytime I was put up for eviction. She is not even interested in all these; my wife is a chef and a mum. All these things don’t really bother her. If it were a reality show about food, then you would grab her attention. I had to force her to watch the last Big Brother Africa but she wasn’t even interested and I told her she needed to see this, because I have been going for the audition for 12 years and this was my twelfth one.
How did you meet your wife?
I met her online in 2012 and we didn’t talk for like a year. Then, a year later, I saw her picture and I was like she is beautiful. Then, she had a Skype account and there is a way you could check your last conversation and I realized it was exactly a year I spoke to her last. At that time, she was still schooling in Abuja and rounding off.
We got talking when we met and I told her that I thought she was the one and that was it.