The last time I featured an interview with yours truly was in response to Mrs Lister’s Q&A meme. That was back in the good old days of blogging like nobody’s reading. As birthday season comes to a close, I’ve been feeling quite reflective. So I thought I’d get a little personal on the blog. Today, I’m sharing 10 things you might not know about me.
10 Things You Might Not Know about Me
1. I was Blogging before the Internet
I wrote my first book when I was 7 —- about a family of vegetables —- and ‘published’ my first novel (an entire exercise book) when I was 10. I still have a copy of it somewhere, with the cover handmade by my late schoolfriend Tamsin. The House Around the Corner was a lively and somewhat dysfunctional family drama. Storytelling is in my blood and I’ve been writing poems, stories, memoir, articles and more since I knew how to work a pen. I also kept almost daily journals from around age 8 to 25. So yeah, blogging comes naturally to me. I’ve been doing versions of it long before the Internet made it possible.
2. My Name is Deep, Yo
Growing up in the UK, sometimes even today, many have struggled with my name (it’s 2 syllables, people). My full name Obianuju means ‘born in a time of plenty’ or ‘fulfilment’ or, my favourite interpretation, ‘abundance’. My birthright is ABUNDANCE. Powerful stuff. Lately, my full name and its shortening seem to be all the rage in Afrobeats pop songs. Shout out to my fellow Obianujus.
3. I Live to Dance
Music is my heart and dancing is my life. I grew up in a house filled with music and my mum was a groover too. She used to teach us all the ‘60s dances like the swim, the jerk and the twist. She also loved Highlife and Owerri music (from her hometown). Every now and then, I play one of her favourite artists — Chief Osita Osadebe — and I dance and have a good cry at the same time.
4. I’m a Titled Woman
Not a duchess or countess or anything, but part of the ancient Odu society of Onitsha, in eastern Nigeria. In 2014, I joined my sisters and my mother and grandmother before me to become a member of this celebrated group of women. To be honest, I had felt rather ho-hum about it all, when my mum first brought it up. She wanted us to do it in honour of my late father, who was 2nd in line to the Obi (king) of Onitsha. The ceremony turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. My official title is Amalunweze, meaning: ‘You know this is the child of a king’. It’s a title that reflects our family’s royal heritage, going back several generations.
5. Don’t Judge this Book
I have a sweet face and a dirty mind. Blame it on Prince.
6. I’m Afraid of Clusters
I suffer from trypophobia. Even writing that word makes my skin crawl. When I was younger, I thought I was the only person who had this. I called it ‘cluster phobia’ because it seemed linked to clusters of things. Now I realise it’s about strange clusters, patterns, textures and holes. My kids laugh at me because I can’t cut whole melons, as I’m afraid of seeing the seeds inside. I’ve never taken the boys to LEGOLand — the idea of being surrounded by so many big characters made out of tiny, tiny bricks? Shudder. Yup, I’m a weirdo. If you suspect you have a similar condition, just DO NOT GOOGLE it. Google Images will have you curled up in a ball for the rest of the day.
7. My Internal Struggle
I also suffer from anxiety, specifically health anxiety, that reaches a peak under times of great stress. Getting professional counselling really helped me process some of these fears and feelings, and also go deeper, to the roots of my condition. I tend to internalise rather than vocalise my emotions, expressing myself better on the page than in person. So talk therapy has been powerful for me. Also ink therapy, allowing myself more creative space to just write what I want. For the physical symptoms of anxiety, adding a magnesium supplement to my diet has been a game-changer. Seriously, read up on the benefits of magnesium as it helps with so many health issues and most of us are deficient in this vital mineral. I have quite a few coping strategies for when life gets overwhelming.
8. My Family is Pretty Famous (and Infamous)
I come from an absurdly large, ridiculously creative extended family that includes one former America’s Next Top Model contestant (my gorgeous cousin Nnenna, pictured), an Afrobeats pioneer, TV commentators, published writers, multiple musicians, actors, fashion designers, social media maestros, creative entrepreneurs, politicians, preachers and at least one jailbird. One day we will rent a couple of islands and have an insane family reunion.
9. Idris is my Bestie. Well, Kinda Sorta.
Way before kids, I was an arts and culture journalist, writing for publications including The Weekly Journal (broadsheet for The Voice), salon.com, The Guardian and Time Out (Visitors’ Guides). Hot guys I’ve interviewed include Denzel Washington, Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor. As a blogger, I’ve also had the chance to cuddle rugby star Ben Cohen and chat up the uber-lovely Clive Owen at Royal Ascot. Swoon.
10. I Once Danced Flamenco on Spanish Telly (for about a minute)
A few years back, during the London Flamenco Festival, the kids and I stumbled across a pop-up flamenco session in King’s Cross station. It was a troupe from the Antonio Gades company (funnily, watching the Antonio Gades film Carmen was one of the first times I fell in love with this art form). They invited random people in the crowd to come and learn a few steps. I was dragged into the middle with the others, and picked up a couple of moves. Afterwards, three different Spanish TV crews there interviewed me about the experience! I’m still in love with flamenco – the music, the attitude, the duende – and plan to take classes one day. Who’s with me?
Over to you! Tell me something fun or freaky or random about yourself in the comments. Go on, I dare you :-)
20 Questions for Jed on his 10th Birthday
Loved learning more about you Uju and would be great to see you when I am next in the UK
Yes would be lovely Jane, it’s been ages! x
Your a Badass and Rockstar🙌🏾🙌🏾… loved it….But hands off Idris….😬
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post so much Uju. Always knew you were a queen too (felt v moved reading about your titling ceremony-wow). This post touched me as much as it entertained (and baffled) me (off to good Cluster fear) and your tips on how to relax are spot-on…. I also need to read those early books of yours. You must write a children’s book after your novel. Like you, I wrote (and drew) from a young age, we were born storytellers, girl. Thank you for sharing your story with the world sis, love you, and from the heart, coming to your blog always feels like coming home for me. We’ve been around for nearly 9 years. Almost a decade keeping it real on the internet, we better be having one HUGE party to celebrate that decade in 2020 xxx
LOVE this post Uju or should I say Abundance? Love that your name means that. Fear of clusters? That’s a new one for me. Next time we meet, I want to hear more from the dirty mind, not the sweet face! 😂xxx
Haha actually chuckled out loud at being called Abundance, it’s actually the kind of name that Nigerian parents would give to their kids. Then be yelling it through the house like ‘Abundance! Come and pick up your socks!’ Lmao. Seriously though, I love the name too and very thankful to my parents for their foresight :-) Yes, I’m very creeped out by clusters, hard to explain but I’m not alone as I discovered in adulthood. And don’t get me started re dirty minded stuff, actually yeah next time with drinks… and okra ;-) x
OMG Vicki that is the most epic idea. We need to start planning that 2020 Old School Bloggers party right this minute. I vote somewhere hot, cocktails, dancing and reminiscing (but no video evidence lol). Thanks for always being one of my top readers and also huge inspiration throughout this blogging game. But please, please, don’t Google trypophobia unless you’re absolutely sure you can handle it. You have been warned! x
Hehe you are the Rockstar mama, am (im)patiently waiting for your launch :-) Funny story about Idris, he’s a good friend of one of Abiye’s mates. So we were all in the park a couple of summers ago, and Idris was standing right behind me and my man conveniently ‘forgot’ to mention until he’d gone. I missed him completely *sob*. But soon come, and will most definitely be ‘hands on’… mwahahahaha ;-) x
Abundance come and pick up your socks 🤣🤣🤣! Well I guess I knew all these 10 things, but you say them so wonderfully that it’s like discovering you for the first time.
Oh my goodness, I don’t know where to start!! Loved loved this post Uju – from Abundance (you radiate not only that there is abundance in your life but also your generosity of spirit in wishing it for others), to Trypophobia (wtaf????), the dirty mind (hell yes!), and your royal blood and more! Just wonderful shares. As for mine, we have much in common my dear – from early and persistent scribbles (poems, stories and more in excercise books, Hell, even on receipts, anything I could write on), to love of dancing (throw on my tunes anytime I can), and even the royal bloodlines … but that’s another story we should chat about one day in person. Love you! xxxxx
Zaz, thanks so much for your lovely feedback, comment about generosity of spirit brought a tear to my eye. Very touched. Love that you’ve been creating since birth too, and also that you’re similarly dirty-minded mwa haha. Can’t wait for a proper booty-shaking night out too :-) Please keep writing and sharing your magic x
Hahaha Nkiru, the idea that you could just be discovering me after 45 years is both hilarious and thrilling. Thanks for your support always. Love you x
Such a great read! So interesteing, Uju. And I think I have a mild version of your phobia…thinking about clusters of holes is making me feel physically ill… xx
Oh gosh Cee, please whatever you do don’t Google, it sounds like you definitely have it. Side effects include shudders, dizziness, nausea and more. Such a strange phobia, but it’s a thing! Glad you liked the read, I’ve been enjoying having a browse around your blog too :-) x
I loved reading this post about you Uju (for the record I’m pretty sure I’ve never had any difficulty pronouncing your name but you’ll have to be the judge of that one). I love that your name means Abundance!!! You have one very talented extended family too, such a great post x
Aww thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the read. And yes, it’s just those 2 syllables, you’d be amazed at how many people continue to mispronounce it! My family is cray-cray but I love them all :-) x
What a fabulously fascinating read! Thanks so much for giving us an insight into your wonderful liife 😀
Magnesium is an absolute godsend isn’t it? I started taking it because someone suggested it might help me tackle insomnia, which it did, thank goodness! But I’ve also found that it’s helps with mood swings too. I’m a much nicer person thanks to magnesium ☺️