“All Rivers Girls Are Not Like Tacha”

Suzzy Gloria Jackson is a die-hard fan of the former Big Brother Naija Inmate, Anita Natacha Akide popularly known as Tacha and played major role in campaigning for her stay in the BBN show.
In this interview with EDITH CHUKU, she spoke on the role of women in the society, the importance of an independent woman, among others.

Excerpts:

You have remained Tacha’s die-hard fan, even after she was dismissed from the Big Brother Naija House. Why?
(Cuts in)Yes, I love her so much. You’re right; I’m her die-hard fan and will always be.
Didn’t you feel incongruous watching most of the roles she played in the Big Brother Naija House?
See, that is Tacha, there is nothing you can do about it, she is real, she is herself, she is just Tacha. I can’t judge her. She is an emotional person, she allowed her emotions take the best of her. But that’s her, what would she have done? She wouldn’t have been able to hide it, maybe, she would have tried but it wouldn’t have been for long. As much as I am not applauding her for those behaviours, but that was Tacha being herself, I know she felt bad, sorry for all that which she has already apologized for, but I still applaud the realness in her.
Didn’t you feel misrepresented in anyway by her acts?
No, I didn’t. I will never feel misrepresented. Tacha is not a bad person. Emotional people are easily irritated, and when they feel irritated, they lose control, that I am not like that doesn’t make her bad, I can’t judge her. We are created uniquely, we can’t act the same way and we can’t act alike or how people want us to act.
As a Rivers lady, If you place Tacha and Miss Nyekachi Douglas, winner of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria side by side, what would you say?
Miss Nyekachi is unique, Tacha is also unique. They are two uniquely created ladies but with different virtues, that’s it. Most people act the way they do because they don’t socialize, when they socialize, they will surely discover shocking things about themselves. Tacha for example, If not for anything, has learnt how to control her temper, overlook certain things and how not to react to everything. People always say Rivers girls are wicked, heartless, stubborn, etc even before Tacha got to the big brother house, we both know it is a mere misconception about Rivers girls. That Mr. A is a killer doesn’t make all A’s killers, Yes, it doesn’t, in every state, tribe, we have the good, the bad, the ugly. No tribe is exempted. Before I became this familiar with Enugu State, I was thinking Enugu girls are the most reserved girls, but no, they are not, they still have the one’s that act more crazy than Tacha.
There are women who have lost hope in so much.
(Cuts in) Then, they must learn to revive their hope and try again, again and again. I invited you for this purpose, we need to ignite something that is gradually dying, silenced in most women, it’s in all of us, hardwork, successes in business, great business ideas, good skills, entrepreneurial skills, we are well learned, any woman that can keep a family, make a home, is a great business woman, just pick all the stones thrown at you, the discouragement, pick them all up, the failures, pick them all up and build yourself.
How did you develop such undying passion for entrepreneurship as a single lady?
Well, I’m glad the hunger and burning desire to be an outstanding business woman was aroused in singlehood. It would have amounted to mission almost impossible if it had tarried till marriage, I have high regard and respect for independent spinsters, yes, very high one, for me, they are better home makers, and, I just have to be one, people only become what they love and admire. I love business, I have always, from childhood, at a very tender age longed to own a company, have an NGO, have skills, earn my own money and help others attain such goals. So, the vision has always been there. Achieving it, is part of what I owe the one who put them in me. I love doing business so much, lucrative and decent ones at that.
Given your religious background and culture, don’t you think being completely independent as a single lady might have been interpreted by men to mean ego?
Not true. In fact, as single women, being completely independent only attracts real men. No man wants to marry a bag of garri kind of wife; you know what I mean, complete liabilities- they borrow everything when their husband is not around, even as affordable as maggi. They are just there, I call them the portion of the Lord of Jacob is my inheritance. They are the portion, waiting to be inherited, no. In fact, that’s the major thing, I want to emphasis on, it all starts at singlehood. We are not liabilities. The era when women education ends in kitchen ended 2000 years ago. Every lady should envisage their role in their family to come. In fact, start practicing it with your own biological family, your neighbours, beggars on the street, people around you, start practicing, it should lead you into marriage, saying that been independent as a woman means ego then you are saying that the bible made a mistake by referring to us as help meet.