Former Big Brother Naija Season 7 contestant, Chichi, has shared her experience of being manipulated by her love interest, Deji, who she claims deceived her into believing she had a mental illness. During the Big Brother Naija Season 7 Reunion, Chichi revealed that Deji would intentionally provoke her and then dismiss her reactions, suggesting she needed therapy. She mentioned an incident where Deji recorded her while she was expressing her frustrations about his behavior towards her.
Chichi explained that Deji portrayed a different character when they were in public, but behind closed doors, he acted irrationally. As a result of his manipulations, Chichi began questioning her mental state and started to believe she had a problem. She shared how Deji would mistreat her outside and then gaslight her when she confronted him, making her doubt her own perceptions.
Furthermore, Chichi expressed her disappointment that none of their fellow housemates approached her to check if she was okay during their stay in South Africa, except for Amaka, who briefly asked about her well-being. Chichi felt ignored and isolated while Deji received support from the others.
Chichi also disclosed that even after the reality show ended, Deji would secretly visit her hotel room every night, likening his behavior to that of a male prostitute. He would tidy up her room and perform chores to justify his presence.
When questioned about this by the host, Deji denied being in Chichi’s hotel room every night, but justified his actions by stating that he knew about her difficult past and felt the need to provide emotional support. He suggested that Chichi relied on him and that he was there for her when she needed him.
Chichi recounted how Deji manipulated her emotions, making her doubt her mental well-being, and expressed her disappointment with the lack of support from their fellow housemates. Deji, on the other hand, defended his actions, stating that he was there for Chichi when she needed emotional support.