White Money: I didn’t write WAEC, JAMB… poverty is my biggest inspiration

White Money, the 2021 Big Brother Naija (BBNaija reality show winner, has opened up about his academic status.

In a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo, the media entrepreneur, the reality star spoke about not having a degree.

White Money, whose real name is Hazel Oyeze Onou, said the highest educational qualification “I have is O’ level, National Examination Council (NECO), that’s all I wrote. I didn’t write WAEC, JAMB or anything.”

The singer said despite not having the right academic qualification, he still speaks good English.

He also revealed how watching foreign films and observing people has helped him improve his English.

“The biggest teacher any man can have is experience. The second teacher anyone can have is life, and the third is people, not even your parents,” he said.

“You need life, people and experience to become a better person in life. School won’t give you that experience you need.

“The school will give you theory; life will give you practical. For example, the highest educational qualification I have is O’ level, National Examination Council (NECO), that’s all I wrote. I didn’t write WAEC, JAMB or anything, but I still speak good English.

“I hate reading, but I love to listen, so I watch a lot of movies and emulate the way they talk and it impacted me. If I am to act the role of someone with an American accent, I have to watch five Black American movies.

“By the time I’m done with them, it automatically programs in my head against the shoot the next day. It helps fine-tune my English, and how to read contracts and sign them. I stopped at NECO because that was where the money stopped.

“It was my uncle who sent the 3,500 for the form. It was like two days before it closed that I got it, and I passed very well.”

He also revealed how poverty helps him remain tenacious in spite of rejection. 

“The biggest motivation for me is poverty. If you love your situation and the way you are, then don’t work,” he said.

“But if you are tired of begging for handouts, not being recognized, or tired of Grammys. Poverty will motivate you to go out there and do something for yourself. So, poverty pushed me to audition four times in a row, and I won the fourth time.”

White Money also recalled his past struggle with rejection.

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