Up until three months ago, most people hadn’t heard of the name Waya. Enter Kiddwaya, a contestant on Big Brother Naija: Lockdown edition (which is still ongoing). During the introductions in the BBN house, Kiddwaya spoke about himself and the Waya family; he spoke of how rich they are. Soon after, random sources on social media started sharing information about the Waya family, especially, their father, Terry Waya, whom sources say is a billionaire.
A couple of days into the show, while the contestants were discussing how they got into the show, Kiddwaya talked about how he never auditioned. He went on to mention that he had to hire a private jet from Abuja to Lagos which cost him 3 million Naira to make sure that he makes the show. Kiddwaya, on several occasions, has spoken about how he was there to get his and his family’s name out there and didn’t care so much about the mini-challenge cash prizes or the 85 million Naira grand prize.
Weeks into the show, Terry Waya went on Instagram Live with famed journalist and businessman Dele Momodu. A quick look into Terry Waya’s page shows growth in followers and rejuvenated activeness. He has been supportive of his son and, as of late, vocal about his stay in the BBN house.
Terry Waya was an Ovation fixture back in the early 2000s. He was one of the Lagos elites. Many speculate that Terry Waya is no longer a billionaire, and BBN was a way for his son to make the family name popular again.
Here is a break down of everything you need to know about Terry Waya
Terry Waya is 55 years old. He is Tiv, a minority ethnic group in Nigeria that makes up 2.5% of the population and is situated in Benue State. He owns a chain of businesses in different sectors including hospitality and oil.
Popularly called Mr. Versace due to his socialite and luxury lifestyle, and for his penchant for wearing or using products from the Italian luxury brand, Versace.
His fame peaked when he celebrated his 40th birthday party in the United Kingdom. His bash was hailed as the party of the decade. It had over 10 Nigerian governors in attendance. Mr. Versace’s birthday gig set the bar for birthday celebrations.
Things went south in 2005 when Terry Waya was arrested by the British police on alleged money laundering offenses. Alan Crockford, an official of the Metropolitan Police confirmed the news to The Guardian. He was subsequently released in June 2006.
Although Terry Waya is married to Eno Olafisoye, he has been linked to several women. Mr. Versace, allegedly, has other children from other women.
There is no record on how much Terry Waya actually has, but if fame is what he wants, he’s definitely gotten it.
