Reality TV star Oluwabamike Olawunmi, popularly known as Bambam, has opened up about how filmmaker Bolanle Austen-Peters played a major role in her rise in Nollywood.
Bambam, who gained fame as a contestant on Big Brother Naija, shared this during the third graduation ceremony of The ACADEMY for the Performing Arts (TAFTA), held on Friday, April 11, at Terra Kulture Arena, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Themed “Celebrating Creative Transformations,” the event showcased the artistic growth and development of TAFTA’s students.
Speaking at the event, the 35-year-old described Austen-Peters as a mentor who saw her potential and helped shape her career.
“She identified my talent and positioned me on this stage in South Africa, my first major role Collision Course on Netflix was this woman. Mommy I celebrate you today, I adore you, you will remain my role model forever,” she said.
Bambam also encouraged the students to stay passionate and authentic as they pursue their creative journeys, using her own story as inspiration.
“When I started all I had was faith, little courage and a lot of hope. I auditioned o. Remember passion, authenticity. There’s no small script. I remember when we did Moremi the Musical.
“It was my first major stage audition. I didn’t make the cut, I didn’t make the role she auditioned me for. I got a nameless scene in the film called The Little Boy. But who’s the queen now?” she said.
She added, “Purpose can never be taken from you. You never know who is watching, you never know who gets the chance to look at that one film, that one performance. Even in a crowd of people, stand out.”
Recalling her time in the Big Brother Naija house, Bambam noted that she was once labelled as fake.
“They called me fake in Big Brother, they said she can’t be that soft spoken, she can’t be that feminine, it’s a lie. Now, for some gracious God ordained reason, this character is a stand in for feminity in Nigeria. The world is celebrating authenticity. Do not fall for peer pressure. If the world is mocking you in a certain way, no send their papa,” she added.
She also reflected on her goals after leaving the BBNaija house.
“I remember when I came out of BBNaija I said I wanted to be the face of the industry, I want to represent Nigeria, both nationally and internationally.
“And I trusted God and stayed consistent and I did not reduce the quality of my performance whether on stage, on YouTube, on Prime, on Netflix, no matter the amount they paid me, I stayed consistent. And the world is celebrating her today. This can also be your story.”
Bambam rose to fame in 2018 as a housemate in the third season of Big Brother Naija titled Double Wahala.
Though not among the finalists, her calm personality and relationship with fellow housemate Teddy A earned her significant fan support.
The pair later got married in 2019 and have two children together.
In recent times, Bambam has continued to earn praise for her versatility on screen, including her role in the romantic drama Love in Every Word, which has drawn wide attention from audiences and critics alike.
