Meet NET’s biggest fan, ‘Oyinbo Princess’

By ‘Dayo Showemimo

Let us formally introduce you to a woman who prides herself as the biggest fan of NET.

She’s a British citizen by birth and skin but deep down, she regards herself as a pure Nigerian and loves the Nigerian culture so much that she started learning pidgin English a few years back.

Today, she speaks pidgin English fluently, even better than most Nigerians and has a youtube channel where she posts funny skits she makes In Pidgin English.

Oyinbo Princess as she’s widely known on the internet reached out to us saying: ‘I don dey read ur newspaper online, to follow latest news and trends within Nigerian. My stage name is Oyinbo Princess and I have a pure passion for 9ja – the culture, music, news, food and Pidgin. I don meet many people online and in person wey say I for try contact papers to help me find new 9ja followers wey go get small interest for dis Oyinbo wey sabi!’

With some of her videos for YouTube like ‘Hit Me’, ‘Mata Dey O’, ‘Omo See Yanch’ and others, Oyinbo Princess is ready to take it a notch further soon by coming to Nigeria for a few collaborations.

‘Na British lady I be oo, born and raised here, in London, wey sabi Pidgin well well… E b like say the sound don dey sweet me ooo! The warmth I don get for 9ja nor b small at all. If u wan follow me, hear & see more, u for add me on any of the following. I go soon enter 9ja, make una know am first oo! Facebook – Oyinbo Princess, Nairaland – Oyinbo Princess, twitter – @OyinboPrincess.’

On how she became interested in the Nigeria to the extent of being able to speak Pidgin English this much, she says: ‘Ehen, so, my story abi….. na very simple ooo. I b British born, both parents na from UK, British. The time wen I don reach that kind 20yrs I don meet one 9ja guy, who don become my boyfriend (back in the day!) U know say to begin with I neva sabi anything, I only hear the Pidgin wey e don yarn with him padi’s. As I don hear am so, e b like say the sound just dey sweet me well well. From following him talk small, to learning myself online I don enjoy wetin I dey hear. Next came the music, Duncan Mighty, Timaya, PSquare, Mr Flavor, Tuface, ElDee, StylePlus, Fela and MoHits… na these guys don teach me more so. As I come listen to the tracks, I don learn more and more. The time don come wey I needed to visit family for 9ja, so I don go b that. From Abuja to Port Har Court, Ajegunle to Victoria Island I don travel around well well. As well as visiting 9ja, having a major love for the music and culture, next was to learn to cook 🙂 from Fried Rice with Dodo to Egusi & Ogbono with Eba and Fufu… I don create skills for the kitchen b that ooo….’

Saying she blows our mind is an understatement surely and she switches to the personal angle to complete her story.

‘After a nasty break up with the ex, I felt even more compelled to learn the heart felt passion I had for 9ja…. I had let 9ja flow for my blood, so to continue was second nature. In 2006 I started working for an airline often flying to Nigeria. I don dey swap flights steady with Oyinbo’s wey wan take my USA flight and give me their 9ja in return – I visited the county almost every week for a few years, staying in the Hilton, Abuja and Sheraton, Lagos. The hospitality of Nigerians hooked me – always happy to welcome me, amazed by my Pidgin and love shown regardless of colour. Apart from being Oyinbo, I don turn 9ja pikin.’