"No Regrets": Phyna fires Back at BBL Critics Amid Family Loss

Ijeoma "Phyna" Otabor (Actress and model)

Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Ijeoma "Phyna" Otabor, is hitting back at critics who labeled her "insensitive" for undergoing cosmetic surgery shortly after her sister’s death.

During an Instagram Live on Saturday, the reality star defended her decision to undergo a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and 360 liposuction, calling out the "hypocrisy" of those judging her online. The backlash began after Phyna posted a video of her results with the caption: “Finally did it. No regrets.”

Addressing the timing of the procedure following the recent passing of her sister, Ruth, Phyna made it clear that her personal mourning process is nobody's business but her own.

> "My grief is private," she maintained, arguing that her choice to move forward with her life and body goals does not reflect a lack of love for her late sibling.

“I just woke up, but I want to quickly come and address something. Sorry, I have to say most Nigerians are hypocrites. And I have a lot of miserable people in my comment section,” she said.

Phyna added that the relentless online bullying regarding her body actually influenced her decision to go under the knife.

“I don’t grieve my sister online. She will always remain in my heart. But one thing people will never see is me come online to cry and post that I miss my sister,” she said.

Phyna also cautioned critics against bringing her late sister into online debates.

“Don’t try to bring my sister’s death into this. I lost a sister. I lost one of my favourite siblings. And it is none of your damn business,” she said.

Following her sister's burial on August 31, Phyna defended her family's decision to move forward, explaining that life had to resume. Ms. Otabor had passed away that same day from injuries sustained weeks earlier in an August 13 road accident involving a Dangote truck near Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State.

“People will bury and move on the next day. They moved on on the 1st. Like, they don’t stop living,” she said, urging others to respect her own way of coping.

The reality star also shut down viral rumors, specifically addressing claims by social commentator VeryDarkMan that she accepted a ₦1 billion payout from the Dangote Group following her sister’s death.

“When a person says they gave me one billion, I did not do the BBL for that. I just don’t want to address it, but I keep seeing it in my feed and it is disgusting,” she said.

Phyna remained completely defiant regarding her surgery and her choice to flaunt the results, offering no apologies to her detractors.

“I have been learning how to catwalk. I got new outfits that will show my breasts, my tummy, everything. People should use all their weapons now. Small, small. I am coming,” she said.

Phyna further revealed that the constant body-shaming she endured online was a driving factor in her decision to undergo the procedure.

“Thank you for dragging the stomach. Thank you so much. And now I actually like it,” she said.