‘I’m addicted to sex’- Maheeda{Photos}

Maheeda discusses her love for sex, boys, and her story before the naked pictures.. Photo: Maheeda

Ever since Maheeda introduced herself into the consciousness of Nigerians with her raunchy pictures, she has been on a roll, releasing several photos of herself unclad. She eventually outdid herself by going totally nude in her video, which caused an uproar within and beyond the entertainment industry. Apparently unperturbed by all the brouhaha, she insists in this interview with APB that she has just begun. She also discusses her love for sex, boys, and shares her story before the naked pictures.

You just got back from a foreign trip, Was it for business or pleasure?
It was for business. I went for a birthday party of one big shot and all I needed to do was just sit down and cross my legs and then I got money in my account, which was pretty cool.

Did you get to perform?
No. I just sat down, sipped some champagne and made some money. I just went to cross my legs and made $3000.

How does that work?
It was just an appearance. Isn’t that cool? Because they want to see that raunchy chick.

It’s not like you had to do extras?
No, and when I go to Russia too, I’m not going to be singing. I’m just gonna appear and get paid for it.

You’ve faced a lot of criticism lately from people who believe you are a bad role model, how do you feel about that?
Honestly, it’s not really a very good feeling but it’s mixed because whatever you do, there must be a sacrifice. You must pay, so I think that’s just the bad side of it, so I will face it.

How do you handle such criticism?
Sometimes I respond, sometimes I don’t. When I want to pass a message I do reply, but only when necessary. Whatever you do, you know people will always talk. They are bored.

‘People are bored’

You recently shared a story about your daughter where you said things were pretty rough at the beginning. What’s the story?
I got pregnant for my boyfriend about 13 years ago when I was just 17, in Kano. I think his family was tribalist because they didn’t want me around, so they offered me N2million, which was a lot of money back then, to leave the baby and go. I actually wanted to accept the money but I thought to myself, ‘Hey, you’re an orphan and this is the only blood you have.’ So, I left the money and decided to leave with my daughter.

What was the father’s involvement in all this?
He was present all through and he never said anything, which was strange. I think he respected his family too much to intervene and fight for his daughter. I think maybe because she’s a girl, that’s why he didn’t say anything.

What’s your daughter’s name?
Divine Favour

Is he involved in her life?
No. Ever since then it has been just me and, besides, I don’t want to ask anything because I know they wanted the child and not me, and I can’t afford to lose her. She’s the only thing that I have.

Why did you even consider trading your daughter for N2million?
Because I was very hungry and I was coming from a very poor background. My mum and dad weren’t there. I was 14, living in the streets, where he met me, housed, and then I eventually got pregnant for him when I was 17.

Naked Maheeda and three dancers on set of her video ‘Naija bad girl’

You’re an orphan?
Yes, I am. I never met my dad, but I knew my mum for a while, and then she died and that’s all? I don’t even know any one of my relatives.

What was your childhood like?

My childhood was very lonely. I was always missing this family relationship, which I think is still affecting me till today. I don’t know what love is but I think my daughter and my man are beginning to teach me.

Were you raised in a foster home?

A very nice woman took care of me after my mum died when I was 14. Before her, there was a Muslim woman taking care of me, because my mum was always dumping me with different people whenever she was going out to hustle. Two years with one person, a year with another person. It was just like that. I didn’t have a normal life, and don’t know if I still have one. The Muslim woman taught me how to pray like them. I attended Islamic lessons and learnt the recitation.

Would you say your childhood was dysfunctional?

For now, I love and appreciate it because it has made me strong, but it wasn’t normal.

Do you feel by taking off your clothes at every chance you get, that you are sending a good message to your daughter?

I don’t know, because the way people take things are very different. My daughter is now 13, and I once sat my daughter down and asked her what she thought about my video, and she just said ‘Why did you take your clothes off’, and I said I wanted to get attention, and she was like, ‘Okay’. You know the orientation in Europe is completely different from around here.

You are based in Holland, how often does your daughter come to Nigeria?

Not often. We moved to Holland about a year and six months ago because she needed to go to high school, and I wanted it to be there because I don’t want her to have that ‘Naija mentality’.

Maheeda and Divine Favour her daughter.

What is that?
The Nigerian mentality is very low. It made me look like a fool the first time I went to Europe.

What do you mean when you say the Nigerian mentality is low?
The way we see things, especially seeing sex as evil and not even talking about it even though we desire it. Some people think I’m already possessed, but that’s not it. We are not taught honour and there’s just a lot we don’t know.

You seem to derive a lot of pleasure from flaunting your private parts. Why?
Honestly, some years back, I wanted to start wearing bum shorts on the TV, but I was scared of what people would say. But all of a sudden, bum shorts were everywhere. I wanted to wear panties also, but was also scared of what people will say, and all of a sudden everyone is wearing it. And when I wanted to get naked in a music video, people were like I shouldn’t do it. But I had to do it, because I didn’t want anyone to do it before me. You know it is show business, and there are competitors.

‘I wanted to get naked in a music video, people were like I shouldn’t do it. But I had to do it, because I didn’t want anyone to do it before me. You know it is show business, and there are competitors’

How has being semi-nude majority of the time made an impact on your career?
I feel like this is one of the best peaks of my career. I was telling my team that maybe I should just keep taking off my clothes, but they are like, I have to sing. They are trying to get me to have a balance even though getting naked is what brought me all the attention, but they really want me to focus on the music.

You’ve switched from secular to gospel and back to secular. Why the back and forth?
I started as a secular act, then I went into gospel and from gospel I came back to doing my usual thing. I was just growing, and I needed to grow spiritually, because I was going somewhere in life, and I needed my spiritual strength.

When you started with secular, did you ever think of doing gospel?
No.

Are you in your comfort zone now?
Yes! I would say that, because I’m a crazy person, I love sex, I love attention, I love boys, I love music, I love attention, I love modelling. Everything that I love is what I’m doing.

You love sex? How much do you love it?
A lot… I’m addicted to sex, and I have to have sex everyday.

How many times do you have sex in a day?
At least once everyday, and if there’s no guy around me, I’ll help myself by masturbating. I have a lot of sextoys; in fact, I’m a regular customer. It’s like food to me, and you have to eat. It is very healthy and it gives you the right curves and my body is used to it.

You mean your body needs sex to function normally?
Yes! Sometimes I just squirt, like when am having sex, and because I am used to it and my body needs it.

You received a lot of bashing for the nudity in your video. How did you take that?
It was normal, I was expecting all that. I was even surprised some people really loved it. I never really expected Nigerians to love it, and so many of them came out to say how much they loved it. The feeling was awesome, I had so many of my colleagues in the industry come to me in private and tell me how much they liked it, even after condemning it in public. They know themselves.

‘I had so many of my colleagues in the industry come to me in private and tell me how much they liked my video, even after condemning it in public. They know themselves’

How did you get into entertainment?
First of all, I have always had this music thing in me, not just music but the star personality in me. You know, back in the days when I look at the mirror I hear a voice saying, ‘You’re nobody, without a relative, parents’, and all that. That’s the voice I heard in my head, but then I said to myself that this nobody is going to become a great woman and I will do everything possible to make that happen. So, all this is just a way of getting there and making this nobody somebody and that’s where music started for me.

How did music start for you?
I grew up watching Indian films, enjoying their kind of music. I just fell in love with singing, and drama, joined a church choir. When I met my husband, he said he would support my career and that is what has kept me going till date.

Is he based in Nigeria?
Yes, but not anymore since we relocated to Holland.

How long have you been married?
Two years, but we’ve been dating for about 10 years.

How has the acceptance been by your peers within the industry?
Just like I said earlier, some of them come to me and tell me they love what I’m doing, even though they can’t do it themselves. But I don’t know what they say behind me.

You feel a number of them would like to do what you are doing but they can’t?
Of course. I remember one Tiwa Savage’s video where she opened her chest and her breasts were almost out completely. I loved it, that was very sexy, but I know how much people criticised her, and ever since, we haven’t seen her do such a video again, which means she listened, but as for me, I’m not listening. My next video is going to get more raunchy, hot and naked.

‘ I enjoy sex but I’m not sure I want to do it in front of the whole Nigeria’

It was once rumoured that Afrocandy offered you a chance to appear in her porn movies. Is there any chance you’ll ever do porn?
No way! This is working for me, so why do I have to do that?  She’s doing all that and she’s getting her money and I’m also getting the same money doing what I’m doing, so why should I do porn. I enjoy sex but I’m not sure I want to do it in front of the whole Nigeria.

How many singles do you have out now?
A lot. It’s almost like an album. I have 5 out already on radio.

So What’s next for you?
I’m just hoping for bigger things, more international shows, and more heavy stuff. There’s a whole lot that I can’t really let out yet in public… we are planning a lot, but we really want to go international.

‘I remember one Tiwa Savage’s video where she opened her chest and her breasts were almost out completely. I loved it, that was very sexy, but I know how much people criticised her, and ever since, we haven’t seen her do such a video again’

But you have to conquer the national domain first?
Well, Asa did it without staying here. But I don’t know what mine is going to be like. I’m here and I’m already getting calls to perform in international shows in US, UK, Holland, etc.

Are you working in the studio?
Now, we are planning for videos for my two singles that are out, ‘Gidi chick’ and ‘Omo to shan’.

Are you doing any collaboration?
My management wants me to do a couple of them, one with Eva and Wizkid and some others. I’m waiting for them to call me whenever they are ready. My job is just to show up in the studio.

How many tattoos do you have?
I have four actually: two on my hips, one on my neck and one in my back. I love tattoos a lot.