Bamike “Bambam” Olawunmi-Adenibuyan is a name that resonates across Nigeria’s entertainment, beauty, and entrepreneurial landscapes. Rising to prominence through her time on Big Brother Naija Season 3, BamBam has since evolved into a multi-talented personality, proving that reality TV fame can be just the beginning of a dynamic career.

With a background in theatre arts from Bells University, Bambam has leveraged her creative roots to build a presence in Nollywood, starring in films and TV productions that highlight her acting prowess. Beyond the screen, she has ventured into the beauty and wellness industry with her own skincare brand, redefining self-care for Nigerian women.

As a wife and mother, Bambam embodies the modern woman who balances career ambitions with family life. Married to fellow BBNaija alum Teddy A, she often shares insights into marriage, motherhood, and personal growth, making her relatable to many. Her openness about body positivity and postpartum changes has also sparked meaningful conversations among her fans.

In this interview with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Johnson Chukwueke, we explore Bambam’s journey—from reality TV to business and motherhood. How does she maintain relevance in the fast-paced entertainment world? What lessons has she learned about love, career transitions, and self-growth? Join us as we dive into the mind of BamBam, an inspiring woman who continues to evolve and make her mark.

 

Love in Every Word has been such a massive hit. How did it feel when you saw the overwhelming response from fans and critics?

I am finally glad and grateful to God that the world sees authentic acting and authentic work and truly appreciates it. I was absolutely elated. I felt blessed and seen. It was great.

 

Working alongside Uzor Arukwe and being directed by Omoni Oboli must have been quite an experience. What was the most memorable part of filming this movie?

Every aspect of the filming was memorable. I actually enjoyed getting into character, being Chioma, and working alongside a proper professional and trained actor such as Uzor Arukwe; it was a breath of fresh air; it was effortless. We were just in sync, and it was very nice.

Chioma’s character is quite complex and relatable. How did you prepare for the role, and were there any aspects of her story that resonated with your personal life?

The way I read scripts and respond, I would say I am a reactive actor, so getting into character wasn’t very difficult because I could really relate to Chioma, and how hardworking, focused, and professional she is. In many ways, I could relate to her, so I just had to be me with a little tweak. It wasn’t very difficult because I could understand how Chioma was thinking. My style of acting is “Method Acting,” so if you understand how method acting works, you just have to “become,” you don’t have to overthink it because she is a lady that many Nigerian women will relate to, and that helped me become her almost effortlessly the moment I went into character. Also, sparring with fantastic actors and I reacted; our energies were in sync. I feel like God just took a deep breath and blew this movie; it was effortless, to be honest.

 

What was the biggest challenge you faced while shooting Love in Every Word? Did any scene particularly push you out of your comfort zone?

I didn’t particularly experience any big challenges. Of course, on set, we had a few setbacks here and there that we found our way around. We had a few things that got in the way, which was more of production shenanigans, but the script was very straightforward, the acting was also straightforward, and we just got along easily, I and my best friends. It was just seamless, I and my co-actors, and my love interest Uzor, it was indeed seamless. We didn’t experience difficulties in the delivery of my lines, but for production, we definitely had its shenanigans, we had continuity errors with the house we used when we came back.

 

Your journey from reality TV to Nollywood has been incredible. Looking back, what has been the most significant turning point in your career?

Yes, my journey from reality TV to date has been incredible. This definitely has been the most significant turning point in my career, where the world sees me and appreciates my talent, and now people are willing to pay a premium for my talent. I am truly grateful to God for this; I don’t take it for granted at all; it’s a huge turning point. Along the journey, while I was pushing, I met great women like Bolanle Austin-Peters, who took a chance on me, to put me on their stage plays, to put me in their movies like The Bling Lagosians, Collision Course, who took a great leap of faith and saw an amazing talent, amplified it, and made corrections when necessary. I got better on the job as I went along, and then, of course, there’s Omoni Oboli, who took a chance on me, as well as Uche Jombo. They featured me on their channels, and I have done great work with these people, and now with Omoni Oboli, we did something amazing with Uzor that has become something bigger than me, if I do say so myself.

As someone who’s worn multiple hats—reality star, actress, and more—how do you maintain your versatility in the entertainment industry?

It’s sad that they have this misconception. I don’t know who they worked with that ruined it for some of us who are actually multi-talented who went to the reality TV show and have made it thus far, especially the likes of Bisola, Ebuka, you have Tobi Bakare, there are really talented people out there, you just need to take a chance. Of course, I went to the Royal Art Academy, where I learned acting on stage, and for TV, I watched videos and listened to podcasts, and when I watch movies, I don’t watch for entertainment, I watch to learn. I study actors; I study how they move, how they react, and how they react to their co-stars. I learn by watching. I really enjoy watching people. It is important to be a trained actor so that you are not just relying on your fame.

 

Do you feel there’s a specific message or theme from Love in Every Word that you’d love audiences to take away from the film?

First of all, as a woman, you need to be grounded; you need to already have your own thing going on for you. Don’t step into the world thinking one man is going to come out of nowhere to take care of you. Then, when a man like that comes, you are already prepared; you know you are an asset, not a liability. For men, it is important to find yourself, you have your own thing going for you, you are secure, you are whole, and if you need to get therapy, get it before bringing any woman into your life. Don’t bring a woman into your life and start giving her hell because you are insecure or unsure of who you are. In summary, I would say that’s the takeaway. Just pray to God to send your own person.

With your busy schedule, how do you unwind and find time for self-care?

I am way more intentional with my calendar and my schedule now. I unwind by spending time with my kids and my family, watching a good movie, taking a walk, going on dates with hubby to the cinema, or you know, dinner dates, just quality time with my lover, not thinking of scripts or work for at least 24-48 hours. Good sleep, great music, and just time with people who care for me and people I love.

 

Your family life is something your fans admire. How do you balance being a wife, mother, and actor?

Yes, about my family life, I don’t joke about it. At least in a month, I give one week to my family, if I must. I don’t joke with my weekends so I can spend quality time with my family. I just make sure my schedule includes my family. If not, I would be so busy and not available at all.

 

Johnson Chukwueke
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