'I used to be a Prostitute' - Singer Maheeda

 Caroline Sam and ‘oko yanpa’ singer, also known as Maheeda was raised an orphan and hit the streets as a ‘call girl’ at the tender age of 13. With no one to take care of her she turned to prostitution but has since given her life to Christ. The married mother of one opened up about her past life to The Sun News:

    ‘Yeah, I was a prostitute and I’m not ashamed to say it. It’s past tense and we all have our past. The beauty of it is that if Christ has done something in your life and you can’t say it, what is the need? I think I went through all that so I can really speak out. I have been through all that so I can speak, talk to the girls who are still into it and make myself an example. Although, it’s not nice for people to hear and it’s not something to be proud of but for the sake of those prostitutes outsides, I have to say it.

See more of the interview after the cut...

At what point did you decide to stop prostitution and what made you stop?

That’s actually a very good question because even after getting married I still have this urge of going out to meet a man. But I felt it should not be so. I’m trying to let people know there is a spirit behind prostitution, if not, why after getting married, I have everything, I live in Lekki, I’m driving a very big car and my husband gives me whatever I want, so why would I still feel like going into prostitution? There is a spirit behind it. I continued prostitution even after getting married. The only thing that changed me was being born again and being delivered.

That means you kept long list of men while you were doing secular music?

Yeah. I was so bad that if I had this boyfriend and he messed up I just moved to the next one. That was basically why I did the track, Oko Yapa (husbands are numerous). They were not given me money so if you messed up I moved to the next because there were many of them.

It means you have a very high libido that if this guy is not getting it right you try the next one?

(Laughter) Oh my God. Is that the truth?  No o! I think I was just bad that I used to judge them at every slight mistake. I was bad that if I was with my boyfriend and I saw a fine boy, I would still make passes at him. The devil makes us think it’s in our nature but its not so.

Some say you changed your way because you got married?

That is not true. My husband is white and you know white people support their wives. My husband said he didn’t want to be involved in my career and I should also keep his daughter out of it. I was actually praying for it before he said it. My husband has been very supportive for years; he took me to South Africa to shoot my first video. He has spent millions on my career.

How long have you been married and how many kids do you have together?

We have been married for about two years but there’s no child yet. I had my daughter before I met him but he adopted my daughter.

How did you both meet and what is keeping you from having children for him?

I met him in Port Harcourt eleven years ago; we have been together before my music. We are waiting on the Lord for children.

As an orphan who has seen both sides of life, what has this made of you?

It makes me strong. It makes me feel blessed. Instead of me thinking of being an orphan and be angry, it makes me feel I’m blessed, I’m experienced because I feel God kind of prepared me to liberate people so, I’m blessed and I thank God for giving me a voice and making me a source of inspiration to some.

How true is it that White men stick to Nigerian women because they are good in bed irrespective of their ways of life?

It sounds true because devil likes to bring his truth from the real truth. After becoming a born again, in my vision, I realized that the white are not as strong as we are spiritually. And God made me understand He’s taking us to them to change them. Over there, you are free to do whatever you like but there is a reason why God is joining these two together. But of course, devil has turned everything to sex. If a woman is beautiful, well curved, yes, we are sexy and of course, there is something that makes the man to succumb to the woman even when he’s angry, so that is not far from the truth.

What was your first experience as a prostitute like?

It was strange, even though I can’t really remember (laughs). What I can remember is that it was strange. I was very young but I had to do it. It was scary I think.

At what point did you decide to stop prostitution and what made you stop?

That’s actually a very good question because even after getting married I still have this urge of going out to meet a man. But I felt it should not be so. I’m trying to let people know there is a spirit behind prostitution, if not, why after getting married, I have everything, I live in Lekki, I’m driving a very big car and my husband gives me whatever I want, so why would I still feel like going into prostitution? There is a spirit behind it. I continued prostitution even after getting married. The only thing that changed me was being born again and being delivered.

That means you kept long list of men while you were doing secular music?

Yeah. I was so bad that if I had this boy friend and he messed up I just moved to the next one. That was basically why I did the track, Oko Yapa (husbands are numerous). They were not given me money so if you messed up I moved to the next because there were many of them.

It means you have a very high libido that if this guy is not getting  it right you try the next one?

(Laughter) Oh my God. Is that the truth?  No o! I think I was just bad that I used to judge them at every slight mistake. I was bad that if I was with my boyfriend and I saw a fine boy, I would still make passes at him. The devil makes us think it’s in our nature but its not so.

Did you at anytime have crush on any guy in the entertainment industry?

Crush, crush…wait o, I have to be very sure.  It should be so but I can’t remember.

May be Tuface?

No, I did not have crush on Tuface. I respect Tuface, I like him so much and I respect him a lot. I’m sorry if all Nigerian male artistes are reading this.

Did you date any?

I dated some but I don’t think they would want me to say it. It’s of no use because there are better things to talk about now.

People think there is no much money in gospel music. What is your reaction?

That is what you think, you think there is no much money in gospel music but I am there and I can tell you there is so much money. I think gospel artistes don’t just brag, it’s the secular ones who come to the television to show stuffs which is not bad but the gospel musicians don’t feel like showing off. But believe me they are making money.

Tell us about your background?

I was told my father was from Edo State and my mother, Igbo. My mum named me Caroline but Sam, which is my surname, is the name of my guardian who my mother left me with.

Culled from The Sun