Former Big Brother Naija star, Uriel Oputa, has shared her experience of being homeless for six months in Lagos.
In an Instagram post, Uriel revealed that she sold her car and gave up her apartment in November to care for her mother in London, who had received a new medical diagnosis. However, her plans changed unexpectedly in December when her brother advised her to return to Lagos, leaving her confused, heartbroken, and without accommodation.
With no other option, she checked into a short-term rental apartment costing N150,000 per day. Despite the steep cost, she managed to pay for the apartment for six months. After the first two months, she received a discount, reducing the daily rate to N100,000. In May, the shortlet owners offered her an entire month free for being a long-term guest.
During this period, Uriel’s juice and meal plan business began to thrive, enabling her to start paying weekly or every 10 days. She credited her resilience to prayer and the kindness of the apartment owners, who supported her through the difficult season.
Reflecting on the experience, Uriel expressed gratitude for regaining her own place after six months.
She wrote:
“In November, I sold my car. I had no plans of coming back to Nigeria. My mum had just been diagnosed with something new, and I was preparing to move to London for two years to take care of her. I gave up everything – my car, my apartment, my Lagos routine. But by December, everything changed.
“My brother told me to go back to Lagos. I was confused, heartbroken, and honestly had no direction. I had nowhere to stay and no plan. I ended up in a shortlet apartment paying ₦150,000 per day. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it. But somehow, I did.
“For the first two months, I paid full price. Then they gave me a discount – ₦100,000 per day. Eventually, they even gave me a full month free in May for being a long-stay guest. It was only God. Only Jesus.
“In that space of not knowing what to do, I started praying. My juice and meal plan business suddenly picked up. People started placing orders. Money started coming in. I started paying weekly, sometimes every 10 days.
“The shortlet owners never stressed me. They gave me grace. That grace gave me room to breathe, to rebuild, and to bounce back. Six months later, I got my own place again. And I’m so grateful.
“If you’re in a season where you’ve let everything go and don’t know how you’ll land, this is your reminder: God provides. Even when there’s no plan.”
