Mention the name of Pretty Mike anywhere on the Island in Lagos and you can be sure everyone will stop to pay you attention. This is because Pretty Mike, whose full names are Pretty Mike Nwalie, represents different things to different people. To many, Pretty Mike Nwalie is that maverick personality who gets jaws dropping with his publicised relationship with his baby doll, Amaka, and his penchant for making outrageous appearances at events. To others, he is that controversial figure whose brand has become such an incredible force to reckon with within the social media space.
Without a doubt, Pretty Mike has transformed into one of the biggest brand influencers on social media today. Everyone wants to associate with him. Entertainers, showbiz celebrities, top entrepreneurs, they all want to hang out with Pretty Mike. And the reason is simple. If Pretty Mike is seen associating with your brand, or is seen outrightly endorsing it, that’s huge traffic for you. And that automatically translates into patronage for your product.
But, as far as the pretty babes out there are concerned, Pretty Mike means all of these to them and much more. He is their prince charming, their knight in shining armour. He is Naija’s most eligible bachelor in whose arms they hope and dream to find love and comfort someday. And you can’t blame them for dreaming. Pretty Mike is a tall, fair complexioned hunk of a guy who possesses all of the elements that can make a woman go weak at the knees. To begin with, Pretty Mike is an attractive looking man, perhaps too good looking for his own good. And to put the icing on the cake, this incredibly intelligent guy is a flambuoyant eligible bachelor with lots of money to burn. Did we hear you say the babes are in big, big trouble?
It will shock many to know that, outside of all the eccentricities and confounding lifestyle displayed on social media, Pretty Mike is a totally different personality. He is a very deep individual. Very calm. Very articulate. And wait for this – he’s very religious too! Two Sundays ago at the 2019 City People Music Awards which held at Side Walk Lounge and Bar in Victoria Island, City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) engaged this fine gentleman who was also given a recognition award for his remarkable contributions to the Naija showbiz industry. And perhaps for the first time, Pretty Mike opened up candidly about himself, his background, his social media personality and his true personality outside of social media. Enjoy the excerpts, it’s vintage Pretty Mike.
Pretty Mike is not a musician but you have become a top personality within the showbiz sector that people have come to appreciate which is why you have been honoured here today. Share with us your thoughts at this time.
Yeah, I’m happy, I’m grateful. It feels good when your peers recognise you, honour you and appreciate you. That’s why I’m giving everybody back to back, there’s no time to hold back. I’m always inspired to do new things and bring out more stuff.
For someone meeting you for the first time like myself, I see a personality different from the one I read and hear so much crazy stuff about. It’s a complete departure from the Pretty Mike that we know about. Tell us, where were you born and raised?
I was raised in the United States, Houston, Texas, where I went to middle school, high school and college. Speaking about my personality, yes, I do have multiple personalities. The person you read about on Instagram, or you read about in the newspapers or see on television is always totally different from the person you meet in real life. And I keep telling people that’s show business for you. You have to put up a front. You have to put on a certain personality once the camera comes on, but when in reality you meet the person, his characteristics will be different. If you were to meet me at my house, people say I’m a little different from what they think or hear about me on social media.
What part of your background shaped you and enabled you have this split personality that you have today?
I believe its a gift. Some of these things you can’t learn even learn them, if you’re talented, you’re talented. It has to come naturally to you. When you feel there’s a need to deliver a certain market to certain people, you have to switch. For example, you are here working. You could’ve been back home enjoying with your family, but it’s about the job. If they want you to be here for the next four days, you’ll be here because that’s what the work requires. And it’s the same thing with what I do. It requires you put up a certain face, to act a certain way, behave a certain way and you know what, it pays the bills. As long as it pays the bills, don’t worry, we will switch.
While you were in the United States, what were you doing?
I was a student. I basically schooled in the United States, from middle school, high school and college. After college, I came back to Nigeria looking for the greener pasture and you know what, we have found the greener pasture here in Jesus name.
Tell us about Pretty Mike and the girls. Do you have any idea the number of babes out there this very moment wishing they could be in Pretty Mike’s life?
Well, I know that right now I’m perhaps the most eligible bachelor in Lagos state. People say well, I’m a bachelor and I’m okay and well to do. But you know what, I don’t agree I’m well to do because even Dangote still dey find money. But yeah, I have a lot of ladies in my life, but I think it’s typical of a young man that is striving to do his best. Once a young man is doing well, I think women naturally are attracted to a man that understands his onions and knows what he’s doing. So, for me, I don’t think it’s a big deal, I’m used to it.
You’re making it look like it’s that simple. You’re a young man, you’re single and possibly too good looking for your own good and you have the cash to spend when you want to spend it. That’s double trouble if you ask me. How do you cope? How do you avoid hurting too many women?
I’m a very religious person so I’ll tell you something, God has promised me that He will never give me too much than I can carry. So, the challenges I see when it comes to women, I believe is something that I can handle. I try to be straight forward with them. If I am in a relationship with you, I try to establish what it’s all about. It’s difficult for somebody like me to lie because my life is pretty much out there. I can’t tell you now that I have a girlfriend and tomorrow now I come back to tell you I don’t have, so I can’t lie about it. It’s easily known. Whoever I’m with I’m always straight forward. I tell you how it is. If you like it and you appreciate it, then it’s good, but if it’s not cool with you, then we can be friends. I will rather keep you as a friend than take it to a different level and then mess it up down the line. I try not to burn bridges because I believe in this entertainment industry, one way or the other, we all need all the fans we can get. The good ones, the bad ones, they’re all part of the people that are helping our career goal and I respect every one of them.
Tell us about Amaka, how did she come into your life?
There was a time I was feeling lonely. I needed something different. I was dating a lot of Nigerian women, even foreigners too, and you know, it wasn’t working out. So, I felt I needed something different, something special, something unique and you know what, Amaka came into my life and it’s been something else. It’s been unique, trust me.
We understand that she cost you quite a lot of money?
Well, in general, our women nowadays cost money o. So, I didn’t look at it as a lot of money, I just looked at it as one of those things. You know, if your woman must be happy, you must spend money. No romance without finance.
Okay, but like how much did she cost you?
Wow! No, I’m not one of those ones that will kiss and tell, she fit vex for me o, so I beg make I keep our secret secret (general laughter).
Alright, so, how is it going with Amaka? Is she behaving? Is she making you happy?
Yeah, she’s okay. She’s out of the country now, she went on vacation. And for a while I’ve been trying to keep her out of the public eye. You know how it is, the more people see your woman, the more they become more attracted to her. They’ve been DMing her, the DM is too much. People want to get her number.
It’s amazing how you transformed Amaka into an almost a real-life personality. If you had said days before tonight on social media that you were going to be here with Amaka, I am certain this whole place would’ve been filled up because everyone wants to meet with Amaka…
(Cuts in) Yes, she has a fan base, a lot of people want to meet her. But you know something, I just figured this thing about having a public relationship, I have friends that have public relationships but it’s not lasted, so I decided to learn from that. Take, for instance, am here with a lady now. I didn’t come with any but I’m sitting beside one. Before you know it, somebody will take a picture, send to her and tell her, see your boyfriend o, so, I’m trying to keep away from all that.
Outside of Amaka, what sort of woman would Pretty Mike find attractive?
For me, it’s all about your behaviour. I don’t have a particular spec, I’m not the type that will say, oh, I like big yansh or big breasts, small waist, no, I think I’ve grown past all that. For me now, it’s about the attitude, the personality, the behaviour, that’s my own attraction. Every other thing nowadays can be bought. If she has small breasts you can buy her big breasts, if she has small yansh you can buy her big yansh. Those outward features to me, don’t really count anymore.
It’s the inward one, that one that you cannot buy that matters to me now. You cannot buy a good behaviour, you cannot buy a good attitude, For me, first, it’s about the personality, it’s about the behaviour, the attitude, her characteristics, these are key to me.
What length can pretty Mike go to get the woman he desires? How much money can you spend to get a woman that’s after your heart?
Back in the day when I used to be bad because I’ve calmed down now, I can go to any length. I’ve done it all. I mean, name it, I’ve flown a girl out to Dubai on a first date just to impress her. I’ve bought cars, I’ve paid house rent, whatever it takes I did back then. But now, the older you get, the more you begin to realise it’s not necessary. I’ve outgrown that mentality where I felt I had to go to any length. Now, I’m more or less like, if it’s not ordained by God, let it go.
I’m sure thousands of people out there will be surprised that Pretty Mike is sounding this religious, speaking about God with so much respect. Tell us about this spiritual side of you.
Well, you know, when a lot of people see me on social media they’re quick to judge me, but you know, there’s a foundation. Our growth, our success, our ability to make big things happen, there’s a base to the background and that, for me, is my religion. It’s not something I talk about publicly or speak openly about, but you know what, when you have that respect for the Lord, you have a certain kind of relationship with him. I have a deep and intimate relationship, its not something I always talk about. I tell people, the best way to go about your religion is to have an intimate relationship with God. He understands me, I understand Him. Of course, we have our ups and downs like every relationship, but at the end of the day, I know He’s the king of kings and the Lord of Lords and I have to bow down to Him.
Pretty Mike seems to have slowed down. There were times in this Lagos when you stepped out several times dragging girls on leash behind you. You’ve also stepped out in several crazy fashion, sometimes with your baby, Amaka, right beside you. But lately, its like Pretty Mike is slowing down, what’s really happening?
The thing is, for me, I move based on impulse. I’m not slowing down, nothing can slow me down. I still have a couple of things up my sleeves. And at the same time, I’m doing other things. I just finished my first movie. I’m also having my talk show, the Pretty MikeTalk Show. So, there are a lot of projects. We’re just completing the construction of Cubana in Ikeja, there’s a lot of projects going on. So, sometimes, the amount of projects I have in my hands sometimes makes it difficult for me to keep giving it back to back. Like I said, I work on impulse, so when I deliver, I like it to be perfect.
