Chiby is popular for his parties. Most especially the ones he hosts every weekend at SOUTH and Hard Rock Cafe as a side hustle to his 9-5. And if you know him, you know his girlfriend, Naomi, who’s always with him at these parties.
We interviewed her about life as the girlfriend of someone whose job is to party every night, and how it’s not always as fun as it sounds.
What do you do for a living?
I work in finance as a treasury associate for a startup. I’m in accounts payable; I do everything payments related.
When was the first time you and Chiby partied together?
The first time was at SOUTH about three years ago; his friend was throwing a party there. At the time, he was just a friend I was getting to know. I had a lot of fun with him that night, so I went to the next party he was hosting, where he confessed his feelings for me. We ended up making out the entire night.
The entire gist is in their love life interview: Love Life: The Day We Started Dating Is the Day I Stopped Smoking
How has your life changed since you became the girlfriend of a nightlife party promoter?
My life went from zero to a hundred very fast. I’m an extremely shy ambivert. Before Chiby, I could be home all day and not leave my room; I’d only go out to party occasionally. Once I started dating Chiby, I was everywhere.
He knows many people and gets invites to many places, and he’d always get a plus one because of me. At first, it was a lot because I went from being home almost all the time to going out nearly every night.
I used to have severe anxiety because Chiby and I would walk into a room, and many people would say hello to him. I would just stay beside him, trying to hide. I’d always have to drink before we went out, to ease up. I also had to go out of my comfort zone to be friendly, to avoid coming off as a snob because people had mentioned that. Meanwhile, I was just extremely shy.
Chiby was aware of my anxiety and always looked out for me. He’d make me feel comfortable at the venue; he’d get me food and drinks while I never even had to lift a finger. He’d also introduce me to everyone who knew him, including the staff. Just so they knew who I was too. He really tried to make it easier for me.
So do you just attend the parties and dance all night long?
I actually do more than that. I’m Chiby’s unofficial manager. Everything he has to do, he runs by me, and I assist him. I help him make sure the flyers have no mistakes and everything at the party venue is good to go. I let him know if there’s a problem with the lighting or AC or anything.
During the party, I’m behind the scenes working. I’m looking out for each table and what they need, ensuring the staff are doing their jobs well and informing Chiby if anything isn’t going right. I also look out for Chiby because it’s a lot for him too.
I remind him to rest between all the running around he does during the party. I have to tell him to take breaks from work and have fun. When he gets drunk, I stop him from drinking more and make sure he drinks water.
You do quite a lot
I remember when he travelled in December and had to miss one SOUTH party. He didn’t want people to know he wasn’t around, otherwise, they wouldn’t attend. So I had to take over that particular night. Imagine me, a shy person, giving out shots to people. I made sure everyone was okay and that they were having fun.
Chiby must’ve been proud
Sometimes, it’s actually a whole lot for me. Sometimes, I want to skip his parties and chill at home. But I can’t do that to him. He’s the love of my life, so I need to be there to support him. I always feel bad when I can’t attend his parties because I know he needs me. So I try my best to attend all of them. I also help him promote them as much as I can.
ALSO READ: How to Throw a Chaotic Good Party, According to Chiby Iwobi
A supportive girlfriend, I stan. What’s some of the drama that comes with all this?
I don’t like being the centre of attention and hate drama. The one significant thing I remember was when a girl tried to stop me from getting to Chiby. I’d been looking for him to dance with, and when I saw him, she was dancing behind him, stylishly rubbing up on him.
She noticed me walking toward him and tried to block me. I couldn’t believe it. I had to squeeze myself through to get to him. I didn’t do anything about her because I didn’t want to cause any drama. But this same girl literally told him she wanted to fuck him one day. These things happen often, women being sexual with him. But I’m never bothered because I trust him, and he always puts them in their place.
Sometimes, people send me anonymous messages via “Curious Cat” on Twitter. They’d say things like, “There’s no way he isn’t cheating on you.” Chiby also gets extremely sexual messages. But I never let any of that affect me. I’m very secure in myself, and I trust my man.
Wow
The men do their own too. One time, a Lebanese guy slapped my ass at SOUTH. I was so shocked, and the silly man had the audacity to tell me I had a nice ass. It happened outside, in front of everybody, and nobody did anything.
When I told Chiby, he was so upset and ready to beat the hell out of the guy, but I had to stop him because I didn’t want any drama to disrupt his party. I face harassment occasionally, but I never want it to ruin the party, so I just let it go.
Someone almost assaulted me because I told him not to smoke indoors.
ALSO READ: Nigerian Women Share Their Public Harassment Stories And We Are Livid!
OMG, I’m sorry. That’s a lot
Yeah, and it gets lonely sometimes. Chiby can’t be with me all night because he has to work and ensure everyone is okay. My friends can’t come to every party, so there are times when I’m alone and am actually very sad. Those times, I usually dance by the DJ booth. When people see me there, they ask if I’m okay, and I have to lie that I’m fine.
But what do you love about Chiby’s lifestyle?
I get to go out and have a lot of fun. With Chiby, there’s never a dull moment. We always have something to do, new places to go to. Because of him, I get invited to all sorts of events and places. Most times, I don’t even have to spend money; drinks and food are paid for by either Chiby or the people who invite us. I also love that I get to play dress-up, to put together outfits and shoes for each event. On top of it all, I get to spend quality time with my best friend.
Going out to parties has become an escape from all the stress I face in my personal and work life. I’m just out, drinking and dancing, forgetting my worries. Without Chiby and his events, I’d be bored all the time.
With your weekends dedicated to parties, where do you find time for other dates?
There’s always time during the week or on weekends between parties. If it’s a Friday, we have from 5 p.m. after work, to 7 p.m. for dates before we head out to parties. Sometimes, we have our dates at the venue. We just get there much earlier. If the party starts at 10 p.m., we’ll get there at 6 p.m. to have our date.
If it’s a Saturday, we have the whole day because he doesn’t host anything then. That’s when we do less stressful activities like painting or going for a picnic. His life can get really crazy with all the events and parties, so it’s good to have more relaxing dates.
ALSO READ: All You Need to Know Before Attending a House Party in Nigeria
Awww, how romantic. I’m curious about how you prep for a party
The day before, I pick out what I’m going to wear. If I’m unsure, I pack three options to take to Chiby’s house. I head to his house on Friday after work, and we get ready together. Sometimes, I wear all my outfit options, and he picks out which he likes best.
I’m horrible at time management, so he’s always trying to get me to start getting ready early. Honestly, my anxiety is the major reason I take forever to get ready. I lay in bed for a long time, with a million thoughts running through my head: “How am I going to cope when he leaves me?”
If I’m running really late, and I see Chiby getting restless, I tell him to go ahead of me. The only thing is, when I get to the party, I have to call him to take me inside because I’m super shy and can’t walk in alone.
How do your parents feel about you dating a nightlife promoter?
My parents are cool. They’re not the typical Nigerian strict parents. They love Chiby, and they’re even happy I’m with him when I’m out. Plus I’m 27, I don’t have a curfew or any rules I have to follow. They just let me do me.
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