Exclusive Interview: How the man I love broke my heart- Toolz opens up

L-R: Toolz with current lover, Demuren

Voluptuous radio girl, Tolu Oniru, famously known as Toolz in this enchanting chat monitored by SHOWBIZPLUSng reveals how her heart was broken by a man she truly loved, how she coped afterwards among other interesting disclosures.

Toolz is fast becoming a popular name in the media, tell us how it all started.
For me, I can’t even say it started a particular way. In fact, getting on radio happened accidentally, it was my first radio gig, and I wasn’t sure I was any good.  At a stage, I was certain I would be fired in three months, but that didn’t happen. My career was initially on a ‘plan-as-I-go’ basis, but now I try to plan more and set more long term goals. I am quite a shy person. The idea of me just being behind the microphone and talking for hours sends jitters down my spine. Believe it or not, I still suffer stage fright.

How did you come about the name Toolz?

(Laughs) That is back in the days in London. You know we all had all kinds of names because we came from Nigeria. But my cousins and I didn’t like how our names sounded. At that time, we felt our Nigerian names were not funky enough as we would have wanted it and we yearned for something funky. So, while others came up with different names, I came up with Toolz and it stuck till this moment.

What were you doing while you were in London?

I was schooling. After university I was doing a Sales job which I did for about seven or eight months. And as you know, I finished from the University of Westminster, where I studied business and communications. Meanwhile, I did my A levels in mathematics, biology and chemistry, I was planning to read medicine but after studying chemistry for a year, I realised that it was not really for me. After A levels, I told myself I wouldn’t be going for medicine and I had to convince my parents on my decision. They freaked out! After that, I ended up working at MTV but I soon realised that entertainment obviously, was my thing.

 

So, why did you decide to stay back in Nigeria after spending a decade abroad?

I stayed back because I was looking for a new challenge. I had been working in the entertainment industry in the United Kingdom for a while and felt the need for new challenges at that point. I had not been to Nigeria for about 10 years. When I moved back, I did not know anyone except my parents and cousins.

Obviously you have a very appealing body shape, has this opened doors for you?

(Laughs) I see myself beyond the shape; I have also got brain which is complementing the body. No doubt, it could also be a point of attraction but many people want to see more of you beyond the shape. They want to hear you talk, they want to see your presentation in a dynamic way. In all, all of me with the help of God have opened doors for me.

How often do men ask you out?

To be truthful, most women get advances almost every other day and maybe I am also one of them. When you dress well, people would always want to reckon with you.

Who did you get this shape from, your mum or your grandma?

My body is very womanly. My mum has this figure, so I make bold to say I got it from her. I work out and I tend to lose weight on my upper body. I have always had killer hips and when I was growing up, I used to do my best to hide them. Back then, the vogue was to be slim with no curves.  When I was in the UK and everybody was going skimpy during summer, I would hide my curves in baggy tee shirts.

Could it have been this curve that has endeared many celebrities to you?

(Laughs) Well, I don’t know what you are talking about but I know I have a lot of celebrity friends.

So, who is Don Jazzy to you?

Don Jazzy is my personal friend. Although, I have said it sometimes ago that he was crushing on me. But the truth is Don Jazzy is someone who thought me a lot about the industry. He’s my personal person and I adore him.

Do you adore him enough to marry him?

That’s so hilarious. Does that mean because I adore him, I should marry him?

Okay, let’s simply put it this way, can you marry Don Jazzy?

He has got his woman, so why should we be fantasizing on marrying him.

You have been linked with Iyanya and Lynxx, tell us your relationship with these men.

I have said it before; Iyanya is my very good friend, likewise Lynxx. As we all know, Iyanya is naturally flirtatious and I think that’s one of his selling points, so when we play together and he pulls those his stunts some people misunderstand it. Lynxxx is a very good friend as well and I must agree we are quite close.

Have you ever fallen in love and been disappointed?

One would have been through such moments in life and those are one of the things that make you a full grown woman.

Tell us how it happened?

There was this guy I met during my final year at the university; he had just moved from Houston and didn’t know a lot of people in London, and after a few random conversations about course work, he asked me out. Our first date was amazing, and after about a month of seeing each other a few times a week, I was almost certain he was ‘the one’. After dancing around the issue for a week or two, I was finally brave enough to bring up the ‘where are we’ issue. His exact words were ‘I really like you Tolu, but I’m not looking for a relationship right now’. I had to take a moment to mentally pick up the fragments of my broken heart, then I smiled at him and said ‘No worries, it’s okay’

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from heart breaks?

I did, however, learnt a valuable lesson from this. One of the worst things you can do in life is lie to yourself, and potentially rob yourself of what you truly deserve. Whether it be a relationship, a job, whatever situation it is, do your best to be honest with yourself. If a situation isn’t giving you what you need, don’t fool yourself – have enough self-respect to say ‘I’m not getting what I want from this situation and I honestly won’t be able to settle.

Do you intend to get married anytime soon?

Marriage is good and I hope to get married at God’s own time. I am this kind of person who would rather than focus purely on marriage, what is on top of my list is the right person. I am quite finicky, and I am a romantic lady. Marriage is very important but it’s until I find the right person and the right person finds me.

How romantic can you be?

Wow, the hunter is being hunted here. I could only say I am romantic but it is now left for my man to say I am this or that romantic. But trust me, I can keep my man to myself.

 

 OMOTOLA OLAIFA/EE