Recently evicted Big Brother Naija Season 10 housemate, Thelma Lawson, has opened up about why her anticipated friendship with fellow contestant Isabella never fully developed during the show.

Thelma, who was unexpectedly evicted alongside Bright Morgan on Saturday night, revealed in a post-show interview that the tension arose from her close relationship with Kayinkunmi, a housemate she was already friends with prior to entering the competition.

She explained that Isabella misinterpreted her connection with Kayinkunmi as something romantic, which led her to see Thelma as a potential rival.

“It’s unfortunate that Isabella and I never really connected. I genuinely wanted to build a friendship with her, especially as a mother to a 14-year-old, and I wanted to understand her perspective on life,” Thelma said. “But things changed because Kayinkunmi, who I already knew outside the house, was also a contestant.”

Thelma noted that the situation escalated when she appointed Kayinkunmi as her deputy during her time as Head of House. She said Isabella’s reaction to this choice highlighted the strain between them.

“Her response that night made it clear that she had taken things too far. I felt it wasn’t the right time to discuss it,” Thelma shared.

She emphasized that she intentionally kept the details of her pre-existing friendship with Kayinkunmi private, believing there was no need to make it public.

“Kayinkunmi is my friend, which is why I picked him as deputy. I didn’t want anyone exploiting our relationship for attention, so I only clarified when directly asked,” she said. “Sadly, by the time Isabella understood there was nothing romantic between us, the misunderstanding had already caused a rift.”

Thelma concluded by expressing her regret that what could have been a genuine friendship with Isabella was never realized due to the early miscommunication in the house.