Content creator Elizabeth Amadu, better known as Jarvis, has opened up about the difficult circumstances surrounding her childhood, her family background, financial struggles and how her TikTok career eventually brought her together with her partner, Peller.
Jarvis said she spent much of her childhood living with her grandparents after being raised in what she described as a turbulent family environment.
She disclosed that her mother lives with bipolar disorder, which she said contributed to the difficulties she experienced while growing up.
“I was already exhausted. Grandpa was sick, and I came into a family through a mother who has bipolar disorder.
“Growing up with her was very stressful and depressing because sometimes the disorder could be extreme.
“Today, she would be nice and good; the next minute, she could become violent, destroy things and insult us. She would say things like, ‘Oh, you stupid child. What are you doing here? Your father is mad,’” she said.
The content creator also revealed that she had no relationship with her biological father and did not know his identity while growing up.
According to her, her mother had travelled outside Nigeria before becoming pregnant and later returned to the country, where she gave birth to Jarvis.
“I didn’t grow up with my dad because I don’t know who my dad is. So, I don’t know anything about my father. But she would keep saying, ‘Oh, your dad is this, your dad is that.’
“Growing up without a dad was not easy, especially because my mum was not mentally stable,” she added.
Despite the challenges she faced at home, Jarvis said her grandparents played an important role in shaping her character.
“I grew up with my grandma and grandpa, and they did their best to raise me well. They were very educated and strict. That strictness was what tamed me, and I appreciate them because it really helped shape my life.”
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Prompt News reports Jarvis further recalled how financial hardship affected her childhood, particularly her education and access to basic necessities.
She said there were periods when she and her sister struggled to pay their school fees and sometimes went hungry.
Despite the pressure, Jarvis said she remained determined to stay in school and avoided resorting to questionable ways of making money.
Her circumstances eventually led her into TikTok livestreaming after a friend introduced her to the platform as a possible source of income.
“I was like, ‘How?’ So, the first day I tried it with my sister, I had about 200 views and made $5. I was like, ‘Wow!’”
She recalled how desperate their situation had sometimes become, saying she and her sister would watch food-related content online when they could not afford enough food.
“Because we were always hungry, we would go on TikTok and watch food videos just to feel satisfied. We would salivate and, at the end of the day, cry and pray, saying, ‘God, please help us.’
“But when we went live and saw that we had made five dollars, we were happy.”
Jarvis said she and her sister continued livestreaming regularly even though their family did not support their involvement in social media.
She explained that their focus was not simply entertainment but earning enough money to fund their education and take care of their basic needs.
The content creator also shared how she met Peller through TikTok.
According to Jarvis, Peller first showed interest in her sister when they encountered each other during a livestream. She said she initially tried to encourage him to focus on her sister instead.
“I met Peller on a livestream. He was wooing my sister. He was also liking me, but I was like, ‘Bro, don’t talk to me. Talk to my sister. You and her would have that connection.’”
Jarvis said she was initially reluctant to respond to Peller’s advances because of her shy nature, concerns about her family’s reaction and the age difference between them.
“I was just thinking, ‘Okay, you’re my sister’s type.’ But this young man didn’t want to relent.”
She said she did not initially imagine that their interactions would develop into a relationship, as she viewed their connection mainly as an opportunity to create content together.
“For me, it was simply, ‘Let’s create content and have fun. Dey your dey, let me dey my dey. If we meet in front, we’ll just be friends.’
“I never expected all of this to become reality.”
