Nneka Ejere reveals what happened after being voted off Survivor

Dalton Ross
·11 min read

I'm surprised I don't have any negative emotions," said Nneka Ejere moments after having her torched snuffed on Survivor 43."This has been a dream come true." Even though Nneka was voted out third, it was certainly not a surprise to viewers that she had no negative emotions. Leave it to the affable 43-year-old pharmacist to exit the game smiling.

Nneka became the season's third victim when she once again struggled in a challenge, this time on a turtle puzzle. Her allies Cody Assenmacher and Jesse Lopez then had to decide between strength and loyalty, and with other option Noelle Lambert off perhaps obtaining an advantage, they chose the safe route as the tribe unanimously voted off Nneka.

How does the Nigerian-Texan feel about her early ouster? What was it like when she got to Ponderosa after being voted off? And what happened out there on the island that we did not see? We asked Nneka all that and more. (You can watch the entire interview above or read it below, and also make sure to read our full episode recap.)

SURVIVOR 43
SURVIVOR 43

Robert Voets/CBS Nneka Ejere on 'Survivor' 43

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You told Jeff Probst you were at a 9 or a 9.5 out of 10 that you knew what was happening at Tribal Council. So were you pretty sure that Noelle was going home?

NNEKA EJERE: Honestly, at the time I did not think I was going home. So when I said a 9.5, that 0.5% was me going home.

When you looked back on it after the vote, were there any clues that it actually was you and not Noelle, maybe in the way Cody and Jesse were acting or their body language or anything?

Yes, there were actually a few. First of all, I knew that Cody and Jesse were not happy. Cody was having a rough time. He said he hated losing. It makes sense. Nobody likes to lose. I do not like to lose. But also when we were packing up, you want to pick up everything to go to Tribal. Noelle didn't take everything, and I'm like, "Huh, that's unusual." So those little things, but I just chose to not dwell on it. There was no point. We were living for Tribal,  there's no need to like start losing my crap at that point. [Laughs]

If you thought you were in danger, what would have been your pitch to them to keep you?

I was in two different places at the time. One was, I really did not want to vote out Noelle. I was impressed as heck. Did you see her dive off the platform with one leg? How do you see that and want to [vote her out]? So there was that struggle. And there was also the other thing, knowing that I knew at the time that Jesse was the one running our tribe. Everybody was like, "Oh, Nekka and Cody." No, I knew Jesse had more influence on Cody, but I had given my word and that was the thing.

I came on Survivor and I was like, I do not want to tell a lie. But you sit down and you start thinking: If I go make this move or try to attempt something like this, is betrayal lying? I had to start redefining these stupid things and had these internal monologues going all day long: Is betrayal lying? If I give my word and I don't keep to it, is that lying?

It's a game to outwit, outplay, outlast people and you tie your hands in horrific ways by saying, "I'm not going to do these things." I really believe that it was possible, but to get there and now have to think through things I did not think there were before to say what really is a lie? Things just paralyzed me. I'm like, if I have made a commitment, I will stick to it.

Are you too nice for this game?

[Laughs] You know, it will be cool to have an alternate reality where you see the uber competitive cutthroat side of me, but this was the side I came to the game with. And typically, this is me. I know the other side exists. [Laughs]

That side has to come out if you're gonna win this game.

Absolutely! [Laughs] But do not be deceived, that side exists.

SURVIVOR 43
SURVIVOR 43

Robert Voets/CBS Nneka Ejere on 'Survivor' 43

Even though you and Jesse both struggled on the puzzle, you seemed to take the heat for that performance. Why is that?

I don't know. I'm not sure. You know, looking back, that will be one of the things to say, why was the heat on me? With the puzzles, that was the one puzzle I picked because I did not want to jump off the platform. So of the three puzzles that we had done, that was the one puzzle where I was like, "Okay, I will do this one." The other two, the tribe was like, "Please, can you go do it?" Because nobody felt comfortable in puzzles. So it just seemed like I ended up at the puzzles all the time, and they're not necessarily a strength. I do them, you know? But for that one, yes, maybe because I've been the consistent person at the puzzles. We won the first one and we just missed out on these two.

Personally, I'm big on accountability. I would say that was one personality flaw there I could not get past for me as an individual — not taking accountability for that. But in retrospect, kind of thinking back and saying no one else was willing to step up and say, "Hey, maybe I had a hand in this." You know, you're also doing that puzzle, and everyone is like screaming at you "That piece! Do this! Don't do this! I remember holding a big piece and they were like, "Put it there! And I'm like, "That piece does not go there," and kind of going back and forth with the tribe. And I was right. That piece did not go there and that threw me off.

But I still owned it and maybe I should not have. Maybe I should have brought other people in, but as an individual, I also don't regret it in some ways because that was the real me. I'm big on accountability. If I had said, "Well, not me," then that would've been another lie. [Laughs]

You looked like you were struggling on that Snake challenge. I've done that challenge before and I struggled on it. I know how hard it is. What was that like for you?

I learned to swim to come on Survivor. I lost 20 pounds. I learned to swim getting ready to come on the show. The day before we left home was the first time I jumped off a platform into the water! [Laughs] I had learned to swim, but was still getting past that fear of jumping off a platform. So I was kind of joking with my family and saying that jumping off that platform took 50% of the energy I had at the time. I got to the cage, I was done. [Laughs]

But part of our strategy going into that challenge was I was supposed to be on the outside doing the pulling, with body weight and everything, trying to get the snake down while the rest of tribe would be on the inside doing the pushing. But that plan fell apart. Personally, I know I sucked at that challenge. It was hard to watch. [Laughs] But it was just feeling completely just worn and depleted.

And then our snake kept getting stuck at the beginning of that last slide. And that slowed us down a lot. So by the time it was time to do the puzzle, we grabbed that bag and I dropped it because I just wanted to go get started on the puzzle and completely forgot about it. And it was right there. We all were looking at it and jumping over it and trying to get puzzle pieces to fit, and that crucial piece was missing.

SURVIVOR 43
SURVIVOR 43

Robert Voets/CBS Jesse Lopez, Nneka Ejere and Jeff Probst on 'Survivor' 43

What was it like to watch the episode back last night and see Jesse compare you to his own mother, who always was helping people and opening her doors to everyone?

It was an honor to hear him say that. Last night's episode was emotional for me, in a good way. You know, I'm gonna try and get through it too, right here. I was very thankful for that episode. I thought it was a great episode for me. And then to hear that. Jesse and I had some really good moments on the island, just hearing his stories. Jesse story's is amazing. And so to hear him say that and knowing how highly he thinks of his mom, that was such an honor.

Let's talk about what happened after you got your torch snuffed. What was it like when you got to Ponderosa and were greeted by Justine and Morriah?

It was good to see my last interview because I have zero recollection of that. [Laughs] I was in a daze after the torch was snuffed. It was good to see that I was smiling. I'm like, "I hope I was." I think my heart was smiling, so it showed up my face. But I had zero recollection of what I said there. And then kind of getting back, I was in a daze getting off that boat. Morriah and Justine gave me the warmest welcome, but I was just in the daze.

I couldn't eat. They brought me food and I'm staring at it like, this is hot food? In my mind I'm thinking, I only eat coconuts, because that was the only thing we had eaten for seven days. That was all we had. So I would say it finally registered when I woke up on a soft, warm bed in the morning and I opened my eyes and I was like, "Crap, I'm out of the game." That's when it hit me. The whole night, I was in a daze and it kinda went on from there.

SURVIVOR 43
SURVIVOR 43

Robert Voets/CBS Nneka Ejere on 'Survivor' 43

So much happens out there and there's only so much they can fit into the episode. So what is something that went down that you wish had made it on TV?

I love the episodes that have been shown so far, but not much was shown of camp life. The thunderstorm that happened, that wasn't caught. In a way, I'm glad it wasn't. In some ways, I wish it was. Because I had to run out in that thunderstorm to go retrieve my clothes and my underwear that I had dropped at the beach to dry, and I was terrified that it would float away in the ocean. [Laughs] So I'm scrambling out on the rocks in the dark and praying for lightning because for that one second of light you could find stuff. And I wish that more of camp life was shown. Justine too. She did so much in our camp too I wish that was shown more, versus like, "Hey, I hate spiders."

If you could go back and change anything about your game, what would it be?

If I could go back and change my game, I have asked myself this question so many times. if I were to go back to play Survivor, it would be interesting to see me play Survivor with the other side of me.

You keep talking about this other side. I'm intrigued.

That side is very, very outcome-driven. It was such a huge honor to be on a show like this. Yes, I wanted to play and I wanted to play for my family, but I also love that like the mission team I support were highlighted because they were a huge driving force. But if it's all about competing and winning, it would be interesting if I were to come back and play differently. It would be a very different person that you would see and a completely different strategy.

I would not have held back or been afraid. Yes, the trust and the relationships will still be there, but as far as how things are executed…. You know, as far as who were strong players in the game — those were things I noticed right off the bat, and I was not wrong. So coming back and not hesitating at all, I know it would be a very different game.

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