BIG BROTHER NAIJA: A CLASSIC AND YOUTHFUL ENTERTAINING TV REALITY SHOW

Big Brother Naija previously regarded as “Big Brother Nigeria”, is a Nigerian Tv reality show that is based on the Big Brother TV Series in which 12 contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a large cash prize worth $100,000 to be awarded to the winner at the end of the show. The TV show is not owned by an individual alone but by a group called “Banijay Group of Entreprises”. This TV reality show launched its first season from 5^th March to 4^th June 2006 and it was aired on DSTV Channel 37. This Big Brother series was inspired by George Orwell’s novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, which involved a constant surveillance of housemates through live TV cameras and audio microphones. The housemates are to be voted out throughout the show, and those who make it the end being in the house are considered the winners. Big Brother being one of the shows shown on the Big Brother show, was founded by Johannes Hendrikus Hubert de Mol Jr. (a 67 years Old Dutch billionaire who made his fortune as a media tycoon and TV producer). The Big Brother Naija is one amongst 508 other seasons of Big Brother show in over 63 licenced countries and regions. The first version of Big Brother was broadcasted in 1999 in the Netherlands. The English-language of the program are often referred to by its abbreviations “BB”. The title of many Spanish0Language editions of the program is translated as “Gran Hermano (GH)”. The Big Brother show came to Africa in 2003 and lasted for 9 seasons but later closed and that is when Big Brother Naija popped up and adapted the Big Brother Africa and it has been reigning till date.

The Big Brother Naija house has been severally moved. In 2006, it was located in South Africa and the first two seasons of the show were held there but due to various criticisms, the house was moved to Nigeria to maintain balance in its name and location.

BB Naija is built on the foundation of “reality”. It is a social experiment in which it is aimed to put together people from diverse backgrounds, culture and experience to live and work together as a team. Unity in diversity is the main theme of the show.

During the first season of the Big Brother Naija, the present TV host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu participated as a housemate. Him being the most popular housemate he shocked everyone as few weeks later he was the 7^th housemate to be evicted and the 26-year-old Katung Aduwak won the Big Brother season that year. The second Big Brother season was called “See Gobbe” which ran from January 22^nd 2023- April 9^th 2017 and the winner was “Michael Efe Ejeba”, the third Big Brother Season “Double Wahala” ran from January 28^th 2018- April 22^nd 2018 and was won by “Miracle Igbokwe”, the fourth Big Brother season “Pepper Dem” lasted from June 30^th 2019-October 6^th 2019 and the winner that year was “Mercy Eke”, next Big Brother season which was the 5^th season with the pandemic year was entitled  “ Lockdown”  , ran from 19^th July 2020- 28^th September 2020 and won by “Olamilekan  Agbeleshe” popularly called “Laycon”, the 6^th season was “Shine Ya Eye”, which ran from July 24/25^th  2021 – October 3^rd 2021 and it was won by “Harzel Oyeye Onou” mostly known as “White Money”, the next season which was the 7^th Big Brother season was called “Level up” and began on 23/24^th July 2022 and ended on October 2^nd 2022 and the winner was “Ijeoma Josephina” mostly called “Phina”. Presently, there is a Big Brother Season that is going on which is called “All Stars” and it began on July 23^rd 2023 and so far, two housemates have been evicted.

The Big Brother Naija “All Stars” season will be ending by September though the date has not been announced, the tension in the air is present to see who will win this Big Brother season as the housemates are not here to play especially with the tasks they carry out, they will do anything to win but now nobody is seen to be the winner. Question marks are still pending on who will win the Big Brother Naija “All Stars” season. This time it is a little tough and tricky because, several old Big Brother Naija winners and housemates have been brought back to compete amongst themselves now that is the catch that makes it difficult to determine who exactly will win this season.

Delia Nyadi