Big Brother Naija (BBN) 2018 started with a characteristic bang on January 28. When the last edition of the reality show ended on April 9, 2017, it was uncertain when the next one would happen. Big Brother Naija, which was broadcast on pay-Tv from January 22 to April 9, 2017, had replaced Big Brother Nigeria, which was launched in 2006. Considering the 10-year pause between the first and second seasons, it is remarkable that the third season is happening a year after the second one.
The winner will take home N45 million and a new SUV after surviving the twists and turns that come with the 85-day show. To make progress, the housemates need to win the endorsement of the voting public, and no one is ever sure how the public will vote. Last year, the prize money was N25 million plus a new SUV, meaning it’s a bigger show this time.
The General Manager, Sales and Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, was quoted as saying: “The last edition of Big Brother Naija was incredibly successful and we see just how much the show continues to resonate with fans in Nigeria and around the continent.”
There is no doubt about the show’s popularity. This is how a vivid on-the-spot account last year captured the reality of the show’s mass appeal: “Winner of reality show – Big Brother Naija (BBN) – Efe Ejeba yesterday arrived into the warm embrace of his admirers. The crowd of fans in branded T-shirts had waited patiently for about three hours, singing and dancing at the Arrival Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, to give a rousing welcome to Efe. Efe, who arrived in Nigeria with Bisola, the first runner-up, was further delayed by airport officials and co-passengers, who struggled for photo ops at the luggage arena after disembarking from a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg, where the show was recorded for 78 days.”
The report continued: “Outside the airport, it was hectic for the team of policemen and protocol officers from MultiChoice, organisers of the show, to shield them from the crowd, and usher them into the waiting convoy… In the last three months, Big Brother Naija was estimated to be the most watched show on the African continent, shutting down Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with trending issues daily.”
It is noteworthy that the show attracted various criticisms from various quarters last year when it started, and even when it ended, particularly the emotionally charged argument that the choice of South Africa for a Nigerian-content show was inapt, if not insulting to a country that enjoys being described as “Giant of Africa.” Another major criticism of the show was its alleged devaluation of moral values by the depiction of an apparently amoral universe. Also, the show was criticised for its alleged artificiality, which contradicted its supposed reality. In addition, it glamourised vanity and materialism, critics said.
Indeed, South Africa’s role as host of the show was such a hot issue that the Federal Government directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to investigate whether the offshore arrangement had breached the Nigerian Broadcasting Code in any way. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had said in a statement: “As a country of laws, only the outcome of the investigation will determine our next line of action. ”
It is interesting that, despite the investigation, the show went on to the end, suggesting that the investigators found nothing amiss. It would appear that the explanation by MultiChoice made sense and the arrangement could not be faulted on legal grounds. A defensive statement issued by the company had said: “We have a fully equipped house in South Africa, which is used for the Big Brother shows. This means that we are able to achieve high production values whilst meeting tight timelines and ensuring the show comes to our viewers on time as planned, and with the same globally renowned quality. The house has played host to other Big Brother countries including: the general Big Brother Africa, Mozambique, Angola and now Nigeria.” The point is that nationalist and patriotic sentiments were not strong enough in this case, and the organisers and sponsors based their calculations on unsentimental business considerations.
Talking of the business angle, it’s a profitable venture for the organisers. An analytical report last year said: “During the final live eviction show on Sunday 2nd of April, Ebuka announced that for that week only, they received over 11 million votes. Although not all votes were through SMS, which by the way cost ?30 per vote, a large percentage could have come through that channel. At ?30 per vote, 11 million votes amount to ?330m in just one week out of the eleven that Big Brother Naija ran for. Usually, telcos take 70% of revenue generated on SMS shortcode services. That leaves about ?99m for MultiChoice, the organisers. This amount could be much higher, depending on the revenue share agreement between MultiChoice and the telcos. Remember that the above figures reflect only one week of voting…”
There is no question that BBN has its upsides, the winner’s enrichment being one. It was a turning point in the life of Efe, the 23-year-old Economics graduate of University of Jos who won last year. Another positive side of the show is its projection of Nigeria and Nigerians. It is not only entertaining; it is also enlightening, considering its focus on human interaction in a “special living environment.”
BBN3 started with 20 “unique, diverse and interesting Housemates”: Nina, Vandora, Teddy A, K.Brule, Princess, Alex, Dee-One, Miracle, Ahneeka, BamBam, Rico Swavey, Bitto, Khloe, Ifu Ennada, Angel, Leo, Anto, Cee-C, Lolu, and Tobi. According to the organisers, “It’s going to be a long and bumpy ride and the stakes are high…The game will challenge every part of the Housemates talents and will expose all of their weaknesses too.”
This year, it’s Double Wahala, meaning “there would be double entertainment, double wahala, and double eviction. The housemates will be paired, and this means that if one housemate gets evicted, his or her partner leaves too. If a housemate gets a reward or punishment, the partner will also be at the receiving end.”
In the final analysis, it is a thought-provoking reality that over a decade after the show’s first season, Nigeria is still considered unsuitable for hosting it.
