Here are 3 facts you should know about the ongoing Big Brother Naija (BBnaija) reality TV series which may be taken off-air soon. Being the 5th season of the Big brother television franchise which see contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a large cash prize worth 60M Naira, and other material gifts, at the end of the show by avoiding being evicted from the house by viewers.
1. Past Winners
The first season of the show had 14 contestants and first aired on DStv Channel 37 from 5 March to 4 June 2006. Contestants spent 90 days in the house and the voting results, verified by the auditing company Alexander-Forbes, saw Katung Aduwak clinch the top price.
The second season premiered 11 years after the first in 2017and saw 14 housemates spend 77 days in the house. Michael Ejegba clinched the top prize.
The third season followed straight after that the next year 2018 with 20 contestants spent 85 days in the BBNaija house and Michael Igbokwe from Imo state won.
The fourth season was aired last year 2019 over 99 days with 21 housemates and Mercy Eke came up tops.
The current season is the fifth season of the show with 20 contestants who will spend 92 days in the house and the winner will cart home N60M.
2. Hosts
The show has three hosts to date. The first season was co-hosted by Olisa Adibua and Michelle Dede. From the second season onwards, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has been the host.
3. Controversies
BBNaija has not aired without controversies over the years, from the occasional sex acts between contestants to allegations that the show is scripted and not a mere “reality” show, as well as voting controversies, get viewers talking. The show does not lack talking points surely. And it has been reported that the current Nigeria information minister, Lai Mohammed has ordered the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to take the show off-air citing the threat of spreading the corona virus among the contestant. Although the reasons may seem frivolous at least and at best weak; the owners of the show Multichoice has reported and showed evidence of taking steps to protect the contestants by quarantining them for 14 days before the show and banning the use of live audience.
And critics have often questioned the moral lessons or implications of the show on the Nigeria society; some claim it helps to erode the moral compass of the young ones by celebrating profanity. Such proponents advocate for educational TV programmes that are capable of engendering sound moral values that can help Nigeria develop as a society. Others argue it is a needed entertainment, especially during a global pandemic.
Whichever spectrum of the debate you fall under, it is hardly a question that BBnaija will always bring about a national debate among Nigerians.