Bbnaija, past, present and future

Big Brother Naija, formerly known as Big Brother Nigeria and popularly known as Bbnaija or Bbn, is a Nigerian reality competition television series, based on the Big Brother television franchise.

It is a reality show where 12 to 21 contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a large cash prize and other material gifts, by avoiding being evicted from the house by viewers.

The housemates are continuously monitored during their stay in the house by live television cameras as well as audio microphones. Throughout the competition, they are voted out (usually weekly) until only one remains and wins the cash prize.

Bbnaija Reality Show has made a lot of people( Former Housemates) Millionaires and Celebrities.

As a result of fame and wealth associated with whoever participated in the show, it has made some Nigerians pursue it by all means. During season 3 edition, it was reported that people were jumping the fence on the day of the audition.

It was survival of the fittest, it was like the kingdom of God which suffers violently, and the violent take it by force.

Past

The first season of the show was in the year 2006. The first season of the show was first aired on DStv Channel 37 from March 5 to June 4, 2006.

The name is inspired by Big Brother from George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The first season of Big Brother Naija had 12 original housemates which included Ebuka which is now the host. Ebuka was one of the most popular housemates, and many people thought he would emerge as the winner of the show.

However, he turns out to be the seventh housemate to be evicted, and many viewers blamed Joe's Fan Club (JFC) a fellow housemate of his eviction.

Joe himself followed suit not long after Ebuka was evicted.

In a twist to the game, two new contestants were introduced on Day 23, much to the excitement of the remaining housemates.

Big Brother added another twist to the game on day 79 by cancelling the day's scheduled nominations and making the housemates believe they will instead be evicted based on their performances on assigned tasks. In reality, no more evictions were held, and viewers began voting for the winner who turned out to be 26-year-old Katung Aduwak.

After the 2006 show, Big Brother Nigeria went to extinction to reopen after eleven years in the year 2017.

Big Brother Naija  Season 2 (2017), was known as See Gobbe. It was launched on 22 January 2017 and is slated to end after 78 days. The season two of the show housed 16 housemates which Efe later emerged as the winner.

From 2017, it has turned to become an annual show. The 2018 version which marked the 3rd season was tagged 'Double Whala'.it was launched on 28 January 2018 and ended on 22 April 2018, having run for 12 weeks (85 days).

Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe was the winner of this season.

The season four was hosted in Lagos Nigeria instead of usual South Africa with 21 housemates. It commenced on 30 June 2019 on DStv channel 198 with Ex-housemate Ebuka Obi-Uchendu from season one continued as the host.

Mercy Eke later emerged as the winner of season four 'Pepper dem gang'.

Present

The present happens to be season five. Due to the emergence of Coronavirus pandemic, it was assumed this year season of Bbniaja wouldn't hold.

However, the organisers have proved to be at the top of the game as the organisation had announced of the upcoming edition of this year Bbniaja.

The online audition for the season five commenced on May 20th to 30th. Nigerians have their finger crossed as a result is yet to be announced.

Big brother Naija show for some years now especially the last two seasons have encountered a series of attack from Nigerians who have a negative view about the show.

Some believe the show promotes immorality and such shouldn't be aired on public television where anyone can access it.

The last two seasons of Big Brother indirectly promoted nudity and immorality. I can recall an incident between two housemates Teddy A and Bambam vividly. It was reported the duo was having sex while in the house. They weren't the only housemates that engaged in the act, but theirs was captured in the camera.

Often, we see Miracle and Nina in a 'slow-motion movement' that portrays intercourse is taking place, and the expression plastered on their faces also betrays them.

Future

Considering the attack on the show, some assert the span of the show will be short-lived and may probably fold at any moment.

I don't see Big Brother Naija show ending anytime soon. What I can see is a glaring future before them. The show has produced some of the country's biggest pop culture influencers and celebrities.

Looking at the likes of Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Gideon Okeke, Katung Aduwak, Bisola Aiyeola, Miracle Ikechukwu and Tobi Bakre, one will be encouraged and motivated to follow the trace of these.

In a country like ours, where unemployment and hardship is the order of the day, the youths can't do away with such an exciting opportunity of getting rich and gaining fame.

It is an undeniable fact that immorality abounds in Big Brother House; however, not all housemates display such nudity and immorality. Moral decadence has engulfed the whole society and what we see in Big Brother House is just a reflection of society.