Every year since 2017, thousands of people audition for big brother Naija. They do this with the hope that even if they do not win, they would become famous. Is this true? Does the show give fame?
Well, there is only one way to find out. We would examine all Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) editions since 2006, and see how former housemates have turned out.
The BBNaija show has had six seasons and the show has had over 200 contestants. The way the contestants have turned out would tell if the show gives fame or not. The winner of the maiden edition of the show, Katung Aduwak pursued a career in media after leaving the show. He is currently the CEO of One O Eight media. Although Katung has done well for himself as a professional, you cannot call him popular.
Unlike the winner of the maiden edition, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu has gone ahead to become one of the most popular Nigerians in the entertainment space. Ebuka, as he is fondly called by his fans, has hosted the BBNaija show since its resurgence in 2017. Ebuka is the biggest male fashion icon in Nigeria.
Although he was a housemate 16 years ago, Ebuka still has a lot of social capital. Most of the other housemates of the maiden edition no longer have any weight in today’s social space. Efe won the second edition of the show in 2017. He used the fame that came with winning as a stepping stone for his career as a rapper. Since then, not much has been heard or seen from him. Some persons believe fans voted for him out of sympathy. While in the house, Efe claimed to come from a poor background.
Bisola, another housemate in the 2017 ‘See Gobe’ edition, has gone ahead to headline many TV shows. She gets a lot of endorsement deals as well. Well, you can say she is still quite popular. Bisola was an actress before going into the Big Brother Naija house, so she had some fans before going in.
Other ‘See Gobe’ housemates like Kemen, T-boss, Thin Tall Tony still enjoy some attention from fans. Kemen is a fitness enthusiast, TTT acts in movies and gets some endorsement deals on the side.
The third edition of the Big brother Naija show was called the ‘Double Wahala’ edition. Miracle won this edition. Today, he is no longer as popular as he was then, and doesn’t feature in conversations in Nigeria’s entertainment space.
The runner-up of ‘Double wahala’, Cee-C is still popular. She still influences social media conversations. While in the house, she had a lot of fans, and outside the BB Naija house, she has remained very popular. Most people think she is very relatable.
The fourth edition has arguably produced the most socially relevant stars. While some may argue that this is because of the impact of social media. This ‘Pepper Dem’ edition appears to be the most controversial. A lot of fans clashed on social media, arguing about the housemates. Some fans even formed fan clubs to source for funds to vote for their favorite housemates. Happenings in the BBNaija house influenced conversations at gatherings all over Nigeria, and fans took sides. The Pepper Dem edition produced Mercy eke ‘lambo’ and Tacha. Other housemates include Mike Edwards, Frodd, Omashola, and Seyi Awolowo.
Tacha and Mercy had a face-off in the house, which led to Tacha’s Ejection on the 89th day. A lot of fans believe Tacha would have won had she not been ejected.
Since the end of the fourth edition, Tacha and Mercy have gone ahead to do well for themselves in the entertainment space. They are relevant and loved by their fans. They still get gifts from fans even though the fourth edition of the show ended two years ago.
Both of them were not very popular before entering the house. After leaving the house, they have gone ahead to become larger-than-life influencers for brands that have dealings with them. The Big Brother Naija Show provides a platform. Fame depends on the individual housemate. Charismatic housemates have taken advantage of the platform to build personal brands. Housemates who were previously in showbiz also used the platform to advance their careers.
Laycon of the 2020 ‘Lockdown’ edition has used the platform to propel his music career. Since leaving the house, Laycon has performed in many shows throughout Nigeria. The Lockdown edition of the show also included Dorathy, Nengi, Neo, and Vee. They are all still relevant in the social space today.
‘Shine Ya Eye’ is the theme of the ongoing edition of BBNaija. What will the contestant do with the platform they have?
BBNaija gives you a platform. What you do with it depends on you.