Big Brother Naija: A menace or an auspicious reality show

By: Benjamen Olaniran

Over the last 7-8years, the DSTV reality show, BigBrother Naija has found its way into our roting and morally bleeding society. No man can tell the positivity in the rationale of having such a show in existence, especially in a country like Nigeria.
It has been recorded that every occasion of the reality show, since its existence, a number of individuals are locked, caged, restricted and perhaps constrained for many weeks in the quest to having a huge and scary sum of money in the possession of whoever emerges the winner at its completion. It is confirmed that gaining entrance or access to the constrained room requires days and hours of audition which every interested individual must undergo. Surprisingly, many well-to-do young ladies and men find their ways, irrespective of the manner, into the house.
The rationale for this TV show is absolutely unknown to quite number of people on this part of the space. The relevance of this in moulding our society is totally a mystery to many. No one can tell in what way this show has either helped or contribute in proferring solution to the menace eating us up as a society.
Nonetheless, people are placed on the premise that it is a means of putting reduction to the rate at which the cankerworm poverty has been eating us up as a milieu. This comes with the conviction that every participant earns one thing or the other at the completion of the documentary which is enough to make them useful to society. Alas! The conviction is a nightmare as no concrete proof to that.

However, it is believed in some quarters that the contributes greatly to our digital economy through the entertainment sector. It is described as a show that aims at projecting housemates for fame and identification with whatever craft they’re into. Apart from enriching the winner, other housemates become the faces of many brands. Likewise, many companies are able to keep people abreast of their products by being a co-sponsor. These undoubtedly boost our economy. Most of housemates/participants become relevant in their chosen career at the completion of the show and are tend to be established in their chosen careers.

No doubt, different games and intellectual tasks are given passages and encouraged in the course, subjecting every participant into application of his/her intelligibility and extra-brain task.

The seemingly promotion of moral decadence, which appears to be on the high side is somewhat a heavy concern. Little did we know that most teenagers get their lives endangered at the viewing of the show even with its rating as an 18+ show. Sadly, many parents see no negativity in granting permission to their little ones in viewing such.

PS: This piece is not a condemnation of BigBrother Naija, as it’s widely called, rather a call for decency and moderacy to its course. This will help in reducing immorality among youths.

Benjamen, Segun OLANIRAN is a writer, critic and postgraduate student of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan.