The Big Brother Nigerian reality TV show is one of the biggest reality Tv shows in Nigeria. It is also one of the biggest if not the biggest in Africa. Ranging from the past couple of years, crossing over to almost two decades now.

 


The first season of the show first aired on DStv Channel 37 from 5 March to 4 June 2006. In a twist to the game, two new contestants were introduced on Day 23, much to the excitement of the remaining housemates. it's relevance and importance to our Culture cannot be overemphasized at this point in time. 

 The last concluded season of the reality TV show was special and unique, it involved the coalition of promising contenders of different seasons of the past, to compete amongst themselves to win a more promising and mouth watering prize. Ilebaye Odiniya, the winner of the just concluded season 8 of the Big Brother Nigeria show recently took to her Instagram handle to complain to her fans, the public and all who cared to listen about not receiving her promised prize. 

 Be it known that the prize of the 2023 Bigbrother Naija edition was the sum of 120 million Nigerian naira. This was promised to the winner alongside other incentives to participants and contestants in the show. After several pressure being placed on the organizers by Ilebaye and her friends as well interested interested parties, About some days ago, she later took to her instagram live session and announced that finally, the said sum of 120 million has been awarded to her. 

 Ilebaya’s revelation came hours after the Season 7 winner, Josephine Itabor, also known as Phyna, called out the show’s organisers over unredeemed star prize. Ilebaye Odiniya, known as the ‘GenZ Baddie,’ won the show’s 8th season, the “All Stars Edition.” She won the ultimate prize of N120 million ahead of 19 other roommates vying for it. While the organisers have yet to address the claims by the Season 7 winner, Phyna, preparations for the 9th season are still underway as the audition is still ongoing and is said to end on the 20th of April 2024.

This is not the first time a winner announces not to have touched their prize money. The fourth season of Big Brother Naija launched on 30 June 2019 and was dubbed “Pepper Dem.” Unlike previous seasons, the show held in Nigeria and aired for 99 days with 26 contestants for the N60m worth of prizes. 

For this season, Bet9ja Coins were introduced as a new house currency. Mercy Eke emerged as the winner of the show and became the first female to win the reality TV show. She carted home a total of N60m, including N30m cash, Innoson Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N25m, a trip to Dubai and other prizes. The video vixen and entrepreneur, on March 14, 2020, received the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Dressed Female.

 She also bought a house in Lekki, Lagos. She and her love interest during the show, Ike, have gone on to launch their own reality show “Mercy & Ike.” She also launched her own real estate company, Lambe Homes. Also, Hazel Oyeye Onou, popularly known as Whitemoney, a 29-year-old entrepreneur, emerged winner of the reality show, ‘Shine Ya Eye’ edition with N90m grand prize.

 Whitemoney, who is currently basking in the euphoria of the moment, has built a name for himself in the field of entrepreneurship. When he arrived in Lagos, he went from being an Okada man to becoming an importer and exporter of luxury shoes and lip balms. Whitemoney earned a living barbing, selling hair products, retouching, and working on telecommunication towers before entering into the importation and exportation of designer shoes, which he now does.