People have the freedom to choose what they want to watch, writes Samuel Olaoke
I am a late convert to Big Brother Naija reality TV show. I started watching the show this year having followed, passively, the previous editions on social media platforms which can be relied upon to be unreliable in rendering the true picture of things. The other admission I want to make is that my interest in Big Brother Naija or BBNaija – to use the circumcised version of its name – is to stay in tune with the current flow of trend, so I can have something to talk about whenever a conversation about it occurs when socializing. I am usually embarrassed at being unaware of what is hip or not.
In my second week of watching the show, the religious group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), called on the government to ban BBNaija, claiming it promotes moral debauchery among “our children”. The group, obviously, believes the show is of no value. Its position (which I respect but disagree with) was supported by a segment of the population but was derided by those who derive entertainment and other values from the show. It is basic that the show’s soar-away popularity, year after year, is based on the perceived value it delivers to its fans, participants (housemates, as they are called) and other interested parties. I will get to that later.
Positions like MURIC’s have been canvassed in the media, most recently by Mr. Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC). Runsewe, according to a report in The PUNCH, disclosed that the federal government is planning to produce a counter-BBN show, which will promote Nigerian culture and ideals – whatever those are – in collaboration with a pay television operator. I believe this is a fantastic idea, one that should deliver a show of another hue. I hope it happens soon, giving us variety and an opportunity to gauge its appeal and most importantly, its high production standards. That part of Runsewe’s proposition is the way to go, not that of people seeking to make their ideas of entertainment, culture and morality into a constitution for the rest of humanity. I understand that tastes differ and as such, a show like BBNaija would be seen through a prism of divergent perspectives. It is normal to watch the show and have different perspectives but to demand a ban on the basis that the show is wholly un-Nigerian is a position I cannot agree with.
Those who complain that the running edition of BBNaija is anti-Nigerian culture, I believe, have seen only what they want or have been conditioned to see on the show. Should they take their blinkers off for a minute, they would see that the show is exposing some of the housemates to Nigerian culture. Through the show, Khafi, Ike and Mike, all of whom came in from the diaspora, are having first-hand experience of the Nigerian culture. Similarly, the cultural tasks to which housemates are assigned expose them huge diversity of Nigeria’s cultural heritage. The coronation of Seyi, the in-house “Tor Tiv”, which was one of the tasks assigned to the housemates recently, is a demonstration of this. It was clear that prior to the task, many of the housemates had little or no knowledge of the culture of the Tiv people of Benue State. Some also knew next to nothing about prominent historical and traditional figures such as Queen Moremi, Queen Amina, the Emir of Kano and the Obi of Onitsha. The unfamiliarity of some of the housemates with such figures has been addressed through such tasks. In addition, cohabiting with people from different backgrounds for the duration of the show, I believe, has the potential to aid housemates’ understanding of people of other cultural backgrounds, especially at a time when ethnic division is rife. In addition to this, the housemates get exposed to new things through the various endurance and creative tasks assigned to them. These test their physical and mental capabilities.
The last edition of the show caused a firestorm because it was shot in South Africa. This year, the house is situated in Lagos, with an overwhelming percentage of the production crew and providers of logistical services being Nigerians. The contribution of the show to the economic well-being as well as creative growth of those involved cannot be dismissed. For the housemates, there are other socio-economic benefits. The overall winner gets a prize totaling N60million, including a Sports Utility Vehicle.
BBNaija also offers a platform for fame within a very short time; a springboard to other things they may wish to do. Joe, who spent two weeks before he was evicted from the current edition of the show, had ample opportunity to show his skills in painting, calligraphy and drama. These are things, aided by the exposure via BBNaija, which will fetch him gigs in the creative space. Many housemates in previous editions benefited from similar opportunities provided by the show. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, who was on BBNaija Season 1, kicked on from there to become one of the most sought-after comperes in the country. He is currently host of the show. Bisola Aiyeola, an actress and singer, has become a celebrity in her own right, featuring in a series of commercials. Also, Cynthia Nwadiora (a.k.a. Cee-Cee) and Tobi Bakre from BBNaija Season 3 are experiencing an upward trajectory in their careers, with both individuals securing roles in Nollywood and appointed as ambassadors for various local and international brands.
I cannot dismiss the concerns of those who view the show as somewhat sexually explicit, but I think parents and guardians are the ones with the responsibility to ensure their wards watch age-appropriate television content. Pre-launch, MultiChoice, organizers of the show, repeatedly informed viewers that BBNaija is rated 18. This was succinctly emphasized by Mrs. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, wife of the Ekiti State governor, in a recent article about the show.
“In the interest of protecting our collective human rights, those calling for the scrapping of BBN should take it easy. We cannot mount surveillance over what is appropriate for consenting adults to watch. The show is rated 18 and people should learn how to operate the Parental Guidance controls on their televisions. If we go down this road, one day some people will call for the banning of all those indigenous Africa Magic Movie channels full of witches, Juju men and the like. Then we will have a full blown war on our hands,” she wrote.
Furthermore, in acknowledgement that there might be sensual activities on the show, the organisers have taken the necessary preventive steps to ensure that explicit scenes are not broadcast live on television.
By choice, I did not watch for many years until now. The freedom to choose not to watch, I am certain, has not been taken from anyone. Promoting the idea that steamy content is available only on television, as many seem to do, is one I cannot understand. The internet is a trove of this all year round. So what do we do? Ban the internet?
