The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe, has said though the reality show Big Brother Nigeria (BBNaija) platform has united and empowered youths, its erotic content is inimical to the Nigerian culture.
Runsewe in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja frowned at sexual scenes aired on the show, saying it undermines values that define the culture of Nigerian people.
According to him, the BBN platform has united and empowered youths from different background, but its erotic contents are alien and inimical, especially to young Nigerians.
He said: “Big Brother Naija is okay, but the content needs to be looked into because it does not reflect the culture of us as a people.
“There is nothing wrong with Big Brother Naija; it is a good product where so many Nigerians meet, youths in particular; so, we are happy for it.
“But the content is wrong; you cannot be making love, with our children, our youths watching, on air.
“We will not, because of the money Nigerians will win, destroy our tomorrow because of some economic strategy.
“We are not claiming to be saints, but even the British Police have condemned their own person who was involved in the act.
“We want to build a Nigeria with better tomorrow, and make our environment to be seen as culturally friendly, not to promote nudity and immorality,” he said
He, however, debunked reports that the his agency was prevailing on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to shut down the BBNaija programme and replace it with another one that would be broadcast by Star Times.
He explained that the council, as a custodian and promoter of Nigerian culture, was planning to work with relevant stakeholders to present a reality programme that will promote Nigeria’s rich culture and values.
He, however, added that it was not an initiative being conceived to rival the Big Brother Naija brand.
“What I said is, if they don’t change the content of Big Brother Naija, I will make a formal report to NBC, and I have done that.
“I have respect for constituted authority and I will do the right thing the way it should be done by following due process.
“We are not planning to replace big Brother, we want to have something that reflects Nigeria to the world culturally.
“It will showcase Nigerian food, Nigerian cloth and all that represent whom will are as a people positively,” he said.
The National Council for Arts and Culture, established in 1975, is charged with the responsibility of coordination, development and promotion of the Living Arts and Culture of Nigeria at national and international fora.
NAN reported that Big Brother Naija, formerly known as Big Brother Nigeria, is a Nigerian scripted version of the Big Brother reality competition television franchise.
The first season of the show aired on DStv Channel 37 in 2006, a second edition premiered on January in 2017, a third season premiered in 2018 and a fourth season started on June 30, 2019 in Nigeria.
