Scrap BBNaija now – Nigerian King
The King (Ooni) of Nigeria’s Kingdom of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has condemned the prominent television reality show, Big Brother Naija.
According to him, the show did not represent Nigerian values and was introducing the youth to a culture that is alien to Nigeria.
“The youths have misplaced their priorities and must redress it as a matter of urgent public importance. Big Brother 9ija reality show has been misrepresenting the goodness of the Nigerian youths.
Formerly known as Big Brother Nigeria, the show is a Nigerian reality competition television series, based on the Big Brother television franchise, in which 12 to 21 contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a large cash prize worth $171,428.57 and other material gifts, at the end of the show by avoiding being evicted from the house by viewers.
According to the traditional ruler, the show has been misrepresenting the goodness of the Nigerian youths.
A statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the Ooni’s palace, Moses Olafare on Thursday said, Oba Ogunwusi played host to scores of Nigerian youths from all parts of the country under the aegis of the country’s National Youth Council of Nigeria.
“I am not pleased with the low participation of the country’s teeming youths in leadership. In the last general election, the total number of vote cast is around 27 million while over 170 million people voted during the 2019 Big Brother 9ija reality show. This is a practical reality of who Nigerian youths are and where our priorities lie as Nigerians.”
“The funny side in all of these is that we still go to bed, have a good sleep and wake up with the hope to meet a Nigeria we didn’t create. Nigerians Youths! Unfortunately, every time I talk about this kind of attitude, everyone just laugh and moves on. What kind of nation are we building?
“When people say this country, or what kind of country is this, they are indirectly saying these people – it is the people that make a country; so what kind of Nigerian youths are we?” the Ife Overlord asked.
But the Monarch offered a solution, which he said will better project the country’s values.
He, therefore, charged leaders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria to work out plans on a new show to be christened “The Big Nigeria Reality Show.”
“The proposed show will be structured in a way that young professionals, talented individuals and others across several field of endeavour will be showcased and helped to reach their peak.
“This would help the participants and also help viewers to have access to people that can be seen as role models,” the Ooni added.