If you follow me on Twitter, you might have noticed that since August, my tweets have majorly centered on Big Brother Naija. This is a Nigerian version of the Big Brother franchise that followed after Big Brother Africa was ended. Recently, I found myself chatting with a friend who asked me why I bother watching the show. While the obvious answer was that I enjoyed the drama that unfolds, explaining to the person made me realize the hidden reasons why I watch Big Brother Naija. Reasons that many may carry but not realize them.
During the explanation, I found myself elaborating reason upon reason, which I thought I should share. The obvious reason for watching the show is the learning the viewers have, which some choose not to accept, unfortunately. However, let me share with you the few reasons I have for watching the biggest reality show on the African continent.
5 Reasons why I watch Big Brother Naija
1. It is a Social Experiment
The whole point of Big Brother Naija is to lock up people from different socio-economic aspects of life in a house for 72 days. Housemates nominate each other, often weekly, either based on strategy, alliance or emotion. As viewers, we vote for the housemate we want to be saved in the house, and on the last week, we vote for the housemate we want to win. The last man or woman standing then goes on to win 90 million Naira in prizes.
But, let us go back to the actual reason. Big Brother Naija is a social experiment bringing together housemates from different tribes, cultures, ages, social statuses, and more. The show shows us how people adapt to others, especially those who happen to be different from them. Although, most times, their differences warrant viewers drama and clashes between the housemates.
At the same time, you get to see from someone else’s viewpoint, how emotions can develop for people within a short period of time. Season 3 gave us a Bambam and Teddy A marriage. season 4 was Gedoni and Khafi, season 5 gave us a beautiful relation between Vee and Neo and currently, Liqourose and Emmanuel seem to be loved up.
As human nature, we love being in people’s business. And that is what we viewers do, we keep up with the business that happens within the house. At the same time, viewers will gravitate towards certain housemates based on the similarities of their socioeconomic or demographic bases.
2. The importance of Strategy
This is a game, and each housemate understands that. Every housemate goes into the Big Brother Naija house with a strategy that can help them win the 90 million Naira. Recently, fights in the house erupted because a housemate, Pere, thought Whitemoney was using cooking as his strategy not to be nominated by the rest of the house. And yes, people can use cooking as a strategy. In Season 3 of Big Brother Africa, Hazel used cooking as a strategy and ultimately finished as a Runner-up of the show.
At the same time, some have used romantic relationships to gain more fans outside of the house. While others make alliances with other housemates to make sure that they are not often nominated for possible eviction.
Either way, we learn that having a strategy is important to win in life.
3. Social constraints and biases
Like I said in the first point, this is a social experiment. In such an experiment, there are bound to be social constraints (informal) that viewers will expect housemates to live by. In the current season of Big Brother Naija, there was a married woman who joined the show. She went on to have a sexual relationship with another housemate, a thing that did not make people happy. Both she and the guy involved were dragged online for their deeds.
That brings us to the issue of biases. Viewers tend to be the most biased people when it comes to housemates. What is deemed to be evil for one, is deemed okay for another. Thus, even on the issue of the married woman having an affair in the house, people (both married and single) found it atrocious. But, some of them are no different from the lady, neither are they any different from the guy with who she had the relationship.
4. Glimpse of societal problems
Every season, you are shown just how deep some societal problems are rooted in people, both housemates, and viewers. Every year, the shows give us heroes and villains. You see housemates who are narcissists, misogynists, and more. Likewise, you see viewers who find such people to be okay and will stan them. They embrace their evils and even defend their actions to others.
At the same time, you see issues of mental health (one housemate left this year due to his psychological state), issues of homosexuality (often viewers assuming one is based on their actions), and even slut-shaming based on how free one housemate is with themselves and their body.
Then you see other deep-rooted issues of beauty. You see viewers openly slandering housemates for being too dark, while others are naturally loved for being fair.
5. It doesn’t make us intelligent
This, like other reality shows, does not make one intelligent. At most, it makes one appreciate the talents of others, but intelligence does not get boosted. Imagine saying your IQ got higher after seeing housemates count rice or beans for a full day.
The show is entertaining, we even lose sleep just to watch housemates enjoy a party. But that’s what makes us glued to the screen half the time.
To conclude, the show often makes viewers feel better about their own shitty lives. It amuses us to see people in weird scenarios, but sometimes, you learn how to navigate it if you ever found yourself in that position.
So, in case you wonder why people watch Big Brother Naija, here are the few reasons there are.