Izuchukwu Okosi
Reality television shows in Africa has been a nice way for families to relax after their daily hassles and also to enjoy reunions.
There has been many great contents on our screens and on the airwaves.
One reality television show that has captivated the viewers since it’s inception is the Big Brother Africa/Naija.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Big Brother franchise has churned out great talents despite the many campaigns to end it due to its adult contents.
The Beginning
The first edition of the show on the African continent was held in 2003 with Zambian procurement officer and part-time model Cherise Makubale emerging winner of the $100m prize money. The first edition was launched on May 25, 2003 and the finale was on September 1, 2003.
Nigeria’s representative, Bayo Okoh was the second runner-up (3rd position) in the maiden edition.
After the elegant Cherise, other stars emerged from the competition winning higher prize monies including a couple of Nigerian representatives.
Tanzania’s Richard Dyle Bezuidenhout was the second winner of the show in 2007 and it was Ricardo Venencio who claimed the big prize in 2008.
Nigeria’s Dominance
In 2009, the show started to get subtitled and from then on, we had Nigerians as part of the winners.
The 2009 BBA show was called The Revolution and it was won by Nigeria’s Kevin Chuwang Pam who hails from Plateau state. That was the year a Nigerian host graced the podium for the first time.
Ik Osakioduwa became the brand new host for the Big Brother Africa and he held on to that contract between 2009 and 2014 when the last edition was filmed.
There were also other Nigerian winners after Pam. The next year, actor and presenter Uti Nwachukwu won the All Stars edition which housed 14 housemates in 91 days.
Karen Igho and South Africa’s Kaegan Petersen clinched the prize in 2011 making it the first time that a duo will win the ultimate prize.
Delectable Namibia’s beauty, Dillish Matheus became the winner of the Season 7 edition called The Chase the following year, 2012.
Nigeria was represented by the late singer under Kennis Music label Susan Oluwabimpe Filani Harvey best known as ‘Goldie’ who died on Val day of the following year, 2013 in Lagos.
Note from the season 4, when Nigeria started making serious presence in the show, the prize money increased from $100,000 to $300,000.
Tanzania’s Idris Sultan was the last winner of the Big Brother Africa show in 2014.
So the Big Brother Africa programme ran between 2003 and 2014. It could not be concluded in 2015 as the location was regrettably burnt down in an inferno.
Thankfully there was no victim.
With a seven year hiatus now over, fans of the show cannot wait for the return of the biggest reality show on the African continent.
Prime Business Africa scooped that casting for the 2022 edition is already ongoing.
The expectation is that Nigeria will present a credible housemate to ‘rep’ the green and white colors of the country when it does hit our television screens sometime in the middle of the year.
The brand new Big Brother Africa will be back soon. The countdown to the official launch will start soon.
The Big Brother Mzansi ‘season 3’ coverage which aired from 23 January 2022 was an appetiser for the bigger spectacle.
Watch this space
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
