Big Brother Naija first launched in 2006. When MultiChoice Nigeria brought it back with See Gobbe in 2017, Nigerians were more than excited and prepared for the show. Each instalment since its return has been uber-successful, and the show continues to grow each year. Each season has produced some of the biggest stars across the country.
It has become a vital part of the Nigerian entertainment industry for its entertainment value, financial implications, and constant influx of new celebrities. It was only a matter of time until someone tried to tell the show’s story so fans would understand what goes on behind the scenes.
And one day, only a few weeks to the new season, Lagos-based media, marketing and technology company ID Africa, owners of Netng, took on this task. They opted to tell this story from the eyes of the producers, housemates, and sponsors. After much deliberation between the team and their production partners, Pinpoint Media, on the show’s impact, they decided it was a story that had to be told. They followed the show from its inception till date, shining the light on some of the most frequently asked questions.
A few weeks of planning, strategising, and mood-boarding gave way to perhaps the most fun part of putting together the documentary. This writer, who also took the interviewer’s place, went with the production crew on a journey. We interviewed each housemate, influencer and executive that appeared in the documentary and had a swell time doing it. While I’ve gotten the honour of interviewing several Big Brother Naija alumni, I’d never gotten to see them in their territory, and it was a revelation.
Prince was candid, Bisola was hilarious and honest, Alex was super fun and welcoming, Elozonam was both a clown and a genius, Ozo was straightforward. Ebuka was timely and a little intimidating. Mercy was sweet and thankful, Nengi was beautiful in every way, and Laycon just wanted us to fall in love with his music. Each interaction opened our eyes to one thing – these people are as human as they come. They are also privileged and misunderstood, and their lives are definitely not easy. Their stories of both glory and gore had us in awe and will essentially form part of this documentary.
As you may have already deduced, the documentary follows the lives of former housemates – Bisola Aiyeola, Prince Nelson Enwerem, Mercy Eke, Laycon, Alex Asogwa, Ozoemena Joseph Chukwu, and Nengi Hampson. It covers their journeys into the house and the changes they’ve undergone since their appearances in the different seasons.
Six seasons down, 120 housemates on the show, millions of views across several countries, over a billion votes later, and millions of fans across the continent later, BBNaija’s story is finally being told. The documentary BBNaija: The Fame, The Fans, The Frenzy also shows fans a rare view of what goes on behind the scenes of the successful reality show. Fans will finally hear the famous ‘Kayode’ speak about deciding who and what to show viewers part-time on the reality show.
Viewers will also get to understand what makes someone worthy of being named a housemate. The CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe and other top management of the organisers of the show gives some insight into the selection of housemates. They talk about the audition process, tests, and whether or not you’ll need some connection to make it into the house.
The documentary is your one and only source into the intriguing happenings of what happens behind the scenes on your favourite reality TV series, Big Brother Naija. BBNaija: The Fame, The Fans, The Frenzy premiered at the ninth edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive9) on Friday, April 29, 2022. You can now watch this documentary on Netng’s YouTube and insidebbnaija.com.
