Big Brother Show Plus Its Pros and Cons

Oladotun Fadeyiye

Without sounding like a bore, I have for many years tried to decipher one wholesome impact the popular TV reality show,Big Brother has had on the younger generations in Africa and across the world and I have come to realise its negative vibes is gradually out- weighing the positive impact. One positive impact that has been recorded so far is, in Africa, Big Brother reality show has been used as a tool to propagate and foster unity amongst the African housemates and African audience. Don’t get this wrong, I’m not out to condemn any reality show but rather I would like us to do the analysis logically in this write up.

Aside from the fact that this show equally turns the lucky selected participants/housemates to overnight celebrities with some cash benefits, those many of us do not understand the criteria for their qualification for the show in first place. Big Brother criteria for selecting participants are somewhat far from being open which makes it look somewhat shady with some underlining factors in consideration.

Curiosity they say kills the cat, My curiosity about Big Brother took me to the Big Brother Audition in 2008, that was the year Kevin Pam won tons of dollars at the Grand finale. The audition venue was Protea Hotel, Abuja that year. When it got to my turn, we were asked to form group of 4 to 5 persons and think of spectacular presentation before the judge. A small box was given to our group stuffed with sex toys and other things which we were expected to use as part of the costume for the presentation. My group ended up with a drama presentation. After all the stress none of us was picked.

It was then I began to ask myself what exactly does Big Brother use as yardstick for selecting his housemates for every show, some people claimed he wants a famous person and celebrity so as to make the show a spectacular one, but I don’t see that claim as true, because there have been few Nigerian representatives in Big Brother who were not celebrities until they got into the Big Brother . The likes Ofunneka, bayo, Ola, karen amongst others.

Actually that is not what I intend to discuss about BBA, however digression sometimes is essential for my fans/reading public to know little about the subject matter, particularly for the benefits of those who have no idea of BBA. People like me lol.

Well, call me old-fashioned, in spite of my curiosity which took me to the Big Brother audition, I am yet to vividly grasp the message Big Brother intend to pass across to its viewers in Africa and across the globe. Perhaps the main objective is beyond just entertaining them. Let us begin from the strong content perspective and promotion of obscenities which was why National Assembly called for outright ban of the show in Nigeria some years back. I know some people will say if I had been one of the winners on Big Brother I wouldn’t even thought of this write up. They forget life is not about what you get, it is simply about what you give to life and numbers of lives you touch while alive.

I often ask myself these hilarious questions: do they intend to pay those ladies who they film during their shower sessions after the show?. Or they just save the film for the future use?. Or the more daring you are in the house, the bigger your reward? Yet they claim they want real people who is willing to portray his or her true character without faking.

The frequent bonking amongst the housemates while still in the house is to what end? It was even rumoured that a particular housemate actually got impregnated by another housemate in the first edition of BBA in the early 2000. This I would call pure immorality in disguise which is gradually becoming part of our daily lives.

I tell you, this sort of show doesn’t suit our moral values in this part of the world. It is completely at variance with our beliefs too. And I have always say that the only thing we know how to do is always trying to fit in into western culture and lifestyles which would only compound the problems of decadence that we are already facing in Africa.

I am a critical person and call me a kill-joy you like cos’ I don’t know how they expect viewers to sit on the couch 24 hours a day just watching some group of people with some sort of charade. Most young persons, who are supposed to be engaging in productive activities have as a result become indolent overnight because they claim they got one favourite housemate whom they would love to watch always and vote for.

Let’s face the fact, we all know few of these reality shows are not wholesome for our values, yet we indulge in them. Parental control for the strong content will not help cos some parent are just too lax to remember that. It is now Reality show versus local content; Big Brother instead of NTA news..lmao. To worsen the case, kids of nowadays are TV/computer smarter than anybody at home which makes it easier for them to manipulate TV programs to suit their wishes.

There is no doubt that tons of dollars are expended on Big Brother show every year and lucky housemates do hit their windfall through it but I still believe the show could have been impactful if it aims more at helping the participants/housemates to hone and develop their raw talents/skills so as to enhance their capacities and extend their range, rather than its undue focus on what they do behind close door, sex, booze, party and nudity. This would help the winner to develop the sense of investment for proper channeling of the windfall, because many of these contestants often squander the windfall on frivolities without any sense of investment after the show.

Cheers!