Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has criticized the Nigerian government for not banning the BBNaija reality show
By Kehinde Okeowo
Veteran Nollywood Actor, Emeka Ike has lashed out at the Nigerian government for giving a nod to the hosting of the BBNaija reality show in the country.
In an extended rant during an interview with Premium Times, the actor condemned the show and concluded it has no value to Nigerians.
Emeka Ike also made a case for season 6 housemate, Tega, who was widely criticized for his getting romantically entangled with another male housemate, Boma despite being married.
The 54-year-old explained that most women in Tega’s shoes would have done the same thing given the amount of money involved.
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He wondered why the reality show is still being aired in Nigeria even though other countries have stopped, saying the Nigerian government didn’t ban it because of the financial gains.
Speaking to Premium Times, Emeka Ike said:
“Please, tell me, which country in the world still holds ‘Big Brother’ aside from Nigeria? Now South Africa started the ‘Big Brother Africa’ show. For moral reasons, because of their youth, they shut it down. They were making money too, from it. We had ‘Big Brother Ghana’, it was shut down. ‘Big Brother Africa’ was shut down too.
As a nation, we are not benefiting anything from ‘Big Brother Naija’; it is just an individual that gets N90m, N80m, or N100m. Now, why can’t our government act responsibly and do what they are supposed to have done? Like other reality shows, ‘Big Brother Naija’ is of no moral value for Nigerian youths. It teaches you how to be a snitch.
“Now we are talking about morality; a married woman has gone to disgrace herself. If there is poverty anywhere, anything can happen. To recruit Boko-Haram youth is as easy as snapping your finger. The recruits know they are going to die anyway, so you can see that poverty is indeed a disease.
“So, placing an N100 million prize money on any girl that can go naked or have sex in public or national TV just shows us how damaged and immoral our society has become. Everybody is just thinking about how to survive and has thrown caution to the wind.
“I’m disappointed that the government in place is not seeing things from this angle. Look at a married woman in front of the whole of Nigeria, a married woman was called out, right in front of all of us. Does that make
“What do you think will happen, would she kiss? Won’t she kiss? Would they make love? Won’t they make love? Walia! If you bring out N100 million, hundreds of Nigerian women would do all sorts of things.
“The Nigerian government has impoverished her citizens so they don’t even care about us, the youth. They only care only about the money they make from that BBNaija. I’m sure they are making huge money from it. They are running a banana republic where things don’t go right. I don’t expect any miracle. The entertainment industry is going through the same process that the country is experiencing.
“We don’t have leaders to adjust the industry, create enabling laws, and guide the industry to its proper financial boom. They are just willing to make small money from BBNaija and DSTV.
“What are our children learning, what are they learning from this show, please tell me?”