“Big Brother Naija,” the popular reality television show formerly known as “Big Brother Nigeria,” has finished its fifth season with the announcement on September 27 of Olamilekan Agbeleshe (Laycon) as the winner. He received the most audience votes after multiple rounds over a period of 71 days and will be awarded N85 million (approx. $221,000 USD). The season began on July 19 with 20 housemates, all aiming to survive elimination, or “house eviction.” Erica Nlewedma was the first to be disqualified after violating house rules by feuding with well-known rapper and television personality Laycon Oze. According to Vanguard Nigeria, she threatened to kill Laycon. Her fans set up a GoFundMe page to support her after she was disqualified. The 5 finalists were Vee, Neo, Nengi, Dorathy, and Laycon. The fifth season attracted millions of viewers across the country, the continent, and the world. Also known as the “Lockdown Edition,” Multichoice company paid N$10 million in production costs. Multichoice’s CEO John Ugbe declared that the company was pleased to put smiles on the faces of clients, even in troubling times.
Nigeria rivals South Africa as Africa’s top economic power, and is at the forefront of the fashion and entertainment industries in Africa. The music, film, and fashion sectors have seen rapid growth in recent years. Nigeria’s film industry, also referred to as Nollywood, ranks second in the world after India’s Bollywood for size, with both topping Hollywood, according to Reuters. Nigeria is the seventh most populous country in the world, and the most populous in Africa, with more than 206 million inhabitants.
