Uncutxtra Magazine - Volume 10 by uncutxtra

UNCUTXTRA AIMS TO BE THE NUMBER-ONE PUBLICATION OF CHOICE PROVIDING INTRICATE DETAILING OF ALL THINGS RELATING TO ENTERTAINMENT, FASHION, LIFESTYLE, TOP AFRICAN ACTS, AND EMERGING TALENT WITHIN AFRICA AND BEYOND. UNCUTXTRA PRIDES ITSELF ON THE CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF INSIGHTFUL, IMPACTFUL AND INNOVATIVE CONTENT, AND THIS REMAINS AT THE EPICENTRE OF ALL THAT WE DO

TIPS TO HAVE A FUNFILLED HOLIDAY

1. Create Memories, Take Pictures Go to a photography studio and have pictures of you taken. Take pictures of your holiday adventures and post on social media and watch out for likes, comments and stuff.

2. Shop Exquisite Outfits Only Depending on where you want to go, you should only pick exquisite outfits for your hols.

3. Gamify Things This is especially applicable if you have an immediate family. Organize a mini contest, making sure to incorporate what each person is good at so that everyone gets to win a prize. Stage competitions in: Manners Street creed Puzzle Quantitative reasoning Ludo Chess Card games e.t.c.

4. Explore New Genres It might be scintillating to check out a different music genre or book genre. Visit a record store, a book store, a public library. Try doing some: Beyoncé Céline Dion James Hadley Chase Mills and Boon P.D James Chimamanda Ngọzi Adịchie Thomas Hardy Sci-fi, etc

5. Expand Your Horizons Do some fun researches. Find out some myths and facts about yourself, your cynosures, films, controversial people, places, cultures and topics: What is your star sign? What temperament are you? Where did your great-grandfather migrate from? Why Oprah? What’s up with 50 Cent? How much of ‘Merlin’ was CGI animation? What really happens at the Bermudan Triangle? Why is feminism repugnant and homosexuality demonized? What was the idea of sati in India?

6. Try Some Gastronomic Stunts Pulling some gastronomic stunts might be exciting: Eat out Variety is the spice of life. Order pizzas, apple pie, tart, shawarma, ngwọngwọ, vol-au-vent, ice cream, scrambled eggs, chicken, name it. Go on a food holiday if you can afford it. Get someone to bake you a cake or bake it yourself if you can. Eat junk foods if you please; a holiday does not last for always.

7. Make Changes in Scene and Outlook Nothing bores like the normal and ordinary. Do something out of the ordinary: Take a different hairdo / haircut Decorate the house Rearrange your room Visit a friend and stay the night Go on tour Go on safari Check into a hotel, even if it’s in your area Go for a picnic.

8. Take Ego Trips and Do Selfless Things Do things that make you feel important and give you a sense of self-aggrandizement and gratification. Typical examples may include the following: Give to charity Visit orphanage homes, senior citizens homes and prisons, give gifts, pocket their appreciation and revel in the happiness you are able to produce in them.

9. Do What You Want It’s a holiday, please yourself. Do the things that you get kicks from: Get out of bed late. Vegetate, just be lazy. Swim Take a hike Party all night Go to the beach Perambulate

Go where the action is. Be alone Hang out with friends Practice your hobbies Visit a museum Go to the gym

10. Plan in Advance You might have experienced an annoying lack of idea of how to do something just when you have got the wherewithal to do it. This subsists with holidays too. You find that you are confused as to what to do. To escape this painful experience, note down, as soon as they come, every inspiration and brainwave regarding having a blissful holiday. Otherwise, when the holidays come, you will seek them and may not find them.

By Nelson O.

hether you’re a movie enthusiast or a film producer in the making, we’ve got just the thing for you. With a rise in streaming services on the African continent, as well as major global cinema festivals such as Sundance and Tribeca devoting themselves to offering better displays of representation, the prospects for African filmmakers to create a name for themselves in the business are numerous. We’ve thoughtfully compiled a list of various producers - ranging from legends to newly-emerged independents - whose movies and shows are definitely worth checking out.

1. Mo Abudu Mosunmola Abudu, popularly known as Mo Abudu, is a media mogul, philanthropist, and former human resources management consultant from Nigeria. Mo Abudu founded Ebonylife TV (ELTV) in 2006, a network that caters to a pan-African audience in more than 49 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom and the Caribbean. Other notable credits include, but are not limited to, The Governor and The Wedding Party 1&2.

2. Leyla Bouzid Despite the fact that her father, Nouri, is one of Tunisia’s most well-known directors, Leyla Bouzid has carved her own path, working as an assistant director on fellow Tunisian Abdellatif Kechiche’s LGBT coming-of-age drama, Blue is the Warmest Colour. Her debut feature film, As I Open My Eyes was selected for numerous international festivals and earned over 40 awards. A tale of love and desire, her second feature film, was released in France on September 1, 2021.

3. David Tosh Gitonga David Tosh Gitonga, better known as Tosh, earned a Diploma in Marketing from the Kenya Institute of Marketing in 2003. In 2002, he worked as a production assistant on the film Dangerous Affair. Tosh went on to work as an assistant director on numerous other projects, including Afrika, mon amour (2006), Malooned (2007), and Garden of Eden (2007), before directing his first personal feature film, Nairobi Half Life.

4. Genevieve Nnaji Genevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian producer, director, and actress. She was the first actor to win the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, in 2005. Her debut feature film as a producer, Road to Yesterday, starring herself and Oris Erhuero, was well received, and its popularity fueled her desire to direct her directorial debut, Lionheart (2018).

5. Blitz the Ambassador Samuel Bazawule, better known by his stage name Blitz the Ambassador, is a Ghanaian hip-hop performer, director, author, and visual artist residing in Brooklyn, New York. He made his directorial debut with The Burial of Kojo in 2018. Bazawule also founded the Africa Film Society, which is devoted to the preservation and distribution of classic African cinema. Being one of the eight directors of Beyonce’s August 2020 album, Black is King, is one of his greatest successes to date.

6. Mildred Okwo Nigerian film director and producer Mildred Okwo has strove for high quality production standards all her life, and is even is credited for giving previously mentioned Genevieve Nnaji, her career defining moment in her debut feature film 30 Days (2006). Okwo, together with eleven other Nollywood practitioners, created the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee (NOSC), which was recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to screen Nigerian films for submission to the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film category.

7. Shirley Frimpong-Manso Shirley Frimpong-Manso is a Ghanaian film director, writer, producer, and founder of Sparrow Productions, a film, television, and advertising production company. Her films are well known for their “fierce female leads,” which depict African women who can be breadwinners and lead complicated lives. Frimpong-Manso co-produced the TV show Heart to Heart for two years after graduating from high school alongside producer and actress Juliet Asante. Different Shades of Blue, Personalities Kitchen, and The Miss Ghana Pageant are just a few of her other productions worth mentioning.

8. Kemi Adetiba Kemi is a Nigerian film, television, and music video director who began her career as a radio presenter with Rhythm 93.7 FM, where she became the voice of two nationally syndicated smash shows: Soul’d Out and Sunday at the Seaside. She is most famous for The Wedding Party and King of Boys. Adetiba created a sequel to King of Boys, and Netflix was there to not only licence but also gain exclusive streaming rights for the film.

9. Bonga Percy Vilakazi Bonga Percy Vilakazi is a man who has accomplished a lot while working behind thescenes in South Africa’s television industry, resulting in very little information being known about him. He is a series producer on one of South Africa’s most-awarded TV shows, The River, and a creative producer on the telenovela Legacy. When reflecting on his career, he says, “It feels like my story

was written for me way before I existed, and I just stepped into it.”

10. Funke Akindele Bello Akindele-Bello Olufunke Ayotunde is a Nigerian film actress and producer better known as Funke Akindele or Jenifa. Akindele rose to fame after appearing in the popular UNFPA-sponsored sitcom I Need to Know, and the Omo Ghetto trilogy helped advance her career. She made her directorial debut with the 2019 political drama film Your Excellency, which grossed N17.5 million in its first two days and went on to become the fourth best grossing Nollywood film of the year with N105.5 million.

By Sorana Cristecu

igerian Pop Music is fast becoming a dominant force in the music world. The groundbreaking success of “Love Nwantiti”, “Essence”, and more recently “Peru” is proof that if all or most hits on the Nigerian Pop scene get as far as the international market, they will edge out major competitions on top global charts. Regrettably as is often the case, these songs have to enlist the name and brand of a renowned international artiste to break even. Nonetheless, a good number of works by afrobeat artistes which have failed to do significantly well in the Nigerian cum African market have gone on to dominate at the foreign market. Whether it is for growth or to stack up cash in foreign currency, afrobeat artistes are now constantly looking to tap into the foreign market.

Fireboy was awarded by music streaming platform Audiomack for surpassing over 350 million streams on the platform. In fact, Google-related searches show actual requests for “Peru” by Ed Sheeran with results revealing Fireboy as the original owner. Naturally, people would go on to stream his other music. As it stands, 21 Savage and Blxst have equally jumped on the song which translates to more penetration and earnings for the singer. But when African artistes define their genre of music as native to their country or continent, it betrays that ideal when they seek only popular Americans or foreign musicians to sing with, especially since their types of music are worlds apart. That iswhere intent and purpose fail to meet at a tangent.

Why the International Market Has Constantly Remained a Viable Option for African Artistes?

Apparently, Afrobeat artistes are finding new audiences in the US and other international territories following the presence of Spotify and other subscription and advertiser supported platforms like Boomplay, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Google Play, among others.

The list of the biggest recorded music markets in the world is compiled annually by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

This is alongside TikTok and other video-based platforms that have accounted for the incredible success of several African songs that usually go global via trends, hashtags, and social

According to the report for 2021, growth in the music industry “was driven by streaming, especially by paid subscription streaming revenues, which increased by 18.5%. Europe, Latin America, and Asia made it as some of the top and fastest regions with the highest growth in recorded music revenue.

media challenges. History has also shown that an international collaboration for afrobeat stands a good chance of success if the artiste or project either has a good precedent in the foreign market, a

The United States has, however, remained the biggest market for recorded music globally with a growth rate of 7.4%. Revenues in Europe, the second-largest recorded music region in the world, also grew by 3.5% with strong streaming growth of 20.7%.

Any Hope for Africa? Featured as a region in the IFPI report for the first time, recorded music revenues in Africa and the Middle East region increased by 8.4%. The numbers were said to have been driven primarily by the Middle East and North Africa region (37.8%). The report also noted that streaming dominated with revenues up to 36.4%. The success of Fireboy’s “Peru” and other similar projects leave so much to tell that there are immense benefits that come with international collaborations. “Peru” was released on 20 July 2021. It was not until Ed Sheeran jumped on it four months later that it immediately put the lights on Fireboy shooting their song to the top of global charts. The remix as a matter of fact replaced even Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers” and Adele’s “Easy on Me” to emerge number one on UK Apple Music Top Songs. It equally recorded a major milestone by becoming the fastest Afrobeat song to be certified silver in less than 5 weeks. (A record is certified Silver after it has sold over 200,000 units.) On the heels of the immense success of Ed Sheeran’s “slide-in”,

record that is already doing well on its own, or best be when the international brand or artiste love the music or genre enough to want to affiliate themselves with it. This is also bearing in mind that international collaboration will most likely work well for afrobeat artistes like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Omah Lay, Tems, Ayra Starr, Ckay, among others. This is because the type of afrobeat they make — afropop essentially — has a leaning with some of the genres already in the foreign market. In addition, it is important to mention that it doesn’t matter how large of a profile the foreign artiste has. Nicki Minaj, Lil Bay, Young Thug, and a host of other names were on Davido’s fourth studio project, and the album is no match compared to his antecedent, “A Good Time”. Wizkid’s “Blessed” is an incredibly sonically rich record but failed to match the same acclaim as ”Essence” despite Damian Marley’s huge profile. These international collaborations have their own import nonetheless but if they must score any groundbreaking success, it will certainly be for returns that are not short-lived.

Conclusion Above all, international collaborations are good for their worth. The difference is that the international market is appreciative of very good music and keeps playing them. As a matter of fact, “Essence” is still being played in major parts of the United States and the UK. But in Nigeria especially, good songs have a way of dying a natural death for another hit. There are loads of afrobeats songs in the archive that have not exhausted their full glory. It is only a matter of time before we start seeing the pattern of “dead” songs on the afrobeats space resurrecting once they hit the foreign market just like CKay’s global hit.

By Nelson O.

Christy O

is one of the ex-housemates of the 7th edition of the Big Brother Naija reality tv show(the Level up edition). Though the beautiful ex-housemate was evicted from the season very early, she had a lot of knowledge to dish out about the show, her experience, and her thoughts about some of her fellow housemates. One of Afrobeatsglobal’s presenters, Omobolanle Adigun (@Omobolanleadigun_) had an interview session with her as they discussed her personal life, her experience in Biggie’s house, and her progress since she came out of the Big Brother Naija house.

Who is Christy O? Ok, first let me tell you about the origin of the name ‘Christy O’. Christiana is my name while Ojumu is my surname. My family members call me ‘Christy’ but when I was going on the show, I had to contemplate whether to just use ‘Christy’ or not. I realized it was boring that way because I was picturing what Big Brother would call me. I suddenly realized that adding the initial of my surname to Christy sounds more interesting so I retained it. As for my educational background, I studied International relations and Diplomacy at Afe Babalola University. A sister wanted to be an Ambassador but here we are. (Laughs)

How many times did you audition for the Big Brother show? Twice! I auditioned during the lockdown period because everyone was bored and then for the Level-up season which I was a part of.

How did you feel when you got a notification that you’ve been selected? When I got the call that I got qualified for the first stage and can proceed to the physical stage, I screamed “what!” but I was trying to be composed while on a call with the lady that called to inform me. After I ended the call, I screamed and went to eat good seafood.

Some people auditioned for the role of a housemate and got selected as a fake housemates. How would you have felt if you were selected as a fake housemate? Honestly, when I came out of the house, I wished that I was a fake housemate because you have four weeks guaranteed in the house which I know that I would have made the most out of. I was a real housemate but I spent just two weeks. The only thing is when I heard Modella’s side of the story that she was only informed the morning before she went into the house that she was a fake housemate, it made me feel some type of way though.

What are your thoughts about Big Brother’s twists this season: Level one, Level two, and then eventually created level three? When I went into the house, I was expecting to be in a house with twenty-seven other people like the regular show we know because we were paired during the lockdown period. I was expecting to see my roommates and others until I heard about the whole level one and two thing. Personally, I do not like the dynamics of this season because the other house had to nominate people for eviction, people they barely knew and only formed an impression about from the short task/game moments. That’s why I’m here for instance! But it’s Biggie’s house and his rules.

be selecting. Based on your personal experience, is this true?

If you had stayed longer in Biggie’s house, would you have been in a relationship? If yes, with who? I don’t think I’ll have booed up with anybody. But then, I can’t say because that house is cold. I told Biggie that I love cold o but this one is extreme. So please don’t blame anybody. And for the ‘who?’ question, I spoke about liking Deji’s body but not his personality though.

I think most people believe that Big Brother is like a Poverty alleviation scheme so when people see rich kids in there or people that look rich, they automatically think they bought their way in. They feel Big Brother should pick the wretched people. I feel like Big Brother has certain dynamics that are worked with each season. Like this year, it felt like they worked with the Gen Zs, last year it was different. I mean I didn’t know anyone and I got in. During my first application, I made it to the second phase too. And I’ve met housemates who said they didn’t know anyone too. People think so because of the level of corruption in the country but this also has to do with luck. Pharmsavi tried once and he got in but there are thousands of people who have been trying but haven’t gotten in so it’s expected that such people conclude that it’s fake but please just keep trying.

Most people have the notion that auditions for reality shows are fake as the organizers already know who they’ll

What has changed since you stepped out of the Big Brother house? Before, nobody cared about me but now if I say ‘A’, many people are reading meanings to it. Also the love I get from celebrities I look up to is so amazing. They chat me up and encourage me. It’s a good experience!

Which housemate are you closest to? While in the house, I was very close to everyone but especially Phyna, Amaka, Pharmsavi.

Most housemates blame some of their actions especially the negative actions on being in a confined space and on alcohol. Having been in the house yourself, what are your honest thoughts about this?

happy that even though I was sick, I still showed my talent: I played drums, did the talk show thing, and that’s why I was noticed as a threat anyway.

Before going into the house, it’s easier to judge people. I used to say “how will you fall in love with someone in five days?” but being in the house, that notion changed. You see the person every day so you get fond of them. Also, in that house, you need someone in your corner. As for the alcohol thing, I don’t buy it. I feel like alcohol just pushes out piled-up thoughts but people try to blame their actions on something.

Oh my goodness! Everyone keeps asking. (Smiles) No, Pharmsavi is just my friend.

What are your honest thoughts about the romantic ships in your set? I don’t think any of those ships are 100%. In that house, you need warmth and someone in your corner. Wait until you get outside and start hearing facts about what the other person said about you and face other people. Except you both decide to consciously make it work outside the house, outside is an entirely different space so the relationships may not thrive.

What do you think will be the highlight of your set’s reunion show? Yo! I can tell you for a fact that it’s going to be crazy! Because I came out and heard this person said this and that. Wow! And the fact that I think there was inner rivalry due to this Level one and level two thing, there‘ll be hot confrontations from the start of the reunion show till the end.

Ebuka self go tire!

You were reserved in the house but out here, you are fun. Are you naturally a reserved person? I’m not even close to being reserved. While we were camped, my skin started reacting to the water so when I got into the house, Biggie had to provide some medications for me. This drug affected me because it made me so dull and always made me sleep and this was on in the first week. And the first week is when people start to form impressions about the housemates. I had to take care of my skin and still had to be out there. But I’m

Any hope for a romantic ship with Pharmsavi?

What’s the career plan for Christy O? Before I went into the house, I was a Tech girl so I’m pushing through with that. Also, I’m pushing through with my cosmetics brand and my Talk show which I showcased while in the house. Lastly, anything that puts money in the bag; modeling, acting, and every good deal, I’m in for it.

How do you deal with negative comments? People will definitely talk but trust me most of them are fake. People bully me online but when they see me, they can’t talk; rather they want to take a picture with me. Trust me, most people that troll you just want to be like you and that’s why they are pained so don’t let it get to you. Also, when I post online, I just go offline; I don’t read comments or engage. Most times, it’s my friends that see stuff online and inform me or even warn me not to come online. And when I read some, I laugh hard. You need to have a really thick skin honestly because when I came out of the house and saw the level of hate, I was wondering how? because I didn’t even stay so long in there. It just has to be that they are beefing my glory!

What’s your message to your fans? First, if you have intentions of going to the Big Brother show, it is very real and please discard the fact that you need to know the Director or somebody before you get in. Keep trying! Also, don’t stop trying! Also, if you want to go to the show please have something to do too so that when you come out of the house, you’ll have a fallback plan because it’s not easy starting from scratch. And to all the Christars (my fans), I love you!

he Big Brother Naija season 7 was filled with so many thrills, controversies, and intrigues. But here are highlights of outstanding ones.

LEVEL 3 TWIST The Level Up Season held its sixth live eviction show and Doyin, Eloswag, and Chomzy became the 12th, 13th, and 14th housemates to be evicted. However, in a surprising twist, Big Brother kept them in a new house, known as the Level 3 house. The show host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, who made the announcement during the Sunday live show, added that the evicted housemates will be guests in the level 3 house till September 18, at least. According to Ebuka, the evicted housemates are unaware of the new twist as they were left to wonder if their eviction was real or fake. Unfortunately, Ebuka cleared the air pointing out that the eviction was real and that the evicted housemates are only guests for a period of time.

The Crazy Altercation Between Rachel and Bella BBNAIJA female housemates Rachel and Bella had one of the most heated altercations of the thLevel Up Season. It began on one of those mornings when Bella complained about how the food made by Rachel was dished and that she preferred beef to the chicken she was given to which Sheggz utterly referred to Rachel as being stupid for giving Bella chicken. Things got out of hand when Rachel retorted by insisting that the generation of Sheggz is the stupid one. This did not go down well with Bella who wanted to fight for her man. As matters got to a head, Bella pushed the food originally

dished for her in Rachel’s face and it ended up spilling on the floor to the displeasure of most housemates and viewers. This action alone saw many viewers calling for the disqualification of Bella or issuing a warning strike to her.

THE HIGHEST NOMINATION EVER WITNESSED FOR EVICTION

lodged in separate houses.It was particularly thrilling when the two groups of housemates, known as Island and mainland housemates came together for the first time since the beginning of the show. They all reacted with excitement to seeing their co-stars from a different section of the house during the reunion at their first Arena games after the doors opened.

The Level Up Season witnessed one of the highest nominations for eviction. A surprise eviction that no one expected saw Amaka evicted from Biggie’s house. Immediately after one of the head of house games, the housemates were called into the diary room to nominate two housemates for possible eviction. Amaka was nominated six times for eviction. For receiving the highest nomination, she was immediately evicted from Bigge’s house with the remaining housemates except for the head of house and deputy head of house automatically up for possible eviction that week.

The BBN celebrities raced around, gave each other hugs, and laughed with enthusiasm as they shared the memorable moment. They appeared to be really delighted to see the others.

ISLAND AND MAINLAND MEET

The disqualification of Big Brother Naija’s housemate, Beauty Etsanyi Tukura was a major talking point for fans and viewers

Upon the kickoff of the show, the housemates were divided into two groups and

During the card games they played to decide which house they would be in, it was learned that the housemates had already become acquainted. Additionally, it was said that some of them shared a room.

Beauty’s Disqualification

of the reality tv show as fans in their large number signed a petition to bring her back into the big brother house. Beauty was originally disqualified from the Level Up Season in the show’s second week after she was involved in a series of confrontations with some housemates and earned herself three strikes. She picked several issues with certain housemates during her stay, having had altercations with Phyna, Bryann, Illebaye, Groovy, among other housemates. The petition started with Beauty’s supporters pleading with organizers of the reality TV show to bring back their favorite housemate into the house. The petition tagged “We are requesting the organization of Big Brother Naija to bring back Beauty” garnered over 3000 signatures.

CHICHI REVEALING SHE WAS ONCE A STRIPPER One of the housemates in the reality TV series Big Brother Naija, Chinenyenwa Desire Okoebar, also known as Chichi, admitted that she is not ashamed of being a stripper. This revelation met with so various reactions sending tongues wagging. Chichi reaffirmed that she was not ashamed of her hustle and that she earned decent money while working as a stripper. She pointed this in a conversation with Bella and Sheggz at the House.

ace it, whether you love them or love to hate them, reality shows are one of the most popular TV genres in Africa. The evidence lies in ratings and viewership numbers. Every year, millions of Africans invest their time and energy in various reality shows. Who doesn’t love the tears, joys, chaos, excitement, and rise in blood pressure that these shows give to viewers? Although the consumption of TV shows from other countries in Africa remains high, the last few decades have witnessed a boom in the production and consumption of African reality TV shows. The “idea” that any idea can become a reality show has led to the creation of hundreds of them on the continent. While some of these shows are unique, others imitate their foreign counterparts. How then does one shift through hundreds of these reality shows to get to the premium ones? What are the highest-grossing reality shows in Africa?

Big Brother Naija Big Brother Nigeria is the most popular reality show in Africa. It holds the record for the most watched non-sports program in Africa. In recent years, among the numerous reality shows on TV, Big Brother Naija has had the highest viewership and online engagement. It is a Nigerian reality competition based on the Big Brother television franchise, in which selected contestants called ‘housemates’ live in a house that is isolated from the outside world to compete for a grand prize. The daily lives of the housemates are broadcasted through live cameras and audio devices, and the goal is to live together whole constantly voting each other out till a winner emerges. It started broadcasting in 2006 and ran for nine seasons before it was canceled in 2015. Although it had contestants from many African countries, it didn’t enjoy the type of fame that has become synonymous with Big Brother Naija. In 2020 alone, the fifth season of the show had viewers from most African countries, recording 900 million votes and digital impressions that ran in the billions. The following year saw a 44% increase in votes and views. one of the reasons for this popularity is its ability to attract the public’s attention by presenting diverse viewpoints on various subjects, including those that are considered to be too sensitive for public discussion. Its tremendous influence is felt in various aspects of society, from politics and religion to education and the family. Although the reality show is broadcast in 49 countries in Africa and is popular around the world, it has not yet reached its peak. The show is expected

Young, Famous, and African Despite being a relatively new reality TV show, Young, Famous, and African displaced most of its counterparts as soon as it was introduced to the African reality scene. Released in March 2022, it became Netflix’s first original African reality television series. Produced in Johannesburg, South Africa, the show follows a group of A-list African entertainers as they work on their craft, make new relationships and navigate through old ones, while doing fun and crazy things that celebrities do. It features prominent media personalities from Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The central character is a South African actress and media personality, Khanyi Mbau. The Nigerian celebrities are Annie Macaulay and her popular artiste husband, 2Baba.

central character is a South African actress and media personality, Khanyi Mbau. The Nigerian celebrities are Annie Macaulay and her popular artiste husband, 2Baba. Swanky Jerry, a fashion designer, and entrepreneur appear as the peacemaker of the group. Tanania’s Diamond Platnumz and his ex-girlfriend, Zari Hassan, are also major casts of the how. Other cast members include Nadia Nakai, Naked DJ, Jeremiah Ogbodo, Kayleigh Schwark, Quinton Masina, and Andile Ncube. Although only one season (with seven episodes) has aired to date, the show is well received by millions of viewers all over the world. Peace Hyde, one of the show’s producers expressed the show as an opportunity to show the rest of the world “a different side of Africa.” And it executed that well. Apart from the unnecessary display of wealth, the show actually presents Africa in a beautiful way. The successful and diverse casts cancel the common narrative of a poor and struggling continent. And that is a reason for its mass appeal.

The Real Housewives Franchise A group of rich, attractive women who have expensive tastes, and entertain viewers with consistent dramas, silly fights, family life, and steamy romance; who doesn’t love the Real Housewives franchise? Not Africans. After years of enjoying the foreign versions of the show, the franchise is now one of the most popular reality TV shows in Africa, with installments in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Lagos. The first Real Housewives show aired in America in 2005, documenting the glamorous lives of high-class women who lived in the affluent suburbs of Southern California. The success of the show led to its international reception which opened the door for 11 American installments, 19 international installments, and 23 spin-offs. The recently released Real Housewives of Lagos was so well received that it trended for weeks on Twitter in Nigeria, South Africa, the UK and many other African countries. It was the main source of entertainment on the continent for a while, entertaining people who wanted to immerse themselves in the emotional roller coaster life of housewives. The other African versions also enjoy similar levels of success, which has pushed the franchise to become one of the biggest in Africa.

ho doesn’t enjoy a little reality TV once in a while? Although there are several of them around, some stand out from others. With decades of presence in several countries, these top guns are the mothers of reality TV. One such example is the much-loved Big Brother franchise. Indubitably one of the most popular and successful reality TV shows in the world, the Big Brother franchise spans decades in over 62 countries and regions of the world. Although most viewers are familiar with the concept of the show, and have ready knowledge of the exact words of a housemate in a particular episode that aired ten years ago, many know little or nothing about its origin. Did you know that the idea behind the show is derived from a book? Here’s a brief breakdown of the beginning of today’s television most addictive reality show. A Dutch media tycoon called John de Mol Jr. is the mastermind behind the Big Brother franchise. He is also credited as the creator of other major reality TV shows, including “The Voice” and “Fear Factor.” The show first aired on Veronica TV in the Netherlands in 1999, before gaining international recognition. The early seasons provided essential amenities to the housemates and nothing more. Common luxuries enjoyed in subsequent seasons were absent from the original ones. This format added a subtle survival theme that helped increase its potential for public controversy. The term “Big Brother” comes from George Orwell’s critically acclaimed novel, Ninety-Eighty-Four (1984). Published in 1949, this dystopian social science fiction explores the dangers of a totalitarian society for its inhabitants. The show mirrors some of the themes in the novel.

“Asleep or awake, working or eating, indoors or out of doors, in the bath or in the bed - no escape.” The above sentence was taken from page 21 of the novel. Similar to the book, “Big Brother is always watching.” There is no privacy for the contestants and with the help of 24/7 live cameras and audio, they are always under Big Brother’s supervision. Although it has been modified and improved over the years to adapt to the changing times, the original concept remains the same. Contestants referred to as “housemates” are isolated from the outside world for a set period of time, usually a couple of months. They are housed in a purpose-built house overseen by an invisible formidable figure - ‘Big Brother.’ In a “Diary Room”, the housemates convey their personal thoughts and opinions to Big Brother and reveal who they want to evict. During their stay, all the activities and behaviors of the housemates are monitored and broadcast through live cameras and personal audio devices. And what exactly is the game? Co-existing with complete strangers who are constantly voting each other out until a winner emerges. Since its inception as a small reality television program, the Big Brother franchise has become an international hit in the reality game. Besides following the original theme, there is no international standard for the organizers of the show to follow, so there are different versions in different parts of the world. From ‘Big Brother Naija’ to Argentina’s ‘La Casa de al Lado’ (‘The House Next Door’) and India’s ‘Bigg Boss’, there is no limit to the imagination and creativity of organizers. But who benefits most from this unlimited creativity? - the audience. The show provides an avenue to escape their comparably boring lives for a while, to relax and enjoy the adventures of unfiltered Big Brother housemates. That is one of the reasons for its immense success. The ability to capture the endless attention of fans with vicarious entertainment comes from the stark display of human interaction in an enclosed space. The Big Brother franchise is no stranger to criticism and controversy. While the moral compass of society condemns the franchise for embracing and promoting immorality, some sections of society interpret it as a display of nothingness. Some even associate the show with the Illuminati, due to its distinctive logo and symbolism. But for those who just need to wind down at the end of a strenuous day or hardcore fans who monitor the housemates even while they sleep, Big Brother is pure and undiluted entertainment.

If you’re looking for a new favorite show and ad-

diction for the next two weeks, we have compiled the perfect list for you. Although often judged for all the controversies they’re known to create, the numbers don’t lie when it comes to these reality

shows. Whether you’re longing for a glamorous, high-end lifestyle, or looking to find something more relatable, or even if you just want a laugh at the end of the week, this list of African reality shows has something for everyone.

1. Judging Matters While there are numerous courtroom-based TV shows out there, you must be familiar with the highest-grossing of them all, Judging Matters – a reality TV show that helps to address difficulties through the arbitration system and is best suited for small claims and minor disputes. It’s a show with no attorneys’ fees, no registration fees, no prolonged delays or postponements, but rather a forum where cases can be heard without fear of being dismissed as unimportant, and where judgment is rendered immediately. The show brings light upon the Lagos State Justice system and is an interesting watch beyond legal action fanatics.

2. Young, Famous & African Because the audience loves conflict and romance in reality shows, “Young, Famous & African” could not be missed from this list. This Netflix original show features the lives of a group of friends who are performers and A-listers, from five African countries - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania - as they go about their lives having fun, dating, and bickering in Johannesburg, South Africa. Actor Khanyi Mbau, artist Diamond Platnumz, and rapper Nadia Nakai are just a few iconic names to keep an eye out for. Not only that, but the show also showcases the continent’s best fashion, music, and social media gurus. This spontaneous show is designed to provide fans all over the world with the best entertainment possible.

3. Shoot Your Shot Big Brother Naija star Bisola Aiyeola presents “Shoot Your Shot” - a fun and fresh Nigerian dating show. As the show’s host, the well-known personality joins the cast and assists those who are pursuing their crushes in meeting them and winning their affection. The debut season was very well received and the former BBNaija housemate and AMVCA winner Bisola Aiyeola retained her position as host of the show in a second season attempting to match two potential lovers by setting up dates for them to take their relationships to the next level.

4. Kyallo Kulture If you enjoy keeping up with the Kardashians, get ready to keep up with the Kyallo sisters. You won’t be able to take your eyes away from the screen as Kenyan media star and thriving entrepreneur Betty Kyallo and her feisty sisters, Mercy and Gloria, take us through the ups and downs of love, business, family, and womanhood. Across 13 episodes, Kyallo Kulture delves into traumatic incidents surrounding Betty Kyallo’s life. You will also be able to watch the sisters in their element as entrepreneurs, including days in the life of Mercy, the CEO of Yallo Leather.

5. The Real Housewives of Lagos If you know anything about entertainment, you’ve probably heard of The Real Housewives, a worldwide reality television franchise with 11 American installments, 19 overseas installments, and 23 spin-offs. The majority of the franchise follows the private and professional lives of a group of wealthy women who live in a specific city. The Lagos installment is no exception, giving us all the drama and “girlboss” energy we could ever want. Candice Fangueiro, Showmax’s head of content, says: “We can’t wait to show the continent – and the world – another side of Lagos, with all the drama, high fashion and luxury you’d expect from The Real Housewives franchise.

6. BIG BROTHER NAIJA When it comes to the highest grossing African reality shows, you know Big Brother Naija can’t be missing from the list. The Nigerian reality competition, based on the Big Brother television franchise, revolves around contestants living in an isolated house and competing for a large cash prize. The verdict of the whole show is in the hands of the viewers, who can evict any contestant until there is only one last standing. Becoming a housemate on Big Brother is the quickest method to ascend to stardom in Nigeria. The excitement and intrigue of the past BBNaija seasons catapulted the show’s popularity and participation, making it one of the most popular reality TV shows nationally and internationally.

7. Nigerian Idol Nigerian Idol is the national adaptation of the Idol franchise. The show premiered its inaugural season in 2010, coinciding with the country’s 50th anniversary, with the tagline “Live Your Dream. Accept No Limitations.” The show is known for its authentic interactions between the competitors, judges, and viewers at home. Progress Chukwuyem, the May 2022 winner, stated: “Music is my life, it’s everything, and it comes from a place of passion. So definitely from here, I’m making music – great music. I’m going to express myself in the best way that I can. Out here, I do not compete with anybody, so I’m going to take it one step at a time.”

8. Being Bonang In “Being Bonang”, businesswoman, TV and radio personality Bonang Dorothy Matheba presents us the real her and her way of living. Despite the show’s success and the fact that both fans and “haters’’ tune in to watch and keep up with her, Bonang went so far as to say that filming season three of her hit reality show was “one of the worst working experiences of my life,” but she still provided a terrific performance. According to The Citizen, Being Bonang’s ratings smashed records for the channel that broadcasted it, with 1.86 million viewers for the first episode alone.

9. Survivor South Africa Survivor South Africa is a reality game programme from South Africa, based on the famed international Survivor format. It includes a group of strangers who are left stranded in a secluded area and must provide food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves, as in all iterations of the show. The July premiere of Survivor South Africa: Return Of The Outcasts brought back former castaways, giving them a second chance to prove their worth. This year’s winner revealed his ideas for how he intends to spend the cash reward, saying: “This is such an incredible start to married life! There are a few special people in my life that need some assistance who I am definitely going to be helping out. Selfishly though, I have set aside a small portion of it to travel with my fiancée… Aside from that, I will be responsible with this absolute blessing.”

10. MODEL MODEL is a ten-part series that dives into the world of fashion. Skilled models and wild cards from throughout South Africa compete in the contest to secure a spot in the model mansion. The expert judging panel of Kholofelo Mabusela (industry specialist), Coenraad De Mol (international fashion designer), and Pieter Black carefully selects 12 models to go through and participate in various challenges to prove their devotion to becoming a supermodel. The tension is high, and some of the models break under the pressure as the trials intellectually and physically tax them. The fight to become Africa’s next supermodel isn’t an easy one, but it’s a must watch if you mus learn about the realities of the fashion world.

Japa - “To flee or escape without an intention of coming back.” In recent years, the word ‘Japa’ has become a very common lexicon in the Nigerian dictionary. It originates from Yoruba, a West African language primarily spoken in Southwestern Nigeria. Although the Yorubas have used this expression for years, its meaning has evolved to accommodate the solution to several problems faced by Nigerians from compromising and demanding situations to life threatening ones. And the main problem that elicits the ‘Japa’ reaction is none other than Nigeria. That’s right! The word is now synonymous with the desire to flee or the process of emigrating from Nigeria. The emigration syndrome is now so endemic that 7 in 10 Nigerians would relocate to another country with all family members if given the opportunity. In fact, nearl y half of all adults are planning to move to another country within five years. These shocking statistics, the direct effects of a sinking nation, were recently triggered by increasing economic hardship and insecurity. Look for the facts. While Nigerians keep prospering in other countries, the resources required to do so at home keep waning and waning. And when you hear of your foreign school mates earning twelve times your monthly salary, you start to evaluate your choices. Who are the main people that want to japa? Youths, after tertiary education, seek an escape and some even start working it when they are still in school. Parents also encourage their kids to do so and would pay humongous amounts for lessons and taking exams like SAT, IELTS,

and many more. Some also leave in the guise of foreign scholarships, job internships and blah blah blah. The Japa syndrome is simply an increasing desire among Nigerians, especially the younger populace, to take their knowledge and talents to a country where it would be appreciated and rewarded. These people are leaving the country in droves to escape the bad economy, governance, education and poor environment. What will these problems cause - massive and unfillable brain drain. This is already happening in the country. Statistics show that in 2020 alone, a large number of people leave the country for greener pastures. Now, imagine the numbers nowadays. People have given their all to join the japa statistics. With this industry comes another booming industry - travel and immigration agencies. In desperation, many people have fallen victim. In desperation, people rush to these agencies without adequate research. These agencies facilitate the desires of people to Japa. But among them are swindlers who pose as immigration experts and swindle people of their life savings. As the most populous black nation in the world, Nigerians can be found in every corner of the earth. But the choicest destinations are Canada, US, and the UK. And those that are unable to get into these countries would rather go to remote places. Just about anything to get out of Nigeria. This syndrome has taken over the mentality of many Nigerians that some see being abroad as a status quo. As a matter of fact, a person doing well in Nigeria would leave everything behind so as to belong to the ‘privileged’ and more often than not, their decision backfires and they are unable to make ends meet abroad. While some would rather die abroad than admit defeat, others swallow their pride and return home. Even among the older generation, a child abroad is seen as a calculation or symbol of success even though the child barely has enough to feed him or herself.

When you hear your mates are doing well and buying houses, travelling around the world and sending money to their folks at home, the syndrome sets in. It doesn’t help that your parents keep comparing you to them by subtly showing the Whatsapp status or Instagram pictures of their friends whose kids are doing well abroad. However, it is worthy of note that not all that glitters is gold. After years of great stories from people living in the diaspora, more and more people are refusing to tell themselves the undiluted truth. The fact that the costs of living in these countries are very high and after taxes, they barely have enough to cover their living expenses. Stories have emerged of lecturers becoming cleaners and even high profile citizens doing menial jobs over there. Coupled with stories of racism, violence, stereotypes discrimination, untolerable or infavourable weather conditions. Diasporans do not have it so smoothly as well as they make us believe. Unfortunately, these people would rather die abroad or endure these hardships than face the crippling economy in Nigeria or even worse, ridicule from family and peers.

Interview

With

LIBHO GEZA

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high hopes too. As for love, it was also a thing of “whatever happens, happens!” I didn’t just have a reason not to go for it. I felt like I’ll be a great contestant of Love Island on paper; the way I carry myself, the way I speak, and all.

You seem to be one of those people who put others first before themselves. Is that correct? Yeah, maybe subconsciously I do it. It was my mental thinking while going into the show.

After your split with Thimna, there was a rumor that you both were in different romantic relationships before going on the show. Is it true? Oh! This is my first time hearing this. I’ve heard a lot about us like: we were on a contract while on the show and all. People hoped their imagination about us was true but we had comfort in the fact that we knew our truth. So, that rumor isn’t true at all.

What’s your current relationship status with Thimna? At the moment, we are very good friends. After our split which we made public, we also did try to come back again, we spent like a month on that but it didn’t just work. It was great while it lasted but as of now, I think we are 95% sure that we aren’t getting back together. I’m grateful that we had a great relationship. I think our only downfall is the fact that each of us needs to work on ourselves individually before going into marriage, having kids, and all.

You both even had a YouTube channel ‘Life with Limma’. Did you both have some challenges in announcing your split to your fan base, knowing fully well that they loved you both as a couple and that’s why they probably voted massively? So announcing the split was really difficult. We broke up four days before announcing it. We had to fly home to tell our parents before announcing it to the public. As we got on the plane to Johannesburg, we both posted the split at the same time, in fact facing each other. And we agreed that when we were done posting, we were going to turn off our phones and then look at it when we got off the plane. When we got off the plane and I put my phone on, my phone was hot because I had missed calls and many messages. It was difficult but doing it together made it a bit easier. Besides, we spent that night and many other nights after that together. People were saying a lot online and we said to each other, “it’s crazy how people are saying all this negative stuff and they don’t even know that we are together.”

What have you been up to since you exited the show? Coming out of the show, it was underwhelming because I’ve seen how the UK Love Island contestants come out and there are people scheduling interviews with them and all. I feel like people were ashamed of the dynamics of the show. Also, the editing was poor at the beginning of the show because I was able to see that before I went in. When we came out, things were quite slow. Thimna came out and had just twenty thousand followers on Instagram and I had like seventeen thousand so we had to tell ourselves that we had to work hard. I always knew I’ll take the social media route. I always wanted to do the sports thing but social media gradually took over. So I’ve been creating content and aligning myself with notable brands that are ready to showcase me and what I do. I’ve also been dwelling with fashionable brands and all. But the fame didn’t really change. For me because I had always been famous. Content creation is quite lucrative too so I’m thankful for that. Sometimes, I get bank notifications and say “Wow! Is this really my life?” I’m blessed! The only complain maybe, will be that I wish we were invited to more shows, premieres, and the rest. Because I see how South African Big Brother housemates enjoy all this attention. Though, some of these Big Brother housemates then reach out to me to ask how I do content creation and keep up with social media.

Seeing how lucrative Content creation is for you, is there still a space for being an athlete? Well, yes but for being an athlete, as an upcoming athlete, you are paid peanuts until you are big so right now I’m trying to save some money so I can go into being an athlete fully.

Judging from your experience thus far, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being a reality star? I can only speak from my perspective. When I was stepping in, I knew I was made for this. I am very

authoritarian with my space and this was an advantage for me. Also, another advantage is being able to express yourself without pressure from the public. The major disadvantage for me is the fact that the organizers get to pick what they want to show from all that is going on in the house. Since it’s a show aimed at making money, they’ll choose what is entertaining. Personally, I couldn’t watch the show because they showed some people gossiping and some sides of me and I was like “wow! is this what people think about me now?”.

Would you encourage anyone close to you to participate in a reality show? Of course! If I think of my friends, I think all of them have the characteristics that fit in. Then the most advice I’ll give them is “Just be yourself!” You need not be conscious about your parents watching or whatever. They just need to be true to themselves.

Have you been to other countries since your win? If yes, how has the acceptance been? I’ve been to Argentina. It was for another reality show but I didn’t make it on the show. I was there as a backup housemate. But I wasn’t really recognized. I have enough followers from other countries but in Argentina, I wasn’t recognized.

Are you familiar with Nigeria? If yes, which Nigerian female celebrity fits your spec? I am familiar with Nigeria and her people online but I’ve never been there. I’m hoping a business trip will bring me there because I want to but a vacation is quite far from my thoughts actually. As for the crush part, that’s an interesting question. I can’t remember the names. But there was someone’s daughter on The Real Housewives of Lagos show that fits into a description of my spec. Also, some times when I tweet I see comments from some Nigerian Big Brother female housemates so I know a couple of them that fit into my spec but the names aren’t coming right now.

If you could change anything about yourself at the moment, what would that be? I procrastinate a lot and find excuses for it. Also, I need to work on my punctuality. I’m blessed about having the kind of car that I have because it helps my speed but as a Content creator, I need to work on these things.

What is Varsity Vibes and what’s your connection to the brand? It’s a student platform where you can get discounts on almost anything. I was in partnership with Telecom who made me know that most of their products can be gotten on Varsity Vibes at a discount. Though my contract with Telecom just expired, I still live by Varsity Vibes because it’s such a convenient app. Everyone loves discounts so I’m wondering why so many people don’t use the app.

You have probably heard of Big Brother Naija, are there any similarities between the show and Love Island? I’ll say the biggest similarity for me is “put a number of attractive people in a room and something is bound to happen.”

Any future plans for Libho? My future plan is to continue pushing what I am pushing. Also, I plan to get on the field back. I really don’t like planning for the future. I want my future to catch me by surprise. I believe in living in the moment as long as I am working on myself, the future will sort itself.

A message to your fans? I want to say thank you so much for supporting me. I almost wouldn’t have done anything without them. I’ll also say please be patient with me because personally, I don’t have what my social media pages should look like. So please be patient with me because we are about to take over the world.

s with every reality show that exists, there are always controversies surrounding them. BBNAIJA is no different. It is arguable that a fair majority who do not watch the much-vaunted reality TV Show rescind it for the same reason others love it. Controversial events that have transpired in previous shows top the list of reasons this category of people would rather not join the herd following. Some obvious reasons border on sexual maleficence including revealing clothes for the female housemates, and outlandish fashion trends like body piercing and colored hair for the male housemates. 7 seasons have however come and gone. Below is the list of reality stars holding down as the most controversial housemates of the BBNAIJA show so far.

1. Tacha Natacha Akide is a perfect example of a phoenix that rose above the ashes. She is one of the most successful BBNaija housemates. Tacha entered the 2019 edition of the show with a bang and brought a lot of heat. She was at odds with almost everyone in the house. Her final fight with Mercy led to her disqualification and eventual exit from the Big Brother house. Even after the end of the show, she still was a trending topic on Twitter. Some still believe she would have won if not for her disqualification.

2. Erica The Lockdown 2020 edition brought its own drama and entertainment. Erica became the most controversial housemate for that season from choosing the son of a billionaire, Kiddwaya over a seemingly low-profile upcoming artiste in the person of Laycon, to her intimate sessions with the former on live TV. Her most controversial moment on the show was her heated fight with Laycon which eventually led to her disqualification from the show.

3. Pere Pere can be described as the most controversial housemate of the outgoing BBNAIJA Shine Ya Eye edition. He was so controversial that he was nicknamed Major General Pere even though he was once a US military personnel. His no-nonsense attitude saw him get into fights and arguments with some of his fellow housemates. The high point for viewers of the show was with his clash with Whitemoney which started when as head of house, he revealed to Maria that he was going to remove Whitemoney from the Kitchen. A fight eventually broke out few weeks from that when Pere during a misunderstanding pulled out his belt as though he was going to whop Whitemoney. This common act sent tongues wagging with many calling for the head of Pere. How he made to the finals remains a mystery till date.

4. Mercy Eke Popularly known as Lambo, Mercy Eke gave a new meaning to “Pepper Dem” which is the theme of the 2019 edition she featured in. Mercy, the eventual winner of the “Pepper Dem” season, was involved in a romantic relationship with Ike, but also got into fierce verbal fights with the housemates. Her terrible fight with Tacha saw the latter get evicted from the show, eliciting a strike (not her first) which turned out to be a defining moment for the reality TV star.

5. Thin Tall Tony Offiong Edet Anthony aka Thin Tall Tony, is a former housemate who got a lot of attention during his time during the “See Gobe” Edition. The popular dancer turned actor, entered the house as a married man. However, he kept it a secret and remained silent even when his fellow female housemate, Bisola, made it known to him that she was interested in him. There were rumors that the two had an affair during their time at the house without Thin Tall Tony telling her the truth. This undoubtedly contributed to his dismissal from the show.

6. Nina Ivy Nina is another housemate that generated a lot of buzz on social media during the “Double Wahala” edition. Nina Chinonso Onyenobi’s stay in the house was laced with controversies. Nina, who made it known that she had a boyfriend before the show, was so attached to Miracle that she was ready to risk everything for her partner who later became the winner of the show. Although she ended her relationship with her then-boyfriend, Collins, Nina, even after the show, was interested in pursuing things with Miracle. However, it was not a surprise to many when their relationship hit the rocks.

7. Cee-Cee Cynthia Nwadiora holds down the penultimate spot as one of the most controversial housemates of all time from her tumultuous relationship with her fellow housemate, Tobi, to her constant arguments with almost everyone at Big Brother’s house. This is against the backdrop of the infamous incident which almost put the genitals of fellow housemate, Lolu at risk.

8. T Boss Tokunbo Idowu was one of the most controversial housemates in the 2017 edition of the show. She was known for causing one drama or the other with almost every housemate in the house. Although she made it to the final, Tboss did not win but she earned herself the love of many BBNaija fans. The fact that in every season that exists, there is always one or more intimate moments displayed for the public to see is something that fanatics agree they stand against. Although the Big Brother Naija reality TV show is infamously known for controversies, the show has built many of its contestants and made them successful in whatever field they choose.

Have you been thinking of exotic places to visit for a perfect honeymoon? Ghana

is a country you should consider to enjoy the best moment with your lovely spouse. It has a lot of awesome places for newlywed couples that you would love to visit. Although, it depends on your preference. Which do you prefer? Is it a location in the city, in the countryside, by the sea or by a lake? Mention it! Whichever one you want, Ghana is just the best for your perfect, momentum honeymoon experience. A honeymoon brings sweetness to marriage. It makes the newlywed couple enjoy every moment of their time together, with a wonderful experience to remember for a lifetime. You get to be away from families and friends; just the two of you in an exotic place. This sounds good, right? Of course, yes. So, check out these 10 Exotic Places in Ghana for a Perfect Honeymoon that we’ve listed for you. You will get to know where they are located, what they have, the services they render, their price range, and, most importantly, what you will enjoy when you use them.

1. Coconut Grove Beach Resort Hotel Coconut Grove Beach Resort Hotel is an amazing place to visit for your honeymoon. It is located in the Central Region of Ghana, a place with excess industrial minerals and tourism. The resort has lovely facilities that will make you enjoy every moment of your stay there. They have rooms with well-structured and complete bathrooms (a shower or a bathtub in it), a working table, a balcony or a terrace, bathrobes, and a satellite TV. They also have a swimming pool for those who can swim. If you can, then you are lucky! And for those who love nature, the resort has a beautiful garden that will enable you to relax and feel nature. Besides, they render high-quality services like laundry and dry-cleaning, free parking space, free Wi-Fi, etc. They even offer different kinds of games including golf course. And the fascinating part is that it has bars and restaurants around the hotel for you to spend the evening time with your lovely partner. You won’t regret visiting Coconut Grove Beach Resort Hotel for your honeymoon because it has what you both can enjoy at a quite affordable price from the range of $64 to $82.

2. La Palm Beach Resort Another exotic place to visit in Ghana for a perfect honeymoon is La Palm Beach Resort. This beach resort is situated at No 1, Bypass in Accra. It is one of the best beaches in Accra. It has a beautiful garden, a swimming pool, and other fun areas to enjoy and take lovely pictures with your spouse. The beach has a lit spa, fitness center; an amazing restaurant, a bar; and a distinguished airport shuttle service. It is also filled with voluptuous rooms for good ventilation, and amazingly, beautiful places to tour on the outskirts. You don’t have to worry about the glamorous places to stroll along with your partner because, there, you will find interesting places like La Palm Casino, Accra Sports centers, Osu Castle, Ussher Fort and Museum, and many others. The cost of the resort begins from $142. Above anything, it is worth the price. Give it a trial, then you will realize there is no regret for such an amount of money.

3. Zaina Lodge What about Zaina Lodge? Of course, Zaina Lodge is another perfect place for a perfect honeymoon. It is located in the Northern part of Ghana, a place known as Mole National Park. This part of Ghana is one the best areas to visit because it has an admirable and large savannah that is fun to see and awesome for background pictures. The lodge itself is a 5-star hotel that offers its best to all its distinguished customers; starting from the structure of the building to the spacious rooms and all other amenities such as constant power and water supply, swimming pool, full-serv i c e laundry, and dry-cleaning. It also serves assorted foods from different countries – India, Ghana, and Europe especially – as well as early morning breakfast to get refreshed. Try Zaina lodge this season. It is worth the sum of $277 to $280. All you just have to do is to spend the money and enjoy the moment!

4. Aqua Safari Are you still looking for other places in Ghana to spend your honeymoon? Here is Aqua Safari, a well-known lodge located at Ada in the Greater Accra region. It is a place to relax and enjoy with your beloved. When you use Aqua Safari for your honeymoon, its vicinity will help you create lovely moments with your sweetheart, which may be difficult to forget easily. The resort comprises marvelous services for the best enjoyment: a mini spa, beach games, high-quality housekeeping, a salon, bars with innumerable drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and lots more. The price ranges from $124 to $384.

5. Holy Trinity and Health Spa If you want to enjoy your honeymoon as a newlywed couple, you should visit a place like Holy Trinity and Health Spa. It is based in Sogakope in Ghana. It is a fun place to spend a romantic time with your lover. The spa contains amusing offers, such as good sporting facilities, a fitness center, a golf course, stable power and water supply, sumptuous and complete breakfasts, and professional housekeeping. You will also enjoy horse riding, camel riding, basketball, volleyball, and other interesting sports activities. Don’t get your eyes off these offers as you will even receive authentic and enticing massages. It costs $150 per night.

6. The Royal Senchi Hotel The Royal Senchi Hotel is one of the best and nicest places for a perfect honeymoon. It is located at Senchi Ferry Road in Akosombo, Ghana. Close to it is the Volta River for tourism. They also engage in professional massages and qualified chefs for good meals. It has more spacious rooms for comfort and relaxation, with free Wi-Fi to browse as much as you want and CCTV surveillance for security purposes. Visit the complex and hope to gain more than stated here. Their price ranges from $139 to $532.

7. Elmina Bay Resort As for this resort, its location is named after it – Elmina. This shows that Elmina Bay Resort is a popular place, right? Yeah. It is a romantic place for honeymoons because of the sweet services they render. They have a swimming pool, a loving beach-side bar, well-designed and more spacious rooms, table tennis and volleyball, air conditioners, complimentary breakfast, and so much more. In addition, this resort is mostly good for nature lovers and those who need to experience a flush calmness of the mind. It is serene and very good for meditation and the perfect time with your partner.

8. Beige Village You should also try out Beige Village; it is another fantastic place for your honeymoon. The place is based in Juaso, off Nsawam Road in New Abirem, Eastern Ghana. It is very accommodating and filled with unforgettable services. If you lodge there, you will enjoy traditional and foreign meals by professional chefs, a poolside bar with various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, a swimming pool for exercise and relaxation, summer huts to feel the moment, a fitness centre for refreshment, and sports centres like lawn chess, lawn scrabble, golf course, tennis court, soccer field and an amphitheater for fun. Most importantly is the big room that will give you the greatest comfort you need. Some of their rooms have almost everything needed to make them complete and classic; free Wi-Fi, air conditioner, television, work desk, lamps, bathroom with shower/bathtub, and 24-hour electricity and water supply. You will enjoy all of these for the sum of $174 to $210

9. White Sands Beach Resort and Spa White Sands Beach Resort and Spa is a honeymoon spot that bring delight to every newlywed couple. You visit it and be wowed by the amazing things you will experience there. The resort has a lot of ways it brings its guests, especially couples, to experience the great joy of patronizing them. Firstly, the place is located at Gomoa Fetteh, in the central part of Ghana — a beautiful area close to Accra. Secondly, it is known for its top facilities needed in a resound honeymoon location, such as a swimming pool, restaurant, beachfront, daily prepared breakfast, multilingual staff, housekeeping, laundry, and dry-cleaning service, and free parkin space. (You’ve got a lot to enjoy!) Its price range: $759 to $1,333.

10. Busau Beach Resort Lastly is Busau Beach Resort which is situated in Busau Township in Takoradi, Western Ghana. Like other destinations already mentioned, it is a place for lovers to spend time with each other. It is not only for couples but also for travelers and large families. The beach comprises football and volleyball fields, a swimming pool, table-tennis court, an outstanding bar, big rooms with air-conditioners and other lovely things. But you will only enjoy them for $89 or more. I hope you can see that Ghana has many amazing places you can visit for a perfect honeymoon. Choose one or two out of these 10 Exotic Places in Ghana for a Perfect Honeymoon listed here, and have more than a wonderful honeymoon experience that you have dreamt of.

eality Television has become a staple of modern home entertainment around the world over the past few decades. Whatever your thoughts on them are and how “trash” they end up being, chances are that you’ve seen at least one. With television and media platforms, it is impossible to avoid them these days. But why are they so addictive?

Drama And Controversies

-ship archetypes. Viewers often find people they can relate to. If you’re going through something similar to what the character you’re watching is going through, it is easier to identify and form a bond with them. Moreover, you get to understand what your family and friends believe about specific topics when you see them react to the same event in their own unique way. This is one of the least flexibilities of actual reality. For some viewers also, it is how they are inspire by these characters.

People who watch Reality TV shows are most times drawn to the drama they bring. The shows reveal the different sides of characters on them (sometimes scripted) and how they act or react to situations, especially very complicated ones.

A Different Life

Drama and controversies are key elements of these kinds of shows as it gives viewers something to talk about.

A large number of people are more interested in watching the lives of characters in these shows and finding out how they live. If you think about it, Reality TV gives viewers a legitimate way to follow the personal life of their favorite characters on the shows. It’s different compared to just following your favorite reality star on Instagram. In a way, you can feel like you are a part of their life experience.

Die-hard fans would go as far as arguing and defending their favorite characters. Others would discuss what they’d do differently in similar situations. A few others would make fun of/judge these characters, keeping the show on the trending table while also attracting more viewers and sponsorship prospects. Once the drama elements of these shows are lost, they become boring and over time lose relevance. Also, witnessing drama and controversies engenders the production of endorphins – the body’s natural pain reliever and pleasure promoter. It’s the same when watching all the controversies that comes with Reality TV shows. Viewers are also drawn to the drama because it makes their own lives seem less complicated in comparison.

Bonding Experience When it comes to Reality TV shows, we see a variety of personality and relation-

The enthusiasm of viewers toward Reality TV is further heightened by the fact that they get to see a life that is, although a simulation of reality, is quite different from actual reality.

Means of Entertainment It is indubitable that Reality TV shows are entertaining. They are a means of escape from one’s normal life. You get to watch people act out live situations from the comfort of wherever you are. The major existence of reality TV is to provide people with entertainment. To some extent, most people in society have a desire to investigate what is happening in the world around them. People like to watch the drama that is broadcasted on public television. The insults, angst, self-centredness, vulgarity, among other high emotions, are common staples of many reality TV shows today and what viewers want to see. Reality TV shows like Big Brother Naija and Real Housewives of Lagos are prime examples. For Big Brother Naija, one of the key features and entertaining aspects of the show is the weekly pre

coming up with original ideas on different topics and doing a live presentation on them. The Head Of House (HOH) games every Monday night is also another entertaining aspect of the show. The housemates also engage in tasks and other leisure activities, such as pool parties all of which combine to make the show more exciting and entertaining.

Conclusion Inasmuch as Reality TV shows are entertaining, it is important to cut down on addiction, and take into consideration the possibility of depression. This is because these shows in reality have people second-guessing their lives, making them want to live the lives of people they see on live television. At other times, it makes them totally oblivious to their own reality. Hence, it is pivotal to know where to draw the line.

his tenth edition of the Uncutxtra magazine is highly dedicated to celebrating reality TV stars, especially The Big Brother Naija show and housemates. This edition features some of the unique housemates from the current and past seasons of Big Brother Naija and this includes our cover star, a unique housemate with so much support and love from the people. Afrobeatsglobal presenter Omobola Val (@omobolanleadigun_) had a deep discussion with ex Big Brother Naija housemate, Hermes Iyele. He discussed in details his personal life, his hustling journey, his personality, his current state, work, family, the future and almost every other thing you’ll love to know about Hermes.

What are your real names and what’s the inspiration behind the uniqueness of your name and that of your siblings? My names are Hermes Chibueze Iyele. My dad thought it’ll be great to name all of us after some gods. According to him, it’s about speaking greatness to his kids. It’s basic methodology just like the African culture allows you to name their kids after a situation, destiny or after someone. For instance, some Yorubas name their kids ‘Iyabo’ which means a dead mother or grandmother came back to life through the child.

From the streets to a global stage. How do you feel? I feel ecstatic! It’s been amazing. Even though I had been traveling and I’ve seen the world before Big Brother, this much exposure now, nothing compares to it. It’s such a great feeling knowing that despite all the things I’ve been through, I’m here. I’m glad I kept going because there were a lot of struggles in the past, lack of resources and all. And now that we are here, there’s so much to do. When I tell people, they are always like, you can’t do everything! For instance, music is one of the ways by which I express myself but my kind of music is like that of Fela’s, a 12 minutes track straight up. I don’t know if people have the time for such music. Now, I’m focusing on Arts and Sports.

From when you were in the house, you were loved out here. But when you came out of the show, it seemed like you were shocked by the love and support. This is because you kept saying you didn’t expect people to love you. Why is this so? Because before I went into the house I was constantly criticized for my actions, for painting my nails, for the accessories I always have on and more. So I expected such towards me while in the house. The goal while going into the house was to get visibility even though people won’t like me. I went in there for an entire community and not just me and this gave me the push.

Looking through your journey, it shows that you are such a great hustler. Did you ever imagine that you’ll be this big and recognized even beyond Nigeria? Honestly, I don’t know if I ever expected this. I would say I saw but living the reality now is a different feeling. It’s a lot for me to believe and handle. I’m happy about the achievements but there is still a lot to do. I’ve worked as a dancer with A list artists like; Burna Boy, Buju, etc. I’ve been out there but not as Hermes so it’s a new me. Honestly, Big Brother changed my life.

How are your Queens and how is the relationship going? They are good and I’m happy that I created the basis to have difficult discussions and that’s why I have what I have now. Right now, like I’ve said since I got out of the house, I did make a promise I broke while in the house. But it’s amazing the amount of love and support I’m getting from my queens. Of course, I had to apologize for breaking my promise to them while in the house. I’m still doing the work to earn their trust again but we are good.

By ‘you broke your promise…’ I’m sure you were referring to what you had with Allyson. However, when you came out, you didn’t mind chasing after what you had with Allyson but she stated that though she liked you, she wasn’t ready to be involved with you alongside other women. What is the current situation with you both? It’s still exactly what it is. There’s no situation. We had a discussion in the house and that was easy because it was just both of us but coming out, a lot needs to be prioritized; family, the public view and many other things. We are friends and we are making our way towards what that could mean for us. I still love that woman; I still think she’s beautiful and hardworking. But there is an ultimatum and within my own reality, that’s not something I can give. It’s what it is but we understand each other.

Kindly share with us a few deep and emotional memories from your hustling journey in the past. Omo! (Laughs) Which one I wan talk self? E plenty! So while I was in Bariga, in Ogudu grammar, I washed bikes, napep with brushes and all. If you give me napep now ehn, I go wash am, e go white. That’s how I got extra cash to go to school, do small big boy, and buy santa during break time in school. It’s been a lot! Also, (takes a deep sigh!) It’s been a lot! I think the one that hurt me the most is when my family and I had to move into an uncompleted building to live in; we cleaned the place, set mosquito nets and put beds on the floor and all that. Guess what? The owner of the place just came in with police men and threw our things out. While I was trying to get my dad out, the owner of the building slapped my dad. I was so pained! I was so young then and I just thought to myself, what kind of power is this? Why will anyone treat another person this way? He also accused us of stealing. Wow! How is that possible and we couldn’t do anything. Shey na person wey dey sleep uncompleted building go get money for lawyer? It was what is. I learnt to understand what life is at a very young age. But omo, just try to touch any of my loved ones now, you go collect.

There’s this call phrase used by your fan base, ‘The Coolest tribe.’ ‘Hermes is all of us!’ What does the phrase mean to you? Surprisingly, I don’t know what it is. That was coined by the genius I gave my page to, to handle before going into the house. His name is Sunday Ozegbe! You really should meet that guy. It’s the one with whom we’ve been organizing festivals and a lot with in Oworonshoki and beyond, trying to ensure that our story is told by us like we’ll like to tell it. Funny enough, I told him to handle my page the day I was going into the house. He built an entire team and built it all from the scratch. He had to learn on the job, how to use UICs, how to vote and all. And people said he did an amazing job! I didn’t even know how it was done. It was when I was going in that I saw people had done photo shoots and all prepared items for publicity. I didn’t know all of this. People asked me what my strategy was but honestly, I didn’t go in with any.

When you were in the house, it felt like you were as dramatic as possible and your presence commanded some authority and some people might have wrongly judged you as been proud or commanding. But when you stepped out of the house, seeing how friendly, humble and playful you are, most people have been wondering if you been dramatic in the house was a strategy. Was it a strategy? It was about understanding what was allowed in the house and what wasn’t. The show is called ‘Big Brother Naija SHOW’ Emphasis on the show! Some people weren’t camera conscious; they said they didn’t see the cameras in Biggie’s house. But because it was a show, I wanted to give a SHOW so whenever I saw a camera; it was an opportunity to give a show. So it wasn’t a tactics, I was just being intentional about giving a show.

You had a homecoming party recently and you were praised for it because it was sold out and people thought it was nice of you to take your homecoming show back to your roots;Oworonshoki. Were you expecting such magnitude of support? I’ll say yes and I’ll say No. Omo dem humble me! I cried because did you see that crowd? We’ve done a lot in our community but that crowd with people from Gbagada, mainland, Island and everywhere! It became a concert. But also, I don’t want to lose focus thinking I’ve arrived. There’s still a lot of work to be done. People think I’m on my social media platforms but it’s been my handler. My handler and I have been working together for the past ten years so he knows what to put up on my page.

You are quite particular about work. Now that you are out of the Big Brother house, what are the first three projects that we should be expecting from you?

Homecoming was the first and that’s just a teaser to show people what we can do. That was planned in a week. If you people think I’m amazing, meet my team first because they are extra amazing. I’m just the face but the administrative team is doing so much work behind. Then, we are planning a Fiesta party in December. Also, I’ll be in Amsterdam in December performing a piece Sunday is choreographing. We are working with the Arts Community to create like an Arts concert and also speaking to Kosofe local government to do Kosofe Festival.

While you were in the house, so many people recognized you from a viral post of you in search of mum. When you came out, did you feel embarrassed and what was the situation then? Embarrassment, never! How can one be embarrassed by family? There’s no such thing as perfection. My mum went missing and I really had to search for her because it was five days already. And in the bid of searching, it went viral. I’ll do same for my loved ones. Whenever I was down in Biggie’s house and I remembered that I went through that and I survived, it was enough juice to keep me going. Some things happen and you think they happen against you but they actually happen in your favor. Thankfully, I’m not always in my comment section because it was a lot of comments on blogs! Some even said “Look at this guy, he has used his mum for rituals.” There were bad comments. But mum is good.

Are you saposexual or what attracts you to the opposite sex? I love intelligent women and women who enjoy freedom and are also willing to put in efforts. I look for a mind that is selfless in an approach to life. And of course, I’m a fine boy so I like fine things. I love aesthetically created women.

Do you have any brand in mind that you dream of collaborating with? I like big things because I have a lot of big dreams. There are a lot of big brands I want to work with but until the endorsements come, I’ll be here waiting. Though there are pending endorsements but until they are official, I can’t say them out yet.

You speak so well, what’s your educational background? I try to be very intentional with everything that I do. I learnt a lot especially accents from OAPS, great films and good speakers. I learnt emotional intelligence too and these are all embedded into academics. If Agbero stop you from street and you no give am respect, na there you fit collect but if you give am him respect greet am, you no fit collect. Always respect others. I no go school! I no even pass WAEC. Culture is the way of life so if you want to function in a place, what else is to learn than the way of life of the people. I learn from amazing speakers and I sit and practice the words. I know when to speak whatever suits the occasion; whether on the streets, in a classy gathering, etc. Also, let me mention that I’m not involved in any political activity. I can serve the government, share ideas, but politics is not a thing for me.

How do you deal with media trolls? I am intentional about everything. If I want to give love then I want to be surrounded by love. But people have opinions based on what they can perceive. If I’m asking for the freedom to be what I want to be; a Hermes that puts on accessories, paints his nails, then I have to allow people be who they want to be. Though their thoughts are from a perception about me, they can’t judge me because they don’t know what I’ve been through. Most times, I just block the trolls and delete the comments. My peace of mind matters.

Mention three bad habits that you are working on? Well, I don’t think I’m working on them. One, I pick my nose publicly but I try not to do it in public though. Erm, if you consider being an agbero sometimes as a bad habit, then that’s a second bad habit. There are so many bad habits but I can’t really decipher what some people refer

to as bad habits.

your message to your fans?

Has the proposal from ladies increased lately?

So you see where I am right now as Hermes Chibueze Iyele, it’s only because when I was cheated and felt success was impossible and it still should be impossible to be here, I never STOPPED! I got NOs, I was criticized but I consistently persisted. There are only two options; give up or keep going! There’s no in between. So what would you rather choose? And the only thing is that we only feel how we feel because we compare ourselves to others because if you look at your team and resources, you’ve an idea of how to work on things that will forge you ahead.

It has increased sporadically through the comment section, through DMs and through every other means. I get the ‘I love you’ proposal everywhere. But I understand and appreciate the proposal because I love the attention. But I have existing commitments with my queens and I’m grounded by it. So I’m not considering the offers. I love them too but as family

What do you for relaxation? I like the water either taking a shower or being by the beach. Even now, I can’t wait to take a break from work by the water side with good food and a good view.

What keeps you going at your lowest moments? Family, love, my coolest tribe, my team and Oworonshoki. Family is everything to me! For instance I’m the last born but I’m at the same time the father of the house. Every time, I get really overwhelmed, the love pushes me. For my team, I can’t even wait to start earning a lot so I can afford to start paying them what they deserve. Haven’t you guys seen the contents going out on my page, someone edits them; all the guys on my team are dope! See! The industry has received a guest in me o. I’m here to stay.

Once you understand your process, you’ll accept it and work on it. Face it and deal with it. Even as I am now, it’s still hard for me but it’s another kind of hard, I’ve not slept or rested but I can’t complain because I prayed for it. So that God doesn’t withdraw it and we don’t want it. So life itself is hard. Fight! Our ancestors are counting on us. Are you whining me? You can’t give up! And to my coolest tribe, anytime I get down, your love pulls me up. It’s because of you that brands will pay me and it’s because of you that we are working so it’s a cycle. I’m here to build platforms for young ones like myself struggling. They don’t have to go through what I went through. If twenty people went through the journey I went through, all of them would have stopped. To avoid this, there has to be ease. We need to work hard to gather the resources and put everything in place

What’s the five year goal for the Hermes brand? Five years is far o, just next year alone is chocked already. We’ve got a lot of festivals, tours, Kosofe festival, Slum Party in December, an Amsterdam tour, an Arts collective is always being worked on. I also want to start acting as you’ll start to see me feature in some cool skits maybe with people like Brodashaggi and the likes. There are so many plans up the sleeves. Una go see me, una go tire.

What’s your advice to the young Hermeses who are out there struggling and are at the verge of giving up? Also, what’s

ig Brother is indubitably one of the most-watched reality TV shows in Africa. One

of the pros of being a participant in the show is that it opens you up to doors of opportunities while also giving you a new life as a famous personality. However, most housemates find out that as soon as they leave the house, they cannot grapple with the fame that comes with it. Adeoluwa Okusaga, popularly known as Saga, was a Big Brother Naija ex-housemate and has been quoted to say that the dramatic change in living standards caused many of his fellow housemates to feel depressed. According to him, you soon find out that you are unable to do the same things you used to before you move into Big Brother’s House. Generally, everyone wants to become famous but can we truly live with the demands that come with it? Many people strive to achieve fame with the hopes of finding happiness, wealth, and personal development. It is the same reason thousands of youth fall over one another to be participants in BBNAIJA. And the show can be a powerful tool that can bring you these outlined benefits and even more. You become more visible. However, fame is not without its problems. Fame can cause you to feel the need for more privacy. It can also lead you to have unrealistic expectations. This is not to mention emotional stress from the public. Famous people often struggle to find positive and negative ways to manage this. Some go as far as abusing drugs to keep a level head. Fame can also elicit hatred, bitterness and envy as it puts you in the public eye. You will have cause to deal with a lot of people who have diverse opinions about you. These opinions may align with yours but that is only on rare occasions. For the most part, they would becontrarian. regardless of whether you agree or not, and where you want to counter them, be ready for insults and invectives that might take all your family members into perspective. Even if your skin is thick and you don’t care about others’ opinions, you could still be subject to pressure. You’ve probably met jealous people and ‘haters’ in your life. Celebrities will experience hate in different ways and on a larger scale. In addition, you are likely to encounter too much mental pressure. People will have unreasonable expectations that can make your life difficult and draining. This is bearing in mind that exposure to extreme situations can cause mental pressure, which can in turn engender chronic depression. Many famous figures mental pressure, which can in turn engender chronic depression. Many famous figures realize that they are not perfect and they are only human. Imagine feeling enough pressure from society, even if you are not a celebrity. Now imagine the pressure that you would feel if everyone’s attention is on you. In the same vein, depression can be a side effect of fame. One of the most damaging is that the more well-known you are, the heavier theweight of fame can become. This creates emotional pressure and less personal privacy. It also limits your ability to connect with yourself. Due to their careers, most celebrities don’t have much time for themselves or their personal lives. These people often feel out of balance. Besides, fame comes with a lot of personal responsibility. If you can’t take responsibility for your actions and the lives of those around you, fame won’t be a good thing. Before you wish to be on BBNAIJA, think about the following: Are you ready to be judged for the smallest error you make in society? Are you able to take the positives with the negatives? Are you able to handle the stress that comes with fame? Are you ready for the responsibility of being a role model for people you may not even know directly? Are you ready for all of the issues highlighted in this submission? If yes, then maybe you are ready to become a BBNAIJA superstar. If not, then simply take a moment to be grateful for what you have in your life having the benefits that these stars do not have.

here was much excitement in late 2019 when it was announced

that a plausible and far better replacement of the 4G network had been worked out. Network speeds would be of the order of Gigabits per second, remote control of infrastructure and machines would be more enhanced, organizations can connectbetter and work more effectively, and more people can access databases simultaneously without experiencing crashes or server breakdowns. This cutting-edge network technology is called the 5G network, the fifth-generation mobile network. The 5G network gives the promise of a positive impact on educational systems and institutions’ capabilities. To begin with, more people can access learning management systems with fewer hitches as 5G is able to support up to one million devices per square kilometre. Downloading of learning materials will be done without wasting time that would have been used for reading in the course of waiting for the slow network connection problem to be resolved. Navigation from website to a website during the study will be so fast that it would be like looking through pages that had already been opened. This will end the problem of having difficulty making connections between concepts while studying. Also, the 5G network will make possible personalized learning experiences by creating fast-response virtual assistants that will analyse and attend to the individual needs of students. Secondly, libraries can work faster and be accessible to more patrons in a shorter time frame. With the high speed and carrying capacity of the 5G network, libraries can be automated to serve users with increased output and efficiency. Thirdly, remote control of learning facilities will enable school management and the government to evaluate and address incipient issues in the education system. 5G network will also reduce the cost of learning for governments, institutions and students. Many things that used to require transportation and physical presence either due to lack of appropriate technology or unreliability of existing technology can be handled with 5G Virtual Reality (VR). 5G network addresses the network issues encountered in video conferencing that connects more than a thousand people. For instance, Zoom classes can run smoothly without periods of a break in connection. Research can be carried out and analyzed faster and more accurately than ever before. Simulation of practical specimens has been made possible with 5G virtual reality. This means that students can examine the internal organs of a biological specimen without cutting up the real thing. 5G network will further make for a faster response to emergencies like cult group attacks, robbery and fires on campus and in educational settings. This will give students an increased sense of security and less

The 5G network is billed to make massive amounts of information (books, audio, images, videos) available at one’s fingertips at the speed of light. This is coupled with all the immense opportunities for formal learning that are readily available online. As a result of the fifth-generation mobile network, access to learning opportunities has become unmatched in scope. People can learn anything, anywhere, anytime, and any day which is a plus point. The impact of 5G on education and learning across Africa will also be seen in the way the new global wireless standard will transform classroom teaching. The 5G technology has in fact already started enabling new ways of communication, learning, and working collaboratively in an educational setting. However, the new model is not without its own problems as educational instructors and tutors cease to be the primary source of information. For decades, teachers have always been seen as the ultimate authority. They were the experts and philosophers on the podium. But as a result of the information and opportunities for education that technology, especially the 5G model, has activated, the role of teachers is gradually shifting to that of a guiding light – one who guides the students or learners on what information to accept and work with. It is however significant for the impact of 5G on education and learning that students can now take more responsibility for their own learning. The 5G technology thus empowers learners as active recipients instead of their former roles as passive listeners. They can go ahead to take various similar courses online to support their syllabus. Moreover, schools and educational entities across the world are taking advantage of the fifth-generation mobile network as a veritable enabler to promote more interaction and work within a small group. With tons of information on the internet, 5G makes access to them even better and faster. In sum, improved technology such as 5G will no doubt offer a wider spectrum of possibilities thereto.

For better understanding, this writeup uses diction akin to Burna Boy’s body of works.

ooking at his trajectory, one will definitely agree that Burna Boy exemplifies the life of what it takes to be a success in the Nigerian and by extension African music industry. This was someone who at a point was blacklisted in the industry. Even though he liked to party, no one wanted to associate with him. He became one of the most underrated artists on the afrobeats scene. But rest assured that one day he will fulfill 9ice’s prophecy of bringing home a Grammy, the self-acclaimed Odogwu kept pushing. Wizkid did it with his first breakout album, Superstar. Why was L.I.F.E so hard? Despite working with Skales, J Hus, and Lily Allen, two more albums in the next five years could not achieve anything for him. He must have felt the pain to the point he screamed “Ye”. These two letters must have been playing in his subconscious for years that it came alive on the very day he went to Aquila studios. No thanks to the bespectacled producer, Phantom, who played a beat for Burna Boy who stopped by from the club. In no time, Burna Boy, like a blacksmith with excellent savoir faire, made gold out of the three minutes 52 seconds beats. Shout out to Shina Peller. He was more than a bro and family. A hit was eventually made with “Ye”. Burna Boy wasn’t just going to release the song as a solo. He will whet the appetite of fans and include it in his fourth studio album. Even when they hear it Outside, they would definitely feel it on the inside. Burna Boy’s 2018 album went on to dominate at number three on the Billboard Reggae chart, while winning the Nigeria Entertainment Award for Album of the Year. The typographical error at the Coachella Festival where his name was slightly written in small fonts gave birth to the concept of African Giant. He was no small giant and wouldn’t overlook a common print error that was trying to denigrate that identity. This as well bolstered his resolve to attain greater heights. A masterpiece had to be made to resonate that. It was so fierce in delivery and quality that Mama Burna christened it “Gbona” – a far remove from the original title even though he had made another hit “On the Low”. He would follow these singles up with an album that eventually paved the way for his first nomination at the Grammys. African Giant was a complete success and was tipped to bring home the Grammy, but the ingenuity of Angelique Kidjo’s album which featured in the same category shattered that dream. Burna Boy was hurt undoubtedly, but he wouldn’t whine like a toddler about it. He knew the weight of what he carried. He was the African Giant. Maybe. Just maybe, they didn’t understand. He had to make them understand even if it meant going twice. “I am Twice as Tall”, he must have reassured himself. The three worded phrase became the eponym for the body of work that later came to fulfill a lifelong dream. Burna Boy’s journey has been filled with immense challenges. But he conquered all. Today, he lets out a wide grin. He is Nigeria and by extension Africa’s tallest man. Burna Boy stands as a sole winner of the Grammy for the 2020 category for World Best Music Album. This is on the heels where winning the Grammys has been the dream of many Nigerian musicians. Many music acts in their time have made conscious effort towards the course. Twice as Tall would go down in history as that album that changed the afrobeat narrative. As Burna Boy was announced winner of the award for “Best Global Music Album” category, it sent tantalizing tingles of joy down the spine of many Nigerians and proponents of afrobeats who were looking forward to that day. This “simple” win elicited a truce even among feuding sides, with the acknowledgement that it was indeed a win for Afrobeat, Nigeria, and the rest of Africa. It is noteworthy that this victory has placed Twice As Tall as an album in a position of power. For many years to come, it will be recognised as that album that broke the chain, surpassing that of many Nigerian musicians before it.

frobeatsglobal Presenter Omobola Val (@ OMOBOLANLEADIGUN_) had an interesting interview session with Ex Big Brother Naija housemate Wathoni Anyansi. They discussed her life after Big Brother Naija, her career and thoughts about the latest season of the show.

say “I need to go back to the drawing board but for the main time I think I can dance” even though I’m not so flexible but I’m working on it.

Kindly tell us about It’s always better to hear from the horse’s your book. mouth. Who is Wathoni? Wathoni is a single mum who is 31 years old. She is an Author, a Vlogger, a Presenter and many more. Looking at you reminds me about the fact that I’ve not done my show in months. I have a show called ‘Let’s talk kids and more.’ That’s about it.

How has the experience been since you left the Big Brother house? You know when you asked me how I am?, I said I’m good. That’s because honestly I have experienced all the emotions already; the highs and lows and it has shaped me to be who I am today. When you go into the Big Brother house, you are convinced that you know what you want to do but when you step out, you’ll feel like it’s not working for you. The only thing that I felt was working for me is my show and the book that I wrote. But I wanted to do more. I didn’t just want people to know me as a single mum that has a show. Even in the house I always said I was going to do these things. So I’ve stopped my show for a while now but I’m resuming before the year runs out. So having gone through all the emotions, I’m grateful to be where I am today.

So I had something called ‘Tip Tuesdays’ way before going into the house. My son started potty training quite early so he didn’t use to bedwet. So every Tuesday, I shared some of these useful tips with people. Every time I learnt a new tip, I always wrote it down. Then one day I thought of turning all the tips I had written down into a book because I had over hundred tips written down already. That’s how I came up with the book.

What do you think about the twists that came with this season’s Big Brother Naija show? The level thing is a new thing but the truth is I knew that it will benefit one level over another. But I loved the whole ‘Trenches & Islanders’ thing. Overall, I’ll say it’s not bad as each season has its own dynamics.

On social media, many are very inconsiderate about the feelings of celebrities so they constantly troll most celebrities. While your show was on, it seemed to be How do you deal with trolls and negative comments? doing well. Why did you stop? I felt it lacked something! For instance, most of my followers on Instagram are within the ages 18-20. And most of them don’t have kids so they have no business watching my show. So I needed to sit and question myself knowing fully well that my show’s target audiences are mothers/parents. At one point I was wondering if I’ll continue doing my show only to get 10 views. It wasn’t easy at all. I had to then sit and

While I was in the house, there were negative comments about me being desperate about getting booed up. I could understand this because people had an access to what I was doing. But when I left the house, I had to then think of what else I was doing that was still attracting the trolls. In fact,

at a point I had to stop granting interviews because people always misunderstood my words and dragged me for it. Because I say things the way they are, people tend to take offence from my words so I had to start focusing on the positives. Some people would reply the trolls and say “But she’s doing something good with her show.” That would encourage me again. But there was a time I focused on the negative comments and wondered why people were saying what they were saying and what I could do to be better about the said thing. Whatever I can’t change, I leave it. But for now, I can’t remember when last I was trolled and it feels good. But the trolling also shaped me to be who I am today. Can’t you see, I’ve even added some weight? (Smiles).

From your season, which of the housemates are you still close to? I still talk to all nineteen of us but I’m still very close to Tricky T and Praise.

What’s the most popular misconception about you? The biggest misconception will be that I am booed up because I’m still single.

Apart from the so many achievements we obviously can see which include; Influencing, your shows and your fashion brand, what have you been up to? There are two major projects in the pipeline: a podcast which Tricky and I are working on. It should be out before the end of this year. And I’m also working on an event. This event is aimed at announcing a Singles and Single mothers’ club. It’s a club where we’ll have to meet monthly and participate in interesting activities.

Do you believe in the romantic ships in the Big Brother House? Generally, I’m all for the romantic ship thing in the Big Brother house. Maybe that’s why I had a booed up tag. To be honest I look at Tacha for instance and realize how strong she is for being by herself in the house. You are in a different world in the house therefore you need someone to stay glued to. It doesn’t have to be a guy, it could be a girl. But you need someone in your corner. So yeah! I’m for romantic shipping!

Kindly predict your top three winners from the Level up season. Bryan, Phyna and…, the third one is a hard one because I’m caught up between Adekunle and Bella. Well, I’ll go for Bella.

If you could go back to the Big Brother house, what’s one thing you’ll do differently? I’ll probably dance all the time and be a vibe Queen as opposed to just dancing in front of the mirror. But every other thing will probably be the same. I see myself as being more fun now!

If you could give the current ex-housemates advice, from your experience, what would that be? There are times it’s going to be tough, just keep it moving!

What’s your favorite achievement so far since your exit from the Big Brother house? This is a tough one because there’s been a lot. But I’ll say maybe my book launch because I didn’t think I’ll be able to do it that soon. Also, starting up my show too is another favorite accomplishment thus far.

What inspired your show ‘Let’s talk kids and more’? I’ll say the Tips Tuesdays did because I felt my book didn’t say enough and I thought I deserved to have a show and hear other people’s experiences. And that’s why I feel my show is also not enough so I decided to start the Mothers’ club and Fathers’ club. But the major inspiration for me was my son. The fact that I didn’t know I had conceived until when I knew. I feel like some people also have similar experiences and shocking revelations about motherhood.

How do you unwind? If it’s not karaoke then it’s clubbing.

What’s the five years goal plan for Wathoni? Having my talk show on TV. Also, another plan is making my Single parent’s club a big deal and having the brand spread across the world so I can travel around to meet up with members. Lastly, I still want to release a song and I think I’ll try one with Tricky T since he sings.

What’s your message to your fans and to those who look up to you? My message is it’s not been easy but you all make it worthwhile. Sometimes it’s tough but I keep moving because of you. You all are my biggest motivation!

he distinctiveness of culture, race, and ethnicity lies in the entirety of its language, food, music, and so much more. However, South African food is the basis of this article. Their food is truly unique, just as their people are. South African food is influenced by a combination of African, Dutch, Malay, French, and many other cuisines from different parts of the world. Here are some traditional South African dishes you should have before leaving the country:

1. Biltong It is probably one of the most loved South African snacks for those who love beef. Biltong comes in a wide range of meat but sliced is the most common. It is usually dried, cured, and spiced. Ingredients such as Vinegar – which is one of the ingredients used in preserving meat back in the seventeen century – salt, pepper, coriander, chili, and nutmeg help to give biltong its irresistible taste and crispy texture. There are more unconventional versions, like chicken biltong, which are also available. It can be served as a snack at just about any social gathering.

2. Boerewors Boerewors (translated as “farmer’s sausage”), is a rich, spicy sausage that originates from both South Africa and Namibia. a type of sausage made from beef mince must have at least 90% meat to qualify as boerewors while the various spices and seasonings, like coriander, cloves, and nutmeg, make up the other 10% and it produces a very distinct taste. Boerewors is also renowned for its spiraling shape and is loved by millions across South Africa.

3. Bobotie Bobotie, a dinner-time favorite, consists of spiced mince, an egg-based topping, and traditionally raisins or sultanas that are added to the mixture. Remarkably, the dish originates back in Roman times. Ancient Roman chefs would blend and season a combination of tender meats and crunchy nuts, then top it with a layer of milk and egg. It is an alluring dish enhanced by spices like curry powder, turmeric, and almond. Dried fruit is also used to garnish the top. Raisins and apricots help give a final fruity kick to this appealing South African food.

4. Koeksisters This tasty tea-time treat is made by frying pleated-dough pieces. The dough is rolled into rounded strips. The strips are then weaved together and fried in a good amount of oil. It is a sweet treat for anyone who loves sweet desserts. It becomes even sweeter after adding a sugary syrup. They have a golden, crunchy crust, a soft, doughnut-like center, and are super sticky. That’s why they are often called sticky doughnuts. You can find these mouthwatering treats in bakeries across South Africa.

5. Malva Pudding Malva pudding, of Cape Dutch origin, contains apricot jam, it is usually saucy and has a spongy texture with a caramel taste. The main ingredient to any Malva pudding’s sweet taste is the apricot jam that’s used when making the pudding. Once taken out of the oven, a cream-based sauce of sugar, vanilla, and butter is added to the pudding. This results in a sticky and soft yet cake-like dessert. A favorite among South Africans, it is usually served with hot thick custard or vanilla ice cream.

6. Milk Tart Milk tart has a melt-worthy pastry crust and a moreish custard filling. It’s a rare thing to meet a South African who says they don’t enjoy this traditional dish. Milk tart is a pie-like dessert consisting of a sweet pastry crust and a creamy filling made of milk, flour, sugar, and eggs. Similar to custard tarts in Portuguese dishes, the main difference between tart custard and milk tart is the higher ratio of milk to eggs. Embedded in it are alluring flavors like cinnamon and almond. A slice of milk tart is a perfect dessert. Milk tart can be bought whole at most supermarkets.

7. Potjiekos Potjiekos means ‘small pot food’. It was brought to South Africa by the Dutch in the seventeenth century. South Africans cook potjiekos in a round, cast-iron pot over a fire. The most common traditional recipe used in cooking potjiekos includes casseroles and stews, filled with soft meats and a lot of vegetables. Making potjiekos is a sociable and simple way to cook for a large group of people.

8. Vetkoek Imagine putting minced meat inside a fried doughnut. That’s what Vetkoet is. Votkoet is one of the wholesome meals anyone can eat in South Africa. It literally means “fat cake” and is similar to the Dutch oliebollen. The doughy appetizing snack is shaped and split in the middle. From there, your choice of fillings is endless. South Africans love to fill them with minced beef, boerewors, or cold meats. It can be accompanied by sweet or savory toppings like minced curry and chutney.

9. Sosaties Sosaties is one of the delicious meat dishes introduced by the Malay people, originating from the Cape region of South Africa. The goodness of all sosaties lies in its preparation. First, a marinade of chilies, curry leaves, garlic, tamarind juice, and onions is made, and diced or cubed meat is placed in the marinade which is then left to stay overnight to get a handful of its overwhelming flavor. Sosaties can be fried, cooked, or grilled. However, grilling them takes it to another level as the atmosphere is stirred up in its irresistible aroma. Sosaties is what Afrikaans know as meat kebab.

10. Pap Pap is a major food in most African countries, and not only in South Africa. Its core ingredient is maize. It has been in existence for a long time. It’s one of the foods that brings back childhood memories to Africans. It is one of the easiest foods to make. South Africans simply boil maize meal, stock, and butter to create this wholesome, fluffy porridge. It goes well with Chakalaka chicken livers, with a spicy, chili-infused sauce.

Aside from these dishes, South Africa has much more delectable foods. It is also important to note that these dishes are not only eaten in South Africa. Today, traditional dishes of different African countries are bought and eaten in several countries across the world. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise if these dishes listed above are in the next food store close to your home.

t is an undoubted fact that as an artist who intends to maintain longevity in the Entertainment industry, you need to be a versatile artist. With the industry surrounded by a pool of talents, a key factor as versatility sets an individual apart positively. This is why Amedino deserves to be on the spotlight. Amedino is the CEO of Boss Entertainment who is also an American Afrobeats artist who has many hit songs to his name. His music is enjoyed both home (here in Nigeria) and abroad (in the US where he is based). His music spans across different parts of the world. This is so because he has a unique way of creating different tunes and exploring different genres of music. Also, his ability to deliver on music despite being an active member of the US Law Enforcement agency is still one that amazes his fans. Apart from being a music star, he has also produced some successful Nollywood movies which features notable celebrities. They say ‘Variety is the spice of life!” We might as well acknowledge that ‘an individual like Amedino is the spice of the Entertainment Industry.’ The Artist has produced amazing hit songs like; Turn Up, Say my name, Street Soldier, Booty fever, Booty Bounce and many more, and you’ll agree that these songs have complete different and creative elements. These songs are jamz that will light up any club room or gathering. Just when we thought Amedino’s style was strictly hip pop, he dropped a song titled ‘Booty Bounce’ which features Don Quell, a Jamaican rap artist. This particular song gave the Jamaican feel and a bit of reggae vibe. After this, he twisted the whole game as he caught us unaware with his latest single ‘Unconditional Love.’ This subtle song in particular is quite relatable especially to lovers of Love. In his interview with Punch newspapers, his revelation about what inspired the song and the ‘Give Away challenge’ which he conducted for this song is really heart melting. The Artist gave out some cash to couples and individuals all for the celebration of love. Although there is no official music video for the song yet, the Artist released a teaser video which is a clip from one of his movies ‘My Principle’ featuring the popular Nollywood Actress ‘Olayinka Solomon’. The video shares lovey-dovey clips of a couple whom despite all challenges they faced, ended up sticking together. The song according to him is one which aims at encouraging and celebrating lovers who despite all hurdles, fought for their love and are still together. After a careful analysis of this multitalented individual, it is safe to say that the industry isn’t ready for this superstar. His tune is refreshing and we can never predict what he has up his sleeves. It is a general trend for most musicians today to play on similar beats and vibe and that’s what makes this individual in particular unique. His songs have totally different beats, different vibe and fall under different genres. It is safe to say that Amedino (@iam_amedino) is here to stay! If you aren’t familiar with his music or sounds, you are missing out so you should check out his songs on any music platform.

EDI

NO 56

very great thing has its days of little beginnings. The reward lies in consistency. A Popular Indian Film Director, Kamlesh Mishra, echoed this when he said greatness can come from small beginnings. William Bradford further portrayed this when he noted that “Thus out of small beginnings, greater things have been achieved.” It is not without a doubt that indeed and in truth “a rose started off a bud, a bird started off an egg, and a forest started off a seed.” What is recognized today as the most watched reality-TV programme in the whole of Africa started from nothing. It had its own days of despair and gloom. A lot of people came to know of the Big Brother entertainment show when it kicked off in 2003 as Big Brother Africa. It featured twelve African indigenes from different countries. For those who participated, it was an opportunity to connect with different backgrounds, characters, and lifestyles. The show ran for nine seasons. Only two Nigerians emerged winners while the show lasted and they are Uti Nwachukwu, and Kevin Chuwang. Other winners include Karen Igho who by the way was the first African female to win the reality show, as well as Cherise Makubale, Richard Dyle Bezuidenhou, Ricardo Venancio, Wendall Parsons, Keagan Petersen, Dillish Matheus, and Idris Sultan. They all hail from different parts of Africa. The reality TV show was brought to an abrupt end in 2015 following a notice from MNET. It was largely reported that it was canceled due to cash constraints. According to confidential sources within the organization, the organizers of the show, Africa Magic and Endemol, failed to secure sponsorship for the arguably most watched reality TV Show in Africa. Notwithstanding, Nigeria organized its first Big brother show in 2006. If funds and partnership would crumble the entertainment show, the organizers of BBNaija are always a step ahead to find a way around it. Surprisingly, when the show comes to an end, the winner goes home with millions of naira as well as endorsement deals with high-profile brands within and outside the shores of Nigeria. As good as it sounds, one would ask, how can organizers of the reality show raise such a huge amount of money without being in debt? Funnily, you should also ask, what has made the reality TV show stay consistent for seven years without losing its cachet and financial power. It is not surprising. Big Brother Naija in its seven years of existence has become a big advertising platform for companies who partner with them. It is for this reason that many top brands in Nigeria are falling over one another in a bid to associate with the popular entertainment show. Several reasons include the fact that it is the most viewed show on the Africa continent. Ever since it came into existence, the show has proven to be a source of entertainment for millions of viewers. From the very first season, the prize money has consistently moved from $100,000 prize money

through N25 million to N60 million, and then to an unbelievable N90 million in 2021. That amount saw a significant increase in 2022 with N100 Million grand prize. High-profile brands and companies such as Guinness, Flutterwave, PiggyVest, Tecno Mobile, Quidax, Lush Hair, Airtel, and a host of others have been sponsors of the show at various points.. The reality show plays a huge role in “distracting” many Nigerians from the hardship of the current socio-economic system. Although it dishes less educational value, it has a way of connecting the audience to the emotional, psychological, and sociological behavior of the housemates thus creating room for fandom as the viewer would want to support a particular housemate who to a certain degree captures their fantasy. Social media brews supporters who do not hesitate to spend their money and time on voting to keep their favorites in the show. Although this may seem entertaining it is more of a business than entertainment, especially to the biggies behind the camera. Meanwhile, the reality show has companies and industries that have heavily invested in the program. Payporte was the headline sponsor for the 2017 and 2018 editions. Nigeria’s sports betting platform, Bet9ja, replaced Payporte as headline sponsor in 2019 while gambling giants Betway became the lead sponsor of the 2020 edition. For the 2021 edition, social payment platform, Abeg, was the headline sponsor and in 2022, Piggy vest (formerly Abeg) is the headline sponsor while its associate sponsor is Flutterwave. Other category sponsors over the years have been some firms such as Pepsi, Heritage Bank, Nokia, Oppo, Indomie, Tecno, Minimie, Guinness, Darling Hair, Dano Milk, Close Up, WAW, Travelbeta, and other notable brands. These brands are advertised on the reality show every day and this accelerates the sales of most of these products as young people are enthusiastic about fashion, food, and technology. Therefore through advertising, the market value of these products is brought to the limelight. So, at the end of the program, the pockets of BBNaija winners, sponsors, and organizers smile heavily. In other words, it can be agreed that consistency and growth are championed by good finance planning. Big Brother Africa had its days of little beginning but fell off due to financial limitations. However, BBNaija has its program well figured out, and every year it gets bigger than the previous year.

ven with the normalization of adult movies amidst teens and youths, everyone still scamper for a view or even a copy of a celebrity leaked sex tape. Anytime this happens, the media goes into a frenzy and that’s all everyone wants to talk about. While many people make jokes about it, others cast aspersions. However, people who have been in similar situations feel very hurt, ashamed, and depressed depending on the direction of the conversation. The leakage of a sex tape isn’t as shocking this day as it would have been many years ago. Perhaps that is why there’s an obvious difference in the way things are handled. Being used to women as something of a sex symbol it is not unusual that the female gender is always at the receiving end of all aspersios in a sex tape scandal. Pamela Anderson and her Husband, Tommy Lee’s sex tape was one of the first to ever go viral. It was in the 90s and the couple were newly married, making fun videos for their pleasure however included their sex tape. Well, in their defense, they didn’t mean to release the sex tape, it was stolen by their former Engineer who they had earlier fired due to sloppy work but they refused to pay him. The sex tape was stolen amongst other things and sold — released to the public. The ones who stole it however and the people whom it was sold to, actually made tons of money from the video and actually left the couple distraught. In this case, in as much as it wasn’t one of the couple that leaked the sex tape and they were both victims in this case unlike the subsequent cases, it all makes the blame go to Rand Gauthier, the electrician who stole the tape. This actually affected Pamela’s acting and modeling career. It wasn’t much different with Tommy Lee too as his career was affected. Their personal lives also swerved into dark times. In this case, they still remain victims. Kim Kardashian’s story however APPEAR the exact opposite. According to what Ray J made public, Kris Jenner, Kim’s mother actually watched her daughter’s sex tape with him. She watched three and decided which one she was going to get leaked to the public. A contract was drawn up and they all earned from the proceedings. Perhaps, the Anderson story was a motivation because it was recorded that Rand Gauthier, who stole the tape and sold it made over $77 million. It could have been her strategy. If it was, it certainly worked. Kim Kardashian, a renowned businesswoman and media personality only actually became a superstar after the leaked video and of course, it added to her net worth. However, fans had an opinion of their own. Kim, so it was alleged, decided to play the victim. According to a lopsided view, claiming innocence to the public made Ray feel cornered. It opined that if she was the victim and theirs wasn’t stolen, then it meant it was him who leaked the video, he got mad and tried to make the public see that he was the victim here and not her. He leaked conversations and showed the public the contract that was signed via his social media insisting to the public that if there was any victim at all, it was him because Kim’s mother, Kris Jenner was the one who masterminded it all and all he did was to just agree. The video certainly shot Kim’s carrier upwards and made the pocket of everyone involved swell. With the leakage, or perhaps, release of this particular sex tape, there were no victims. Any victim that arose out of this issue was from their own devices. One thing could be said though, neither the Kim’s Party nor the Anderson’s party had life easier after their sex tape went viral. If sex tape still earned as much money now as it did then, and at the rate sex tapes are being released, it wouldn’t be many years from now when it would be possible to pull off any celebrity sex tape from the internet. Why do these continue though? When it has possibly no good moral effect on those involved? Take the Tiwa Savage saga as an example, even though she wasn’t the only party having the sex, I mean, it takes two to tango, yet, when the tape was leaked, only she bore the brunt of it. It in a way affected her career, the way she was seen, she was slut shamed and even supporting fans still saw her as a celebrity sex symbol. Her personal life became affected and she worried about her son finding out. It wasn’t long after the deal with Tiwa Savage that Oxlade happened. His nude video and sex tapes were leaked. Shocking however was that he was hyped! Amongst fans, he was majorly hyped and praised for his skills.. He became more famous and widely known. Still, he revealed that it wasn’t fun for him. It isn’t fun for anyone to have their personal and intimate moments out there for the public to see, especially when it isn’t voluntarily. It could all be avoided though, but the way the human system works in reaction to fantasies would always be a mystery. Are the male victims more stigmatized than the females? Or is it vice versa? Whichever way it turns out to be, it can be agreed upon that both genders doesn’t have it super easy and cool for them when they are victims of leaked sex tapes. Seeing that tapes can be leaked by family, partners or even blackmailers, this question pops, why do people still take that risk?

The world knows you as the renowned Kenyan comedian, Churchill. In your own words, who would you describe Daniel Ndambuki to be? Daniel Ndambuki is a simple African who hopes to make the world a better place by putting smiles on the faces of many.

You are reputed as the leading and perhaps highest-paid comedian in Kenya. How does that make you feel, especially seeing how much influence you wield and have on people? First of all, here we don’t chop money because money is very rare. There are other creatives chopping money but for me, it’s about the influence we’ve been able to make.

When did you discover your interest in comedy? I didn’t discover it, I was rather discovered. When I was with a Kenyan group called ‘Ridiculous’ which consisted of two politicians and one creative, there was a time when they had a performance and I was called to stand in for someone. That’s how it started. From there, we began the Churchill Life which later evolved into the Churchill Show. The person who discovered me is the founder of Bongo films. His name is George Tyson (of blessed memory).

You host an acclaimed comedy TV show titled, “Churchill Show” on TV47 Kenya. What would you say inspired the show and how long has it been on for? It’s been about twenty years since the show began. As stated earlier, it started as a theatre show and then transitioned into a TV SHOW.

You have been in the comedy industry since 1996 - a period that did not have the luxury of going viral and social media as it is today. How were you able to hold

it down to being a household name without all of Gen Z’s benefits? I started out this career in 1999. It’s by God’s grace and the discipline I was introduced to while coming up. Truly, now we have a lot of social media platforms unlike before. It’s been a learning curve and also as a result of working hard to see the young talents grow. These have helped me retain my name and brand.

The comedy industry is currently gaining so much momentum, especially with the emergence of social media. How would you say that has shaped your career moving forward? In a country like Kenya, contents are consumed faster than ‘fufu’ for instance. (Laughs) Kenya is really advanced and creative when it comes to technology so a lot of content is generated every day. This helped my speed in adapting. For instance, I have about 10 million followers on Instagram. Social media has played a major role in content creation and discovery of talents. Now, people don’t need to call for auditions. If you think you are funny, post your contents on social media and people will start to look for you.

How would you describe Kenya’s acceptance of Comedy? From way back, after Independence we had our national television (KBC) which borrowed a lot from BBC. So from the 60s and 70s we’ve had our Kenyan comedy shows. Kenyans love humor especially because we’ve been through some difficult times. And here you have an absolute freedom of speech to say whatever you want to say about politicians, religion, to mention but a few and this has contributed to making here one of the best spaces where you can create your contents.

Your show has given platforms to so many talents. Is this a conscious effort for you as a person? When we began it was so difficult to penetrate into this industry so personally I felt that the day God grants me the opportunity to own my own show, I‘ll create opportunities for young talents and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’m excited about this effort of mine.

Do you feel language barrier poses a limit to comedy on an international scale? It does because you only joke about what you know about. As a Nigerian when jokes are made about your jollof rice, or they talk about Makoko, you can relate because you understand it. Music can be a universal language because it’s about beats but for comedy, you talk. I need to be able to relate to what you are saying. When Chris Rock talks about Downtown and he’s using that Downtown English for instance, we Africans might need to process it because we don’t live there. By the way, Mark Angel is really big here. Now someone like that is able to pass his message across because he’s doing it in English. It’s a lingua franca. We are going somewhere! Basket mouth too does his comedy in English same as Salvador. We are all going somewhere but Language is important.

Several black comedians like yourself are taking to traditional media as TV and radio hosts including

the likes of Trevor Noah, who is the host of the much vaunted, American Daily Show. Is there a reason for this in particular? We are really trying to absorb the online space but traditional media is still very relevant. To stay online you need subscriptions, we can’t afford to stay online totally. We still have so many individuals who can’t afford to stay online so though we are migrating gradually, we still have so many people who depend on the traditional media. We are really trying to absorb the online space but traditional media is still very relevant. To stay online you need subscriptions, we can’t afford to stay online totally. We still have so many individuals who can’t afford to stay online so though we are migrating gradually, we still have so many people who depend on the traditional media.

Kindly tell us more about ‘Laugh Industry Kenya’ It’s a company that was formed when I realized we needed more areas to explore. So in case Churchill isn’t there, what other things can we do? These are offshoots from the original Churchill show which included the Kids festival and many more.

Speaking of Kids Festival. What inspired this and how has the acceptance been? That’s my first love! This is because kids are so real with their love unlike adults who are indecisive with their love. I’m so particular about the kids brand and hope to do more with it as we look forward to grooming these leaders of tomorrow.

What is the ‘Toto’s corner’ about It’s a babies’ show. Ntoto in Kenya means Babies. So it’s a three minutes segment on my show where we go to kids’ classes and ask some questions and come back to the main show.

Was there any point in time in your career when you felt like giving up? That happens almost every day. I don’t know where I get the strength to pick myself up. It’s about the appreciation for me, not even the money. Most people do this because of their passion but most times people take you for granted. Most times the dreams and visions differ but you just have to allow time to align these things. So you must have good partners who will understand you and that’s rare. It’s really expensive to produce these shows and contents so it’s a lot.

You’ve received quite a number of Awards. Is there still any particular award that you really wish to get? There’s only one award which has to come from me and not from people. It’s the satisfaction of being grateful for how far God has brought me and the fact that the industry has grown because I was given the opportunity to serve.

What is your greatest dream as regards your career? My greatest dream is to create something similar to Tyler Perry’s studio even if it’s not of that magnitude; where there are young talents with enough resources. Now I’m glad coding and technical courses are being taught in schools. These kids are the leaders of tomorrow so they need to be equipped so they can tell African stories to the global community. Imagine having hundred Burna Boys? This reminds me of Fela Kuti too. In New York, I watched Fela Kuti in NY. I told my host that it’s amazing that an African story is being told to a white audience. If we have such writers who can be the new Chinua Achebes and all, we can tell our beautiful African stories from our own resource centers to the world. For instance, in school we learnt texts from William Shakespeare and all. I am purposeful and hope these things are achieved.

If you could change anything about the comedy industry, what will that be? We need to tap more talents from the ground, think globally and go for it. The kids are ready to take over the world so we need to start training them at this tender age. Trevor Noah, for instance, is a global child so we need to have more people like him. They can have their culture in them but they should be able to be sold globally especially in terms of literacy. In our generation we can try but they’ll always feel the African in us so we need to train these young ones like Salvador, Basket Mouth, Trevor Noah, Lupita Nyong’o, among others. We need to give the kids the right direction so they can be communicating with the global audience in some years.

What’s your opinion about reality TV shows?

Mostly, it’s all about viewership! Yes, there’s a talents’ aspect but realistically they need views and this translates to money.

What do you like to do for relaxation? I like to travel because I’m a loner. So I enjoy driving while listening to music. Thankfully, Kenya is a free country so you can drive anywhere. So I drive then listen to some music from Burna Boy and some reggae music.

A message to your fans and people who look up to you? To the people who look up to me I’ll just say keep working hard and whatever you believe in, go hard for it until they ask for your signature!

EPILOGUE: I wish my mum reads this because she still believes I

need to look for a serious job. When she meets her friends who introduce their children as Doctors, Lawyers, she’s probably ashamed to say her son makes people laugh for a living. (Laughs)

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