What it means to be yourself according to Big Brother Naija
Every year the organisers of the MNET Africa Magic Big Brother Naija (BBN)show hold auditions in cities across Nigeria and young people show up in their thousands.
Only a few are lucky enough to be chosen to spend at least 90 days holed up with some15–20 other strangers and live broadcasted every day so viewers can choose their favourites and vote. The prize money for this year is N60million.
Simply put, it is a popularity contest.
A few days ago, a housemate from the BBN ‘Pepper Dem’ Season 4, Natacha Akide AKA PH 1st Daughter, was disqualified on the 89th day.. 10 days before the grand finale.
Tacha was disqualified after she shoved a fellow housemate Mercy Eke AKA Mercy Lambo during a fight, that is painful to watch. The absolute loss of emotional strength, insults, the gush of fury and vitriol is what was made in entertainment heaven. Its an Interesting Show to the Nigerian audience and satisfies a love for blood and gore, this time no actual blood but plenty of verbal violence.
Tacha is popular for many reasons, her no-nonsense attitude, her ability to give people scathing come-backs, her deftness in using words that cut like a knife. Her profile on the Africa Magic site prepares you for what is to come ‘I’m spontaneous, loud, interesting, lively and fun’.
Viewers were always entertained and she amassed a cult following during her stay. Coming out tops every week she was nominated for eviction, and boasting about her loyal fan base and street credibility is her trademark style.
The people made her both a somebody and a nobody. In the beginning, it was purely entertaining, the way she ignored or rebuked housemates. After some time, she grew on the audience. Big.
Towards the end of the show, viewers who didn't like her began to worry that she will win, and when she was asked to leave there was jubilation in many living rooms. Good has triumphed over evil. Ken Mordi a who says he didn't watch the show every day but watched enough to comment on Tacha said ‘I won't be too quick vilify, no one is perfect. but i didn't want her to win. I wanted her to grow first’.
What Does It Mean to Be Yourself?
Some viewers were filled with intense dislike, others with hero worship. To some, she represented the struggle on the streets, this girl who clearly didn't have any rich relatives became a beacon of hope for the people who fervently believe in rags to riches story. She always said she wanted to be rich.
#TACHA has been trending since her disqualification. People calling her strong. Many fear that the only way Nigerian women view strength unpretentiousness is in an ability to rattle the peace of those around them.
Every year that is what the BBN show presents female who does her best to stand out by creating many uncomfortable moments and severe angry outbursts often. Is that what it means to be yourself? Do we feel so powerless that impudence is mistaken to mean you stand up for yourself?
The ability to survive and be loved by those watching the show is proving to be by exhibiting a decided lack of strength of character, anger issues and aggression.
This year the star is Tacha, her fans insist she is misunderstood, BBN organisers failed her and the rest are haters.
She was a braless brat most of the time. ‘I am supporting Tacha. She is our queen, we love her, she represents our struggle, if you match her tail she will bite your leg. Our fearless warrior ’Blessing tells me with an intensity I am willing to bet is uncharacteristic of her.
On Twitter and Instagram, the love and hate war continues to brew.
Assertive or Aggressive?
Some argue that she is assertive but closely watching her they begin to think she is aggressive‘ there is a part of her i want to admire, and then i think about it, if she wasn't so nasty, people will still love her, she is a lovely looking girl, she communicates too aggressively’ Mrs Aro is a teacher.
Because its a game aggressiveness is allowed. Everyone is expected to make strong attempts to win.
According to an article on Verywell Mind Aggressive communication is a method of expressing needs and desires that do not take in to account the welfare of others. A harmful communication style, aggressive communication can end up worsening social anxiety by making others view you more harshly.
Aggressive people tend to think they are trying to express themselves without fear, but what happens is they lower their self-esteem as they constantly worry about being judged negatively by those around them.
A Reflection of Our Society
‘People saw parts of themselves in her both the haters and lovers’ says Musa Mohd.
Bimbola Farinde, a beauty consultant who has watched the show every day since it started airing in June ‘i don't think she was herself, people who know said she is a sweet girl, i believe them I also think she was misunderstood’.
Like Bimbo many people are supporters, spending their hard-earned money to keep her in the house through their votes. Even after she was disqualified they are doing everything they can to get her the prize money through a go fund me account created for the ex-housemate and even an account number was published for donations.
What do we want?
Like Tacha, many people believe their true expression doesn't come without hurting people, many quotes remind us daily to do you, do what you must to be happy, do not care what others think of you, always be your self, likeability or niceness does not take you closer to your goals. Yet get upset when one woman decides to take this advice quite literally and disrupt an entire nation.
Last year it was Cee-C (Cynthia Nwadiora) who was shot to instant stardom after the same show, she didn't win but she was a close enough second and she is arguably the breakout star of the show. She is both hated and loved. People expressed shock and support, worship and loathing. but amidst our indecision, angel or devil, she seems to be thriving, brands begging for her endorsements.
This lessons from these two women who seem to be less than well behaved, but succeed at changing the way people now interpret crassness, bullying, verbal violence. Naheema insists that ‘ Tasha was only being herself, no apologies, a real woman, flaws and all. I will choose her any day. She is a take me or leave me kind of girl. A goal getter’.
Fear
Why is there confusion especially on social media?
Some love to hate her, some hate her, and some others fighting for her as if they are fighting for themselves? A few others are worried about the values being celebrated. What is wrong? What is broken?
