The director of Big Brother Naija (BBNaija), Gbenga Kayode, has dismissed claims that the reality television show was created to distract Nigerians, particularly young people, from important national issues.
For years, critics have alleged that the show is strategically aired during politically sensitive periods, including election seasons, to divert public attention. However, Kayode insisted that such claims are unfounded.
Speaking on a recent episode of the CreativiTea Podcast, the BBNaija director said the programme was conceived purely as a social experiment and entertainment platform, with no political agenda.
“To be very honest, we never approach the Big Brother Naija show from the angle of politics or distraction. People definitely have assumptions that are not true.
“The idea is basically to put people in a space under certain conditions and observe what happens. We don’t know how the participants will react. It has nothing to do with politics or distracting people,” he said.
Kayode also dismissed accusations that BBNaija promotes anti-intellectualism or fuels what critics describe as an “Olodo uprising.”
According to him, the show’s track record tells a different story, noting that all previous winners of the reality show are university graduates.
He maintained that BBNaija remains an entertainment programme designed to explore human behaviour, rather than serve as a political tool or a means of influencing public attention.
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