I read from Vanguard newspapers that Season 5 of the Nigerian reality TV show, Big Brother Naija, will premiere on Sunday 19 July, 2020. According to the Vanguard of July, 14, 2020, the winner of this year's edition will be smiling away with a humongous amount of 85 million naira making it the highest prize for a reality TV show in Africa.
My goodness!
This money which include a trip to Dublin, an SUV, a two-bedroom apartment, 30 million naira cash and many other perks, is what you will get just by sitting down in a localized environment and be spewing out vulgarities, obscenities, lewdness, and being turdy, all in the name of being real and unpretentious. Wonderful!
That is why some of them will, after being captured having sex on a national television, still become a winner clinching the prize; and millions of confused citizens will be subscribing their hard-earned airtime in promoting absurdities in the name of nominating their candidates.
What about locking up a group of budding scientists in a house for a 3-month research, and anybody who could come up with something promising for Covid-19 or Lassa fever will smile away with 85 million naira?
What about locking up a group of young writers: poets, essayists, novelists and playwrights in a house and anybody who could come up with an adjuged best write up in any genre, would smile away with 85 million naira?
Imagine doing same for sculptors, craftsmen, or entrepreneurs with the best adjuged business proposals within the time being examined?
The organizers of this event, MultiChoice Nigeria, is one of the most useless organizations I have seen. While tackling political leaders, we must also start calling out corporate bodies who have contributed to rendering our youths useless and unproductive in this 21st century world. These type of organizations are the reason we are producing more "Hushpuppies" than inventors in our society - people who believe they can become millionaires and instant celebrities by becoming useless to the society.
After winning this, some other companies will also sign them up as models. Models of what exactly, I ask? Models of Inanities, frivolities, vanities, and mundane things, which will in turn produce more generation of idiots.
You might not know the extent of influences these things are having on our younger ones. The first time I won an essay contest - a regional essay contest - was at the age of 18. It was organized by Hardis and Dromedas Company to debut their new product, "ISOL Germicide". I know the impact of that winning on my writing career - the inspiration, motivation and confidence it reposed on me as an essayist - because I was about the youngest that made that entry. I was televised on NTA news and was handsomely rewarded in those days.
Now I am not against entertainment per se. Absolutely not! We all cherished the days of Gulder Ultimate Search, which teaches resilience and determination in the face of struggles; the Maltina Dance Family, which encourages family values and unity; and the MTN Project Fame, which encourages budding talents. So I am not against entertainment on its own, but against entertainments that diminishes our values and debases our morals in the society. Thank you.
Chike Nnamani is a social critic and public affairs analyst.
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