28/08/2025
Dear Nigerians and Africa Beyond!
While Cameroon is currently celebrating their 3rd Edition of the "Big Brother" reality TV Show referred to as Biggy Studios, some of you have taken it upon yourself as usual to shade and ridicule the show on Twitter now (X)
It's not new to us as well as other African countries, let me take you back to memory lane, reminiscing the time when Big Brother was an African thing - Big Brother Africa which was the international reality television franchise Big Brother created by producer John de Mol Jr. in 1997. The show was first aired in 2003 for one season on M-Net and broadcast to audiences in 42 African countries. In 2007, the show was back from a four-year hiatus, until it got cancelled after season nine in 2014.
The African version initially involved 12 countries within Africa (Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia & Zimbabwe) with two countries (Ethiopia and Mozambique) being added in season 4 and two other countries (Liberia and Sierra Leone) being added in season 7 while Rwanda was added in season 9. The show is co-produced by Endemol South Africa.
A special edition of the Big Brother Africa franchise called Big Brother Titans was announced and premiered on 15 January 2023. It faced off brand-new contestants from South Africa and Nigeria.
Reminding you this is not a Nigerian thing, many Cameroonians stopped watching Big Brother when it stopped being an African thing until Nigeria continued and gained more popularity.
The same way you feel like something is lacking in the Biggy Studios show, trust me some of us feel the same way but it doesn't have to come from you people because you equally started from somewhere.
Already you should know for a very long time Cameroon has been excluded from many Pan African entertainment activities , among the many reasons why; no structure of the industry, no strong internet pe*******on rate, no purchasing power of digital products, psychological hopelessness, lack of patriotism and the elephant in the room: globally recognized as French Country with two existing industries has greatly hindered inclusion and collaboration from the English African countries. It is a win for us doing it regardless without having been included, we need to give our people something to believe in.
You should know within the nation we already have issues we are dealing with as far as entertainment and support culture are concerned, it's not in your place to tell us, we left from Biggy 237 to Biggy Studios within the space of 3 editions , we are dysfunctional Entertainment industry but at the same time when we are out to support our own we would do it regardless.
The only edge you Nigeria has over Cameroon is that every Nigerian youth is socially conscious to act as gatekeepers of their industry, social cohesion and investment , something very few us here in Cameroon exercise.
Nigeria as a nation is not great in Entertainment only because of their investment into quality of their content , but also because there's a ready African market to consume with Cameroon being one of the highest targeted or not targeted market.
It's a euphoric moment for many Cameroonians now that they can also talk about an event of National Interest happening in their country, the support they're exhibiting towards the show is not because they're trying to match up or measure up, as a people they have chosen to consume their own and it's also shocking to us. It's beyond the lapses , loopholes and the comparison, we already know , unfortunately we are not on the same page.
Just like every Cameroonian is striving to be gatekeepers of the culture which is fascinating, we are caught up with that and right now is all that matters.
Everyone can trash the building but not the owners.
Fun Clip LORD RICKY
