BIG BROTHER NIGERIA: A MISPLACEMENT OF OUR NATIONAL PRIORITIES.

The Big Brother Nigeria Reality TV Show started on the 22nd of January,2017 with 15 housemates and it’s projected to end on Sunday, 9th of April, 2017.

Globally, the term “Big Brother” originates from George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. More so, the Big Brother is a reality game show franchise created by John de Mol.

Originally broadcast in the Netherlands and subsequently syndicated internationally.

While a reality tv show, in the ideal sense of it should be tailored towards the edutainment line,the Big Brother Nigeria has instead chosen to throw morality and reasonability to the wind.

In a blatant and caterwauling attack on our sensibilities, the Big Brother Nigeria housemates have potrayed nothing but a shameful display of immorality and indiscipline to its viewers.

What is more unfortunate and heartwrenching is the fact that, millions of Nigerians, despite all the burning national issues in the country – that direly needs urgent collective attention, have preferred to dissipate so much of their time and even resources on such a frivolous programme.

The fact that 11million people voted very recently for housemates shows how poor we have prioritized our national issues.

More worrisome is the fact that, some Nigerians have also gone to the extent of positing that “the Big Brother Nigeria Show promotes Nigerian culture”.

This is the height of blatant preposterousness. I wonder how a show where one of its participants failed to recite the national anthem promotes the Nigerian culture.

The most worrisome aspect is, when pertinent issues relating to the nation’s economy, security and health are tabled on the front burner, majority of Nigerians shy away from these burning issues. These are issues that have direct impact on our existence.

These are issues that determine our standard of living and survival in life but we treat them as if they matter less. Unfortunately for the Nigerian state, when less important, negligible and frivolous issues like Big Brother Nigeria and its ilk are tabled, millions jump up in ectasy to make it seem as if their survival and perhaps even our national survival on earth depends on it. When a country dissipates so much time discussing BBNAIJA as opposed to its ailing economy, then, it is not out of place to opine that : such country is a sick state with misplaced priorities. I am not against people having fun ab initio. What I’m strongly against is a situation where people misplace their priorities or abandon the nitty gritty to chase the shadow.

Consequently, our nonchalant attitude towards burning national issues explains why our political leaders will continue to have fun filled days misgoverning the country and mismanaging our economy.

Hypothetically, imagine 11million Nigerians coming out on the streets to demand for good governance, meritocracy and development? Imagine 11million people speaking in unison against the corruption that has stagnated our growth?

Painfully, the average Nigerian mindset is evidently programmed to focus on the less important issues while treating with levity – the real issues that affects our well being as a nation. Unfortunately, if over 11million people continues to dissipate their time and resources on a white elephant project like the Big Brother Nigeria, then our leaders will have more than enough reasons and candor to continuously tell us that “God” – due to our purpoted misdemeanor; brought meningitis and the likes on us.

Pelumi Olugbenga is an undergraduate student at the Lagos State University where he studies History and International Studies.