On October 1, 2023, the Big Brother Naija All-Stars season pertained to a remarkable close with season under-dog, Ilebaye Odiniya, becoming the winner of the 120m reward ahead of franchise superpowers, Mercy Eke and Cee-C Nwadiora. From the nooks of the web came a discovery that had X roaring, less than 2 weeks later on. Revealing the despotic reign of VVIPs and their misappropriation of funds, a series of tweets, threads and areas painted the photo of a fandom racket. Whatever from purchasing of votes and “patterns” to fan service verging on star praise, drawing subtle parallels with Nigerian elections. Given that its creation in 2006 and reintroduction in 2017, Big Brother Naija has actually brought in huge public engagement throughout the nation and Africa, probably 2nd to Afrobeats in this regard. BBN fandoms are extremely arranged and understood to go to excellent lengths to support their favorites. They crowdsource for funds and invest 10s of millions for anything that ‘d provide their preferred housemates an edge, in and out of your home. When “Lockdown” housemate, Erica Nlewedim was disqualified from the program in 2020, fans raised $66k for her due to the fact that they thought she would’ve been the clear winner– the prize money had to do with $100k at the time. Other housemates, Pepper Dem’s Tacha Akide, Lockdown’s Dorathy Bachor, Neo Akpofure and Laycon, and Shine Ya Eye’s Liquorose and Saskay, have actually each apparently gotten a Mercedes Benz from their fans. While safe and even exceptional at stated value, fandom activities have actually progressively transitioned into toxicity and even deceitful activities gradually. On October 12, 2023, simply days after the ending of the current BBN edition, fans began an X Space to grumble about the misappropriation of funds they ‘d added to choosing Mercy Eke. They thought Ilebaye would not have actually won if the ballot funds were properly released. These problems opened a discussion about gross misbehavior within the BBN fandom, all appearing to come from figures called “VVIPs”. The increase of VVIP fans VVIPs are fans who are popular to the basic fandom in the BBN social networks area. It frequently begins with them appearing online to support a housemate 24/7 and progresses into a personality other fans depend on for the essence of whatever taking place in your home. In the future, the housemates’ social networks handlers begin to discover their usernames and connect with them. With this impact, they use up the obligation of crowdfunding for their favorites, actively pressing their matter online and establishing an in-person relationship with them. After their favorites come out of your home, they end up being the intermediary in between them and their fandoms, getting contributions on their behalf from countless fans, arranging presents, passing messages from fans to the BBN stars and more. Some end up being mini-stars in their own. When the general public seen 2017’s “See Gobbe” season finalists, Bisola Aiyeola and Efe Money, end up being home names– with Bisola transitioning into the extremely gatekept Nollywood and Efe having super stars like Olamide, Davido and Wizkid promote his brand-new album– the stakes to win increased. The very first VVIPs emerged throughout the 2018 “Double Wahala” season, with the appeal of housemates like Cee-C, Miracle, Tobi and Alex, and the rush to make certain they won. Social media-savvy users with time on their hands chose to spearhead the newly found objective to make stars. With each passing season of the truth Television program, basic BBN fans have actually grown careful of these VVIPs, comparing them to Ponzi schemers. For the 2023 All-Stars’ season alone, fans declared to have actually contributed anywhere in between 4m and 50m to VVIPs for votes to ensure Mercy Eke won. According to Mercy and Cee-C fans, if the cash was invested in the service, Ilebaye would not have stood a possibility. On the X Space pointed out previously, fans likewise declared they contributed 37m as a money present to Whitemoney, however he never ever got it. Declared ballot scams The VVIPs frequently get cash from housemates and their groups or from fans, to establish voting centres. They get 10s of countless naira to provide big ballot numbers, in a scenario that calls comparable to the streaming farm conspiracy surrounding the music market. Online discussions surrounding the All-Stars’ ending exposed cases of VVIPs running away with the cash, just investing part of it on the votes and even investing it on other housemates rather. This casts doubt on the really principles of purchasing and offering choose a competitors when in the end, housemates with natural support usually win. We attempted to get the within scoop from these VVIPs, however they’re as evasive as Big Brother’s identity. Some published invoices on their X pages to show the cash they got was utilized properly, however the fandom drama continued. One declared VVIP, X user @mumchomzy, even surrendered after dealing with the rage of fans. She shared several invoices and screenshots of text. Fans declined to accept she did the work and Mercy still didn’t win. Following the reaction, she hosted a three-hour area to reveal completion of her stanship. According to @mumchomzy, VVIPs are at the grace of sim and ballot suppliers– individuals who’ve made an organization out of bulk ballot by proxy. And the entire procedure of supporting housemates is just dangerous since there was no other way to manage the suppliers. Rigging the X patterns table The most popular BBN housemates have actually been understood to include on or top the X patterns table a number of times. Stars like Tacha, Mercy and OG housemate, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, pattern when it’s their birthday or they’re associated with any viral discussion. The post-All-Stars BBN fandom discussion exposed another aspect that gets housemates on that table– cash. According to X users, housemates or their VVIP fans, pay to pattern on the popular table that offers basic fans boasting rights. Some VVIPs do this by paying influencers or blog sites countless naira to discuss their favorites enough times on X. Lots of BBN fans think this is how housemate, Alex Asogwa, remained on the patterns table throughout the All-Stars season. While it isn’t deceptive, fans concur that it even more exposes the BBN world as primarily inorganic. Fans called out X user @princessdaprada– ex-BBN Lockdown housemate, Prince Nelson’s more youthful sis– after she exposed she ‘d spent for Alex to trend on the platform. On October 24, in a follow-up Space and X thread, which she’s considering that erased, she described that she didn’t pay particularly for Alex to pattern however for a complete PR plan. It’s like an appeal contest where cash talks. What does any of this mean? Is this a call to the organisers of Big Brother Naija, due to the fact that what can they do about it? There’s absolutely nothing ethical about truth television. The working formula is showcasing the worst in individuals for clicks. If the organisers appreciated how fans engaged, winners would not depend on the general public. This is more a truth examine the insane lengths fans will go to for their favorites (contributing millions to make other individuals stars, in this economy?) It’s a lesson in the wild world of truth television where anything goes, and popularity is up for grabs to the greatest bidder. We spoke to singing BBN fans about whether that’ll impact their engagement with future programs, and if they seem like they’ve lost something. X user, @munaliscrys, who’s been voting on and off because the Lockdown season of 2020, shared how she’s constantly understood VVIPs existed and individuals purchased votes, however she didn’t care enough to determine why. “I learnt about the ballot rip-offs, however it didn’t make me second-guess anything. I understand my vote is doomed from the start. I do not utilize my cash to vote. I push a number of things on my phone, and it’s done, so I’m never ever too pushed about anything that takes place later.” When asked if she ‘d vote next season after whatever we understand about the ballot racket now: “I will not hesitate about ballot. Individuals opened a GoFundMe for Star Girl Erica, so I wasn’t stunned individuals contribute and invest millions to purchase votes. It’s their cash, and it feeds my home entertainment. If stans wish to invest cash to make certain my ship continues kissing on my screen, then who am I to grumble? BBN rip-offs take place all the time, so this simply seemed like among them. It was a bit amusing however, can’t lie.” The majority of devoted BBN watchers were aware of the existence of VVIPs and voting rackets before the huge face-off on X after the All-Stars finale. Another fan who’s invested cash to vote on numerous events stated, “In reality, I had popcorn all set when whatever decreased on Twitter (X). Hearing individuals speak about it straight made the truth of voting various. You actually can’t rely on every vote-selling supplier. I’ll reconsider enacting the next season. I can’t be voting and some supplier sends me phony evidence whilst collecting my cash to purchase homes and vanish. I likewise understood Nigerians are abundant, and they require to put me on. They’ve got cash they wish to utilize simply for their home entertainment. From the very first year I entered into BBN till now, I still can’t understand it in its whole. The entire thing is insane, however not to them and their pocket.” Invite to the showbiz jungle, folks. READ THIS NEXT: Timeline of Silence: Why Does Sexual Violence Have Little Consequence?
Who Are VVIPS? Revealing the Dark Underbelly of BBNaija’s Fandom
