Big Brother Naija: Ilebaye Plays Into the Audience’s Need for an Underdog

Everybody enjoys a captivating backstory. Whether it’s the origin of a movie’s main character or that of your favourite reality star, a good backstory lays the foundation for the development of a person’s character. Throughout the past seven seasons of Big Brother Naija, we’ve witnessed different character tropes on the show, including the villain, the lover boy or girl, the game player or strategist, and the audience’s favourite—the underdog. 

The Big Brother Naija audience has always had an affinity for the underdog. An underdog is a person or character who is naturally disadvantaged and has minimal to zero expectations of triumph. They are expected to have lower chances of success in comparison to their competitors and rivals, as the odds seem stacked against them. Over time, housemates who were considered underdogs have risen to become top dogs and frontrunners of the show. A prime example is Miracle, the unassuming pilot who ultimately emerged as the winner of season 3—Double Wahala. Miracle’s introverted nature initially made people doubt if he was reality TV material. Ironically, these same traits eventually made him the audience’s favourite. 

In the fifth season—the Lockdown edition—on the opening night, Laycon—an intelligent singer and graduate of the University of Lagos—caught the eyes of the viewers with his slim frame and laid-back nature. A significant number of viewers swiftly dismissed his persona and appearance, and this eventually kick-started a fanbase for him. His subsequent failed entanglement with one of the season’s highfliers, Erica, garnered more support for Laycon, who eventually won the show.

In the current much-anticipated All-Stars season, a formerly underrated contender for the 120 million grand prize, Ilebaye, has become the  underdog. Being a contestant in the latest season of the show—Level Up—Ilebaye Odiniya only made it to day 21 in the house. Determined not to have such another short-lived stay in the Big Brother House, this time she’s playing the game with a seemingly familiar trope—acting as the  underdog.

Within her first two weeks in the house, the self-acclaimed Gen Z baddie has left a lasting impression on both the viewers and her fellow housemates. Ilebaye, whose personality comes off as troublesome, slightly instigative, and at the same time naive, is a balance between sheer audacity and innocence, a blend the audience finds fascinating. While she has experienced her fair share of conflicts, her  famous clash with Ceec, one of the most controversial housemates in the Double Wahala Season, is the highlight of her stay so far. The heated altercation with Ceec and her in-house confidante, Doyin, escalated to the point of Ilebaye resorting to physical violence, earning her two strikes from Big Brother, Ilebaye has definitely gotten a lot more attention this time than her first stint on the show.

Perhaps it’s because she’s the youngest on the show, or because of her controversial personality or her recent status as a rival to Ceec. Whatever Ilebaye is doing, it’s surely working. Nigerians are embracing the notion that she started off with a disadvantage—lacking a formidable fanbase from her first stint on the show—and are now mobilizing, to ensure a prolonged stay and potentially win the show.

This recent turn of events raises the question of why Nigerians crave the existence of an underdog and gravitate toward them to support the show. Culturally, Nigerians are emotionally attached to stories and narratives of grass-to-grace or triumph and victory, and this has been reflected in the selection of winners in past seasons, including Efe in Season 2, Miracle in Season 3, Laycon in Season 5, and the recent winner of Season 7, Phyna. This proves that there’s a preference for stories like this about housemates who rise against all odds to achieve success. Perhaps it’s not too far-fetched to consider this trend tied to a societal savior’s complex—a desire and inclination to stand up for ourselves and make sacrifices against all odds. It may serve as a little consolation and solace to compensate for the failures and shortcomings of our government. In a country where citizens are set back by systemic limitations, advocating for the underdog is a chance to reclaim power, even if it’s in a small fragment. Hence, this act is beyond reality TV and is symbolic to Nigerians.

Although it’s still too early to determine how successful Ilebaye’s tactics will be and its outcome, anticipation is high, and viewers are closely watching her journey.