Public interest lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has petitioned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), demanding urgent action against the popular reality television show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija), over what he described as “persistent obscene and profane content.”
In a letter addressed to NBC’s Director-General and titled “Urgent Need to Ban or Regulate the Content of Big Brother Naija for Obscenity, Indecency, and Profanity, Pursuant to the NBC Act 1999,” Idam accused the show of promoting immorality and undermining public decency.
“Concerned about the brazen obscenity and profane content showcased by Big Brother Naija, which is also freely distributed on social media by its host company. I am constrained as a Nigerian citizen and public interest lawyer to demand the immediate ban or proper regulation of the programme,” Idam wrote.
NBC’s “Silence Perplexing”
The legal practitioner expressed dissatisfaction with NBC’s perceived inaction, citing past instances where the Commission sanctioned music videos deemed indecent.
“NBC previously banned or sanctioned several music videos—such as Don’t Stop by Olamide and Tesojue by Reminisce—for promoting public indecency, despite their targeted audiences. It is perplexing, therefore, that NBC remains silent on Big Brother Naija despite its explicit content,” he argued.
Idam acknowledged that the show is rated 18 but insisted that such rating does not justify its unfiltered accessibility.
“I write, not as one unaware of its 18+ rating, but as a Nigerian concerned about the danger such content poses to public morality. NBC must ensure that BBNaija is either banned or restricted to highly controlled platforms, preventing accidental exposure to underage viewers or uninterested members of the public.”
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Social Media Sharing Raises Alarm
Idam also condemned the programme’s widespread online distribution.
“It is outrageous that the show’s explicit content is proudly shared on the verified social media handles of the organisers, disregarding public morality and decency,” he said.
The lawyer argued that BBNaija offers no tangible societal value, stressing that regulating or banning the show is crucial to preserving Nigeria’s moral fabric.
“Big Brother Naija neither offers educational, artistic, scientific nor literary value. Its unchecked influence worsens existing societal vices such as insecurity and moral decadence,” he stated.
30-Day Ultimatum or Legal Action
Idam gave NBC 30 days to act, warning that failure to comply would force him to seek judicial intervention.
“NBC is urged to regulate Big Brother Naija within 30 days by limiting its broadcast to strictly controlled channels and prohibiting the dissemination of explicit clips on social media. TAKE NOTICE that failure to comply will compel me to seek redress in a court of competent jurisdiction,” he concluded.