Anambra-born pharmacist and actor, Chimsom Chuka, has emerged as the first Head of House in the 11th season of Big Brother Naija after winning the opening leadership challenge, securing immunity from this week’s eviction.
Big Brother announced Chimsom as the winner on Monday after he recorded the fastest overall time in the inaugural Head of House task, held on the first full day of the competition.
The challenge saw the male housemates compete separately from the female contestants before the fastest overall performers were compared to determine the winner.
Abi, a chef and model from Osun State, finished second overall and was named Deputy Head of House.
In a major twist introduced for the new season, Big Brother announced that the Head of House would no longer automatically occupy the luxurious Head of House loft.
Instead, Chimsom was required to select a housemate through a lucky dip to enjoy the exclusive accommodation.
Picking from a yellow lucky dip box, Chimsom selected Tram, who was immediately granted access to the Head of House loft for the week. Tram subsequently chose fellow housemate Sheba to share the apartment with him.
Although he will not stay in the Head of House residence, Chimsom retains the key benefit of the position, immunity from this week’s eviction, alongside other leadership privileges and a special reward from Big Brother.
The development marks one of the biggest format changes introduced in the “Show Ya Sef” edition of the reality show, separating immunity from occupancy of the exclusive Head of House quarters.
Before entering the house, the 27-year-old said he intended to remain authentic throughout the competition, describing his greatest strength as simply being himself.
“The biggest strength I have is being myself,” he said in his pre-show introduction, expressing confidence that viewers would connect with his genuine personality rather than a calculated strategy.
As of the time of filing this report, the housemates were still participating in the nomination process to determine those who would face possible eviction later in the week.
The 24 contestants are competing over 72 days for the show’s record grand prize worth ₦160 million, including ₦100 million in cash and an SUV.