Lawyer Demands Ban of BBNaija, Says "It Neither Offers Educative, Artistic, Scientific, Nor Literary Value, It Promotes Obscene, Indecent, Profane Content"
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that a prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has issued a stern petition to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), demanding an immediate ban or stringent regulation of the popular reality television programme Big Brother Naija (BBNaija), saying it against the law of obscenity.
OTN News further reports that the lawyer demanded for this ban in a strongly worded letter titled “Urgent Need to Ban or Regulate the Content of the Television Programme Described as ‘Big Brother Naija’ for Obscene, Indecent, and Profane Content, Pursuant to the NBC Act 1999,”
OTN News observes that, Idam’s petition, addressed to the NBC’s Director General, which in it he accused the show of broadcasting explicit and pornographic material, posing a threat to public morality, claimed that BBNaija, now in its second week of the 10th season, promotes “obscene, indecent, and profane” content through real-time broadcasts on national television and social media platforms.
He expressed outrage that the show’s producers freely share such material on verified social media accounts, disregarding Nigeria’s cultural and moral sensibilities.
According to him, “The programme is not only aired on national TV but its profane content is proudly shared on the verified social media handles of the host company, in total disregard for public morality.
Furthermore, he highlighted the NBC’s past actions, noting that the commission had previously sanctioned music videos by artists such as Olamide, Reminisce, Phyno, and Wizkid for promoting indecency, immorality, obscenity contents.
He questioned why BBNaija, despite its 18+ rating, has escaped similar scrutiny.
He argued that the age restriction is inadequate, as the show’s explicit content remains easily accessible to underage viewers and the broader public, particularly through unregulated social media clips.
“The programme neither offers educative, artistic, scientific, nor literary value. Its negative effect on the moral sensibilities of the Nigerian public cannot be underestimated,” he wrote.
He, however, urged the NBC to restrict the show to highly regulated, adult-only channels and to prohibit the online dissemination of explicit content by the show’s producers.
“The NBC must act now to prevent further erosion of our societal values,” he declared, giving the commission a 30-day ultimatum to comply or face legal action in a court of competent jurisdiction.
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