As you already know, the Big Brother Naija season has just been concluded, and Imisi was announced as the winner of the show for this season. It was a deserved win, garnering over 27% more votes than the second-place winner, Dede. While Imisi seemed almost the predictable winner as the season unfolded, it remained a competitive season, with each of the finalists having a strong fan base who voted for them and made sure they reached the final lap. According to reactions on social media, this was the first Big Brother Naija season where each housemate brought their A-game, keeping viewers entertained through the entire weeks. From ships to fights to friendships, the housemates made sure the 10th season of Big Brother Naija was one to always remember.
But what are the things that made this season more entertaining and enough to introduce anyone to Big Brother Naija?
The housemates
While at the end of the reality TV show, a winner goes home with the grand prize money, the show is essentially for the viewers because they are the voters. The higher the votes of a housemate, the longer they stay in the house. This season, each housemate gave viewers every reason to look forward to something in the house. Whether it’s the wager tasks, HOH challenges, or parties, every supporter had a reason to back a housemate.
A viewer might like Imisi and Kuture because they see a representation of themselves in them. They both had the “streets” strategy, which we could say kept Kuture in the house longer and won the show for Imisi.
A viewer might like Kaybobo because of his cooking prowess. Some might like Jason Jae for his dance moves and his activeness during sponsored tasks. Some might like Koyin and Rooboy because they are party rats; Koyin sang every song like he was in the studio with the artists, while Rooboy brought his hypeman energy into the house. A viewer might like Faith and Dede for being intelligent and assertive, while some might like Kola for bringing fashion and style into the house.
The housemates were enough highlights on their own to make this season different from the rest.
Dynamic strategies
What made this season different was the dynamics of strategies. In previous seasons, being in a “ship” or a relationship used to be a strong strategy that kept housemates in the house. This season, it wasn’t the case. Viewers were unable to ship housemates for more than a week — from Doris and Denari, Kayikunmi and Isabella, to Bright Morgan and Mide, and Kaybobo and Thelma Lawson. Well, Mide and Bright Morgan were able to entertain the viewers, but it wasn’t long before Bright Morgan was evicted.
In a previous article, we wrote that “this shows a shift in fan culture. Fans are no longer swayed only by housemate strategies or on-screen romance; their votes show that they value authenticity and connection over spectacle. They vote for who they feel most connected to and who has the genuine story arc.”
Game changers
One of the unique things about BBNaija is how Biggie constantly refines the games and playbook. Housemates, having watched the show for a decade, think they know how Biggie runs his house, but Biggie often shows them that it’s his house, and he adopts twists at any point in the game. One of the twists this season was the Red Telephone. While it’s not the first time the telephone has been adopted, it served a different purpose this year.
For instance, Kaybobo was able to purchase his way into the finals through the Red Telephone. Rooboy, Joanna, and Dede were able to escape evictions a week after picking up the Red Telephone. The grand prize was also reduced from ₦150 million to ₦80 million through some of the calls picked by housemates.
This 10th season of Big Brother Naija proved that even after a decade, the show still knows how to evolve and capture attention. Housemates brought individuality and energy, and the competition was driven by unpredictable twists and an audience that demanded authenticity over pretence. This season captured the very essence of what BBNaija is — Nigeria’s love for entertainment. For anyone who has never tuned in before, Season 10 offered every reason to start: laughter, drama, strategy, and the pure thrill of watching people chase dreams under Biggie’s roof.
