After months of anticipation, tonight saw the unveiling of #BBNaija Season 7 Housemates in a star-studded Live Launch Show, complete with a live audience. Following a Season of zero contact and zero face to face events from Big Brother Naija viewers across the continent, tonight was one for the books.
The first 12 stars of the show are safely tucked in in Biggie's House and it's time for you to get to know them better.
“I am in between being a spoilt brat and a disciplined child”. Those are spicy opening words from 23-year-old health care worker and Anambra State native, Amaka.
This self-professed daddy’s girl has only one sibling, is the only girl in her family and loves generous men. Her motto is: ‘Grab the bull by the horns and forge ahead’, which has helped her navigate the highs and lows life throws her way. Amaka confesses she signed up for Big Brother Naija to not only win, but to have fun, meet new people and to pepper all her exes.
Amaka admits she may sometimes come across as bold, mean and “extra”, but people always realise she is as soft as jelly, when they get to know her better. She is the first to admit she talks a lot, something her fellow Housemates may find annoying. “I am a big parrot! You don't need to pay me o. I can talk for free non-stop,” she says.
Although she admits to holding grudges, Amaka reckons she makes up for it by being honest. “You will always know where you stand with me”.
Beauty has done an impressive job of living up to her name. The 24-year-old lawyer from Taraba State was crowned Miss Nigeria in 2019, becoming the country’s 43rd beauty to win the pageant. She also held the ‘Most Beautiful Girl Taraba’ title, from 2015 to 2017.
Beauty describes herself as a generous, open, reliable free-spirit and believes if she puts her mind to anything, she surely will achieve it. One of the lowest points in her life is when she had to rewrite the Nigerian Bar Exams after failing the first time. As the last born of four siblings, Beauty enjoys the love, constant guidance and unwavering support this position affords her.
Why Big Brother Naija? “I love a good challenge, and I am very entertaining. Most importantly, I need the platform to further build my brand as Beauty Tukura. I know that being in the House will change my life and I am ready for that change and all that it comes with,” she says.
Singer and songwriter Bryann counts Wande Coal, Vybz Cartel and Angelique Kidjo as some of his musical influences. The 24-year-old who hails from Imo State started releasing music in 2019, and finally put out a full-length project in 2021.
Although down-to-earth and sometimes reserved, Bryann enjoys meeting new people, partying and watching movies. “I would call myself an extravert; which is a mix of both an introvert and an extrovert. I have random bursts of energy and I have low-energy days, but I understand how to navigate people in either of these situations,” he says.
Bryann is at his happiest when he is being creative and hopes Big Brother Naija will give him the platform to interact with people, raise his social currency and also create awareness about his music.
His fellow Housemates, however, might take exception to his chronic late-coming and his bad memory. “I’m super forgetful, so I sometimes forget to pitch for meetings on time,” he says with a chuckle.
Christy O is a beauty entrepreneur who runs a cosmetics business. This outspoken 24-year-old also models in her free time, and believes in giving people second chances.
She describes herself as a “funny, smart and hardworking extrovert” and admits you are more than likely to find her “where the fun is” on any given day. When she’s not hiking or enjoying a picnic with her close friends, Christy O makes time to write poems.
Her major weakness? “I’m a perfectionist, which means I’m usually not satisfied with a result, especially when a task has been performed by someone else”. She is also argumentative and sarcastic, traits that may annoy her fellow Housemates.
Despite all this, Christy O feels she’s the right person for this experience. “I am excellent at putting on a good show. Big Brother Naija is about entertaining, educating and being creative. I think I can be great at that,” she says.
Art lover, movie junkie and music freak Cyph, hails from Imo State and studied Electrical Engineering at Madonna University. He loves food, travel, fashion and cruise, and admits he can be quite enigmatic. “I’m goofy, sociable and playful too though, so that balances it out,” he says.
His motto is: ‘You only live once’ and Cyph ensures he remembers this when he has disagreements with loved ones by hashing out any differences immediately. This 27-year-old is the first to admit he loves being happy, but is prone to crying if someone makes him extremely angry. Although not in a relationship, Cyph has his eyes set on someone outside the House currently.
Why sign up for Big Brother Naija? “I’ve always wanted to be seen or known beyond the comfort of my home, phone and friends. I have a lot to give to society and I see BB Naija as that first step”.
When she’s not writing poetry, acting, or singing, you’ll find 22-year-old Daniella working out and staying fit. She hates bullies with a passion and believes in fair play, so she usually steps in as “the defender” during heated arguments.
Daniella loves meeting new people and describes herself as resilient, energetic and observant. She has a twin brother, five older brothers and a younger sister, and loves being part of a big family. Although she just got out of a toxic relationship, Daniella still believes in love and is open to finding it one day.
When quizzed on habits that could possibly annoy her fellow Housemates, she says: “Based on research, it would be my sensitivity. I’m very aware of verbal and non-verbal communication. My pettiness would be another, even though I don’t like drama. Also, I am quite unpredictable”.
Daniella believes Big Brother Naija is the perfect stage to showcase her creativity. “I want to be in the entertainment industry. I strongly believe I belong here”.
Artist, fashion entrepreneur and model Groovy, is an ambitious 26-year-old from Anambra State. He has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Lagos and loves working out and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
He describes himself as “a positive, self-sufficient, supportive person” and believes his winning mentality never fails to push him and those around him to greater heights.
Groovy reckons his argumentative nature could rub his fellow Housemates up the wrong way. “I don’t back down if I feel I’m right about something, unless the facts state I’m wrong. I’m also very principled, so I hardly bend my will to please others, unless it’s the right thing to do.
He has been running a clothing and accessories business for the past four years, and also dabbles in music, and feels Big Brother Naija will help him make a name for himself.
“I want to be famous, wealthy, influential and powerful. I want to be a voice for change in my country and in the world and this show is the platform to showcase who I am, and who I can be to the world.
21-year-old Ilebaye is a criminology and security studies graduate and entrepreneur. She loves swimming, partying, bowling and shopping, and considers herself a controversial, adventurous go-getter.
Ilebaye doesn’t believe in love and feels romantic relationships are all about pretence. “Maybe one day I will find a reason to believe in love, for now, not a chance,” she says.
She can be blunt and have a nonchalant attitude, traits that could annoy her fellow Housemates, but she plans to make up for it by being easy going and fun to be around.
Ilebaye believes Big Brother Naija is the perfect platform to sell herself and gain exposure, which will be good for her business. “Let’s not forget all the other opportunities that come with being a BB Naija Housemate”.
Kess is a married 28-year-old businessman who enjoys living life to the fullest. Family means the world to him and he even counts one of his brothers as his best friend. “He is like a twin brother to me. I love my family. Our struggles made us stronger and I’m blessed to have them in my life”.
He describes himself as a “showstopping, jaw-dropping human being” and takes pride in his talents. “I can do almost anything. I can sing, but not on Wande Coal’s level, sha. I dey dance small. I sabi act small. I have never pursued any of this seriously because man need to survive first,” he says.
Kess is stubborn and values himself, traits which others sometimes find annoying. Being in the Big Brother Naija House has always been his dream. “Anybody who knows me, knows this about me. I watch the show and I have always envisioned myself on it”.
Khalid doesn’t like to beat around the bush when it comes to relationships, and his idea of fun is hanging out with the right people, having meaningful conversations and engaging in extreme sports.
He enjoys archery, skateboarding, basketball, watching anime and also has a keen interest in mythology. This 22-year-old freelance graphic designer and muralist from Plateau State loves to try new things and considers himself charismatic.
Khalid, who describes himself as “chronically single”, is not looking for love at the moment, but feels like he hit the jackpot where friendship is concerned, which is more than enough. He sees the Big Brother Naija House as a platform to advertise himself and meet amazing new people.
“With my talents, I know I'm supposed to do greater things than I am doing right now. My friends and family never fail to remind me, so I owe it to them and myself to be great,“ he says.
Licensed pharmacist, Pharmsavi, is a confident multitalented extrovert with “an amazing sense of humour”. He is passionate about life and acting in particular, and would like to pursue the craft as a profession in the near future.
Pharmsavi enjoys travelling, dancing and playing video games, and has a large network of friends, courtesy of his boisterous, friendly personality. He dislikes hypocrisy and deceit and considers himself emotional and competitive. He loves graphic design and when he has time, you will find Pharmsavi playing table tennis.
Habits that could possibly annoy his fellow Housemates during his time in the House? “I am a perfectionist. People always say I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) because I like things to be clean and in order,” he says.
Pharmsavi hopes Big Brother Naija will help him kickstart his dream of becoming a professional actor. “I also want to create awareness on drug abuse and misuse, especially among the youth”.
Phyna describes herself as “allergic to malice”. She is short-tempered and can fight with a person one minute, then talk to them the next, like nothing happened.
She is single and believes she is a born entertainer. “My view on relationships is: Na mumu dey fall in love”.
This 25-year-old hype girl considers herself jovial, and maintains she is allergic to gossip. “I don’t condone gossip, and a lot of people know I hate it. You can never gossip about someone to me,” she says.
One of her talents is repairing home appliances and she counts her graduation as one of the best moments of her life. “I never thought I would be able to further my education in a higher institution of learning”. Phyna has set her sights on the Big Brother Naija House because of one simple reason; she wants to make a difference.
This is just the beginning. A total of 12 Housemates made their debut in Biggie's House tonight, the second installment of the double launch show awaits Africa. This is it!
Big Brother Naija Season 7 launched on Saturday 23 July on Africa Magic Showcase, Africa Magic Urban, and Africa Magic Family channels. It also airs on the 24-hour channels 198 on DStv and 29 on GOtv. Fans across Africa are also able to stream via African online streaming service, Showmax, alongside fans in the UK. Make sure you don’t miss anything from Biggie’s world on our website and be part of the #BBNaija gist on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.