•Seyi Awolowo
Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Seyi Awolowo, has revealed that he deliberately tried to keep his family identity hidden when he auditioned for the reality television show in 2019, saying he wanted to be judged on his own merit rather than his famous surname.
Speaking on The Nigeria Meter Podcast, the grandson of the late Nigerian nationalist and statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, said he never intended for fellow contestants to know about his family background while in the house.
According to him, his plan changed the moment the show’s host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, announced his full name during his introduction on stage.
“I didn’t want anybody to know I was an Awolowo in the house. I didn’t want the housemates in particular to know that’s who I was, but when I got to the stage and Ebuka called ‘Seyi Awolowo,’ that’s when everyone knew,” he said.
Seyi explained that his intention had been to participate in the competition simply as “Seyi,” without the weight or expectations that came with his surname.
“My own plan was just to be there as Seyi, but immediately he mentioned it, my whole plan went away,” he added.
The reality TV star also dismissed any suggestion that his family name gave him an advantage during the show, insisting that he went through the same audition process as every other contestant.
“I did the audition proper, I stood in line. I didn’t get my golden ticket until about 3 a.m. on the third of February that year,” he said.
He recalled attending the audition with a friend, while one of his stepbrothers also showed up but arrived too late to participate.
“Me and my guy went for the audition. One of my stepbrothers also came for the audition but he got there late,” Seyi said.
Seyi was among the contestants in the 2019 edition of Big Brother Naija, where he became one of the show’s most talked-about housemates.
