By Seyi Babalola
Big Brother Naija All Stars, Africa’s greatest reality program, comes to an end tonight with an N120 million grand prize.
This season is perhaps the most entertaining of the Big Brother Naija series, as well as the most engaging in terms of plot twists and turns. It has also been considered as the most unexpected season, with no clear winner even hours before the conclusion.
Big Brother Naija viewers have been accustomed to guessing the ultimate victors since its first season in 2006 and the six seasons that followed following its 11-year break, but that tradition is changing this season.
This has raised sentiments that the N120 million grand prize of the reality show is open to all the finalists.
Chances Of Finalists
Ilebaye Odiniya
Ilebaye Odiniya, aka Baye, came into the House as an underdog. Many questioned the inclusion of the self-styled “Gen Z Baddie” in the All-Star edition since she was a three-week evictee of the most recent season, ‘Level Up’ 2022.
However, the 22-year-old’s game skyrocketed when she adopted the persona of “the bullied housemate”. Her strategy worked effortlessly since she was the youngest in the House.
Outside the House, her fanbase, Baye Tribe, was growing with a great force. They voted to keep her in the House despite facing possible eviction almost every week.
Ilebaye then booked her place in the final all by herself after winning the Head of House game in Week 9.
Interestingly, she is the only All-Star finalist that wasn’t a finalist in her season.
Baye remains a dark horse in tonight’s finale.
Adekunle Olopade
From all indications, Adekunle, aka “Bad Boy Deks”, is no pushover. His exploits in the All-Star House testify to the beauty of second chances.
He caught the attention of many when he emerged as the first Head of House of the All-Star season. Though a finalist in the ‘Level Up’ season in 2022, his first stint in Biggie’s house wasn’t rosy.
On his second coming, Bad Boy Deks found his mojo and also found love with Venita.
His relationship with Venita, codenamed “Adenita ship” by fans, also helped explode his fanbase; Islanders – the name of his fan base is a play on the origin of Adekunle, who is from Lagos Island – And very early in the show, it became clear that he was one of the top contenders for the N120 million grand prize.
Adekunle earned his spot in the final after surviving the last eviction that swallowed his love interest, Venita, and lovebirds, Soma and Angel.
Cynthia “CeeC” Nwadiora
The second coming of the Spartans’ Queen has been nothing short of glory; she quickly emerged as one of the strongest housemates despite being an alumna of one of the oldest seasons.
CeeC was the 1st runner-up of Big Brother Naija Season 3 ‘Double Wahala’ in 2018. The massive following she still enjoys speaks of the longevity of her stardom and the loyalty of her fans over the years.
The lawyer has made it clear that she is on the show to win, having come close five years ago.
However, CeeC is not just up against her colleagues for the N120 million grand prize, but a myth as well. The myth is that “all the finalists that have won the Innoson Car Task since its introduction in 2019, never go on to win the show.”
Can she break the jinx?
Mercy “Lambo” Eke
Mercy is on a journey to rewrite history. The video vixen has made it known that she is on the show to correct the impression that if her archrival, Tacha, wasn’t disqualified, she wouldn’t have won the ‘Pepper Dem’ season in 2019.
She hopes to do this by winning the All-Stars season. But standing against her, aside from her competitors, is a resonating sentiment that “having won before, it would be unfair for Mercy to win the show again.”
Does the Queen of Mercenaries have what it takes to coast home to victory tonight against all odds? We wait to see.
Pere Egbi
Pere is not a General without a battalion. He has a legion of loyal fans known as Patriots.
His advent into the final shows that he is not a pushover. He was also a finalist during his season ‘Shine Ya Eye’ in 2021.
Pere survived the last eviction to book a place in the final after surprisingly topping strong names like Venita and Angel.
Can the General pull another surprise tonight?
Ikechukwu Sunday “Cross” Okonkwo
Cross is the only housemate who was never up for eviction until the final voting.
After escaping nominations for possible eviction throughout the season, Cross bought immunity with Moneypoint coins in the eighth week to go straight to the final.
Despite his fans not flexing their muscles throughout the season until the final voting, the loyalty of his fanbase is never in doubt.
Cross, the only two-time Head of House this season, would hope to pull an upset in tonight’s finale.
Uncertainty resides in the dark firmaments. The Tribe, Spartans, Mercenaries, Islanders, Crossers, and Patriots are eagerly waiting to take the day. N120 million is at stake! Only one winner will emerge. Breaths are retained and released sedately yet heavily. Hearts are ramming against ribcages. Who goes home with the Big Brother Naija All-Stars megastar prize?
