Indecent and pornographic
content in this year’s Season Six of the Shine Ya Eyes edition of Big Brother
Naija, has attracted scathing public criticisms. Concerns have been raised as
to whether, the show is meant to promote immorality and relegate the host
country’s core values, while the producers and sponsors make profit. These are
indeed contentious issues, not easily addressed even in Mass Communication and
Film Studies, let alone doing so in practice, where it is sometimes difficult
to pin the media to regulations, because of stakeholders' monetary and
political interests.
Theoretically, one school of
thought argues that, negative media content, for instance, explicit sexual and
violent acts on television and internet, could massively influence audiences’
attitudes and behaviours negatively, like a bullet shot from a gun. A counter school of thought contends that,
there could be no such massive negative effects on everybody or society at the
same time. The reasons are that - a
programme might not be viewed by everybody; individuals are different, hence
some persons, especially, non-addicted and media literate viewers as well as
those who have self-discipline, could avoid the negative influences. This is
more so as there are other non-media sources of information and entertainment,
besides peer influences and poor family upbringing that could trigger
anti-social behaviours. Yet, some scholars of Media Studies, take a middle
position, that negative media content, could however, moderately instigate
anti-social and violent behaviours in some heavy viewers.
These daisy theoretical
arguments are usually considered by many democratic countries, to determine the
extent to which the media could be regulated through laws and professional
ethics, but without curtailing press freedom. The academic views, besides Nigerians'
appetite for entertainment, to get comic relief amid austerity and insecurity,
may have made President Muhammadu Buhari administration and Information and
Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to backtrack on earlier plans to ban Big
Brother Africa's shows. Instead, the government conditioned Big Brother Africa
to produce the show in Nigeria, so as to encourage more local participation and
plough-back part of the economic benefits to the country and the local
sponsors/advertisers.
Despite extant regulatory
mechanisms, the ongoing Season Six Shine Ya Eyes edition of the localised
BBNaija, is beaming indecent, nude, pornographic and culturally debasing acts
of some participants to handheld electronic devices and homes, even during
children time belts. Many families and kids are engrossed in watching the
uncensored indecent content, at the expense of important routines such as
praying, studying for examinations as well as carrying out official and
domestic chores. The rating of the telecast for under-eigtheen and above is not
really adhered to; many parents and viewers lack media literacy and the
psychological inoculation abilities to deflect negative influences of the
programme. Unfortunately, cases of immoral and culturally debasing acts are
still being transmitted uncensored given the programme's live-format.
One of the current gist is that
which allegedly involves Miss Angel Agnes Smith and Mr. Cross Sunday Ikechukwu
whose video of alleged erotic acts have gone viral online, and being condemned by
sane minds. This follows the alleged
escapades of Tega Dominic and Boma Martins Akpore which perplexed viewers and
non-viewers of the show, early this month. And more offensive scenes might
still be relayed in the days ahead. The alleged indecent acts of these
participants, beamed to the whole world, seems to confirm suspicion of
voyeuristic and pornographic motives of the programme, as also symbolized by
the eye logo.
The eye symbol could imply that
Big Brother is seeing participants and everything is recorded. But going by
semiotics, the eye sign seems to connote voyeurism. The producers and director, could be
leveraging on human beings' psychological tendency to peep or gaze at nude and
sexy acts for self-pleasure, a theoretical technicque usually applied by some
filmmakers. And this tactic particularly works on indisciplined and immature
viewers. Therefore, the ultimate aim of
BBNaija showing sexy and pornographic scenes might be to attract a large
audience, and to inturn attract many advertisers to place products on the
programme. Unsurprisingly, some viewers and Nigerians are speaking out against
the corrupting aspects of the BBNaija's reality telecasts. They are countering that Nigerians are not
really the characters portrayed by the acts of the “lovebirds”. And that, even
if a Nigerian is a whore, he or she might not engage in televised pornographic
acts, to relegate personal dignity, womanhood, matrimonial sanctity and
cherished cultural values/mores, be it in drama or real life, except they are
porn stars.
The wild condemnations and the
use of protest votes to evict participants allegedly bringing shame to
themselves and Nigeria, have depicted Nigerians as a cultured people. And more
of such persons are to be voted out of the house by audiences. The quick
actions, attest to the power of audiences, once seen as passive in conventional
mass communication, when the legacy media existed without online alternatives.
Despite the public outcry, the
Federal Government seems not to have publicly called the producers of the
programme to order, neither has Big Brother Africa assured it would make amends
to stop projecting the country, its citizens and culture to the world,
negatively. Notwithstanding calls for
banning the programme on account of immorality and cultural debasement, my
stand is that, the Federal Government, could rather compel the producers to
redesign the programme for subsequent editions. For instance, participation could be limited
to unmarried youths; separate living rooms could be provided and for each
person or according to gender, while inmates interact at common meeting
grounds/activities; excursion trips to cultural, tourism sites and traditional
institutions, could be introduced, to enable them and audiences learn and
project the country's cultural heritage.
Also, folklores, native music,
ballads and cultural values should compulsorily form part of the content;
number of participants could be increased and then more use of native costumes
and languages should be encouraged in performances and interactions. A bit of privacy should be accorded
participants when necessary; digital electronic devices could be used to filter
indecent contents; broadcast should be limited to adult time belt; media-use
literacy education for audiences should be done; stiffer rules for the
producers and participants, particularly in the aspects of near-complete nudity
and open sexual acts are equally vital.
Reviving of the National Theatre
at Igamu in Lagos, should equally be expedited, so as to encourage Nigerian
producers and indigenous performers to produce reality shows with local content
to creat employment and wealth. Adopting these measures, might not only help to
improve the content and public-approval rating of the reality show. It could
also be of more benefits to the Nigerian audiences and the country, instead of
fulfilling the monetary interests of the stakeholders alone.
In the long-run, the producers
could as well make more revenues through good approval rating that will later
attract many persons who disliked the so-called corrupting aspects of the show.
These suggestions are vital, especially in this era in which the cultures and
traditions of many parts of the country are going extinct, and young ones are
adopting alien cultures in the name of civilization. This trend, besides governments' inability to
provide jobs and essential services, are increasing idleness; social vices,
rate of divorce, and criminal activities such as drug abuse, rape, incest,
money rituals, online fraud, kidnapping and murder. Now is the time, to therefore, rethink the
socio-cultural impact of BBNaija show, and regigg its content in order to
inculcate the right values in the young ones, as well as project the culture
and tourism potential of Nigeria to the world.
By Etete Enideneze, Media
Professional/Public Affairs Analyst