By Ese Grage

Last Sunday, Big Brother Titans premiered and everywhere is already buzzing with excitement, disappointment, and heartache as new fan bases spring up. Also, with the emergence of Mmelli as Head of House (HoH), followed by the biased selection of Ipeleng as Deputy HoH, it appears the rivalry between Naija and Southie just got a big spark. But this can hold for now!

For Nigerians, the first disaster according to the streets of Instagram and Twitter are the girls. Apparently, the BBT Nigerian females are not a true representation of how beautiful Naija girls really are. Do you agree? One Twitter user even said one of the ladies has a splitting resemblance to James Brown, one of Naija’s infamous cross-dressers – nor be we talk am oh.

On the other hand, South Africans seem to be totally disappointed with their guys. But this seems like a perfect match and might even have been intentional on the path of the producers of the show just so we can have a few cross-country romances kicking off.

While some of the housemates came off a tad plain, there were a few standouts from both countries, so let’s get into our first impressions of the housemates.

Khosi: Ms. independent, ‘I have 2 degrees, no man is sponsoring me’ came off like she was trying too hard to kill a narrative. We are just getting to know you, easy on the deliberate programming of our minds. The 25-year-old South African does seem like she’s got prospects though.

Yemi Craig: Omo, this one is a tall dark drink of ice water on a hot summer morning. Even the ladies at the live opening couldn’t get enough. Trouble on the horizon with this one. Don’t let his good looks fool you though, he is highly competitive and is gunning for the arena games

Juicy Jay: Hey hottie. If Yemi’s looks would cause trouble then Juicy Jay will bring down the whole house. Talk about easy on the eyes, this one is as juicy as his name. He is a professional Rugby player which is probably why he is built so gorgeously but we digress

Olivia: What’s a culmination of young Nigerians without an influencer? That seems to be the most “profitable” job right now, and according to this housemate, she’s been able to buy a house all the way in VGC. Okurrrr girl! She wants the money but seems a bit too laid back. We want drama oh.

Nelisa: She is giving the Main Character energy!!! This is one to watch oh because Nelisa from her intro video already admits to being very controversial. Fine girl + controversy = Big Brother magic. We can’t wait.

Blaqboi: Is it just me or does Jos seem to always be heavily represented in Big Brother Naija? From Katung Aduwak, the very first winner of Big Brother Naija to Karen Igho and even more recently, Efe, its like Jos won’t rest until they win all the accolades. Anyway, Blaqboi is a photographer who has never travelled out of the country till now. He loves adventure and what better place to find it than on BBT?

Mmeli: Why does it feel like there’s something boring about him? The South African is widely interested in Nigeria and really wants to experience what all the hype is about. Careful what you wish for dude

Nana: This has got to be the realest housemate on the show. First, she tells us that she is a school dropout and that her business isn’t doing well which is why she’s on the show. This is a first though because most HMs wait a few days to hit us with their sob stories but not Nana. She just might be one to watch

Ipeleng: Sorry guys, this firecracker isn’t ready for all that Nigerian hotness as she said she would be sticking to her South African brothers on this ride. Yeah, yeah, whatever – Rolls our eyes

Marvin: If this dude looks familiar it’s because you have probably seen him on America’s Got Talent flexing his very nicely chiselled abs. This one is for the streets oh. Even that smile of his is super mischievous.

Thabang: Child actor, fresh out of SA, pretty young thing. He loves to clean and we can only hope he does so shirtless. Amen, somebody!

JayPee: This fiery Naija nurse is kinda worried about how her patients will take her seriously outside the house once they see her half-naked on the show. Do you think she would go back to nursing after the house? We think not. Enjoy girlie, the influencer life awaits.

Yaya: South African girls are fine sha, what??? Yaya isn’t joking with her piece of mind and is ready to fight to keep her sane while in the house. She also intends to use her body to cause major distractions. Ermm, okay sis, we got you.

Ebubu: Shout out to Big Brother, our very first Albino housemate. This is loud!!! He already seems like an intellectual, let’s see how this plays out in the house, shall we?

Khehla: Na overconfidence they spoil soup oh! Isn’t that how the saying goes? Well, this South African dude came off as too confident of winning the money but in our opinion, he won’t last longer than a month. But, who are we to judge? Just innocent bystanders after all.

Jenni O: Come through with the Naija sauce sis. Vibrant, and bossy, Jenni O says it’s her way or the highway. Oya now, this would be fun to watch.

Tsati: She is currently studying to become a biomedical scientist as well as a mechanical engineer, ah ahn, sis. Only you? We want drama though, not a bookworm so you have to bring it on girl!

Kanaga Jr.: Tall, light-skinned, and very vocal, omo boy wants to gain attention with his fashion. Let’s see how that goes

Justin: This South African says he joined the show because he hasn’t seen a lot of people like him on Big Brother. You have to bring a lot more than representation to thrive on the show sir especially if you really want to pay off your parent’s debts with the money. We will be watching

Yvonne: This Akwa-Ibom model is all about the vibes and drama and in the Big Brother House, that’s the perfect combination for some much-needed content but is it enough to win?

Want updates on Big Brother Titans, you are in the right place. Stick with us on this rollercoaster ride. Its going to be so much fun. By the way, who do you think will win?

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.