When the 'wrong housemate' wins Big Brother Naija

Just as an election is 'rigged' if one's favourite candidate isn't elected, reality shows in Nigeria are always termed 'rigged' once a favourite candidate loses.

Recently, I came across series of tweets that suggests that the Big Brother Naija reality show is being rigged by the organizers. There were still other tweets that insist that if Efe or Bisola (who both seem to be the viewers favourite on social media) fails to win the prize, then the show was rigged.

This sense of entitlement found amongst most Nigerians has never failed to rear its head during any election of any sort as they depend on social media to predict their winner, and go on a ranting rampage when the platform fails them.

Big Brother Naija is one of those reality shows that thrive on viewers votes to guide the outcome of a competition, and that is achieved through viewers that send series of SMS votes to help a contestant win the show.

The survival or victory of a candidate isn't dependent on a judges' opinions, which means Biggie or any of the organisers cannot save any housemate.

A reality show can be manipulated by the organizers to go their way, but organizers cannot decide a winner. They can decide to come up with a policy that could prolong the power of their favourite housemate, but that is as far as they power go.

That's not to say that it isn't possible for votes to be rigged, but, rigging Big Brother Naija votes is way bigger than the organizers. They are not the only ones who have their credibility at stake; there is also Deloitte.

Deloitte is one of the biggest audit firms in Nigeria, and while corruption has been made to seem like a norm in Nigeria, rigging a show isn't something favourable for a brand like Deloitte - everything isn't corruption.

It doesn't matter who wins the show on Sunday, April 9, 2017, as they all deserve the win. Also, all of the housemates have an intense campaign going on various social media, and even off social media.

Efe seems to have been most viewers favourite from the moment he joined Ebuka on stage during the opening night and pulled his shirt off, appealing to the audience with his 'Warri ' and "I came from the streets" charm.

There has also been offline campaign for him with his face on billboards, cars and pamphlets.

There is also Bisola, whom reports claim that the Bayelsa Government erected a billboard in support of. An actress, OAP and singer, Bisola already had an existing fan base before her entry into the house, and that, gives her an edge over the other housemates. She also has an active campaign going on online; a campaign strong enough to get her trending.

Debie-Rise survived eviction two weeks in a row without trending on Twitter. Wherever her supporters are, they are definitely not giving up in the final week.

Then, there is TBoss, probably the most controversial housemate in the history of Big Brother shows in Africa. She earned the support of some viewers who think she has been victimized by her fellow housemates, and constantly judged by viewers outside the house.

She trended on Twitter on Sunday through Monday; her voters are not joking. They are not ready to split votes as they have just one favourite. Thrice, the housemate surprisingly survived eviction nights that saw the departure of supposed heavyweights like TTT, Bassey and Bally.

Marvis has a powerful kind of support - political. On April 4, 2017, The Rivers State Government reportedly released a letter that says, 'Support! Support!! Support!!!', the letter appeals to the "good people of Rivers State to stand behind their daughter Miss MARVIS NKPORNWI.

At the end of the end, every housemate has a strong campaign going on and could win the show. There is no such thing as 'housemate A deserves to win.' Nobody deserves to win and everyone deserves to win.

There is also no such thing as rigging. Whoever emerges the winner on Sunday night is the rightful winner.

While we wait for the day when Nigerians will get over the mentality that every election must be rigged, who do you think will win the Big Brother Naija show?