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Can popular blogger make it big with reality shows?

Linda Ikeji is taking on a new venture that promises to be challenging but also rewarding if done properly.

After making a fortune off her insanely famous blog, she has set her sights on something new- reality television.

On Thursday, December 14, 2017, Ikeji released the trailer from her first reality show. Titled 'Oyinbo Wives of Lagos', the show simply focuses on Nigerian women who are married to white men. The ladies are Oby, Michelle, Linda, Kenny, Oluchi, and Beatrice.

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Linda Ikeji didn't stop there. On Tuesday, December 19, 2017, she unleashed the trailer for 'Gidi Girls',  a reality show about "five chicks living and hustling in Lagos."

Now here comes the charm. The third reality show titled 'King Tonto' is all about the Nollywood actress . The trailer for this show has gotten so much buzz because she revealed she had gotten work done on her body.

How successful are reality shows in Nigeria?

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The trailers look tantalizing enough. The question however is, why is Linda Ikeji making moves into the reality shows business? Linda Ikeji wasn't available for comment for this article. When she announced Oyinbo Wives on her blog, she said "I told you guys earlier that we are getting a channel on DSTV in 2018 and we will soon unveil our online TV network to enable Nigerians in the Diaspora watch our content. A lot of our content will be reality shows." Linda Ikeji hasn't released any statement on why reality shows are her new venture.

Apart from Big Brother Naija and few music reality shows, reality TV isn't big business in Nigeria. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Jim Iyke's reality shows can't be said to be as successful as Big Brother Naija and MTN Project Fame. This is despite the movie stars being household names.

Reality TV shows are not exactly the cream of the crop in terms of content for Nigerian television. Yet, Linda Ikeji is betting her time and money on them. The reality shows will be aired on Linda Ikeji TV on DSTV. It will also be available online.

Using the DNA of similar reality shows

Critics of Linda Ikeji might roll their eyes at her foray into reality shows. The TV industry in Nigeria might also not be littered with successful reality shows. One thing you have to factor before assessing Ikeji's business venture is the type of content she's pushing out.

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Oyinbo wives of Lagos and Gidi Girls are moulded after the likes of 'Jersey Shore' and 'Love & Hip Hop'. These American reality shows are shock-based shows that tend to bring out the inner-voyeur in us. Following the thread of the trailers, its about love, friendship, lifestyle and sex. These ingredients have proven to be very popular overseas.

Finding the right mix of ingredients

These ingredients can also be found in the Big Brother franchise which has been extremely successful in not only Africa but in Nigeria as well.

We cannot speak of the production quality because episodes of the reality shows do not roll out until 2018. However, if the production quality is good and these ingredients have the right mix, Linda Ikeji might just have hit shows on her hands.

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