The Minister of Information and Culture in Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday, July 25, denied ordering the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to suspend the transmission of the popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija.
Mohammed issued this rebuttal in response to online reports about his mandate to suspend the Big Brother Naija show.
It was reported that the minister gave the order to Acting Director-General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, over fears of a possible spread of COVID-19 among the housemates.
However, Mohammed, in a statement by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi, slammed the report by describing it as a “lie”.
“The report was not credited to the minister. That statement is not credited to the minister. We will not dignify speculative reports; if a minister issues a directive, it will not be issued verbally.
“There’s going to be a memo to that effect that he will send; anybody that is sure that the minister made that statement should provide a memo.
“As I said earlier, we will not dignify speculative report; if you tune your satellite TV to channel 198, I am sure Big Brother Naija is still airing, contrary to the speculative report that the minister has ordered NBC to suspend the show,” the statement read.
1st News had reported that before the start of the current season which started on July 19, potentials housemates were in quarantine before the premiere to curtail the possible spread of the virus.
The Big Brother show entered its fifth season on Sunday, July 19 with 20 housemates competing for a N85million grand prize.
The grand prize, which includes N30m cash prize, two-bedroom apartment, an SUV, a trip to Dublin, home appliances, a trip to Dubai, a year’s supply of noodles and a trip to watch the UEFA Champions League final, among others, makes this season’s winning the biggest since the show was launched in 2006.
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