Entertainment
Meet 20 Big Brother Titans’ Housemates Competing for $100,000 Grand Prize
The much-anticipated television reality show, Big Brother Titans, began with a lot of excitement on Sunday.
Unlike the usual Big Brother Naija format which features only Nigerians, and Big Brother Africa, which has housemates from across the continent, this particular show is open to only Nigerians and South Africans.
The first housemate to be unveiled was a 25-year-old South African female called Cossy. She described herself as a fun-loving, but also ‘serious’ person.
The second housemate to be unveiled was a Nigerian, Yemi Cregx. He stated that he was looking forward to learning more about South Africans in the course of the show.
The duo wasted no time in striking up a conversation. At a point, Cregx helped Cossy to adjust her wig; an action that resonated on social media, with many people posting about it.
Other South African housemates are Juicy Jay, Nelisa, Mmeli, Khosi, Ipeleng, Thabang, Yaya, Khehla, Tsatii, and Justin.
Nigerian contestants are Olivia, Blaqboy, Nana, Marven, Jaypee, Ebubu, Jenni O, Kanaga, and Yvonne.
Expectedly, there has been a lot of buzz about the show, especially as it is coming at a time when the country is preparing for general elections.
In a speech by John Ugbe, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, the organiser of the show, he stated that due to the popularity of the show, it was practically inevitable not to pair Nigerians and South Africans in one house.
Reacting to criticism that the show will distract Nigerian youths from the forthcoming general elections, he maintained that Nigerian youths knew their priorities.
He said, “As two of the biggest economies in Africa, it was only a matter of time before something like this would come up. Just like there has been a clash of music genres such as afrobeats (Nigeria) and amapiano (South Africa), there was bound to be something of this nature.”
In the course of the show, there was also an announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission educating Nigerians on the process of collecting their permanent voter’s cards.
Viewers were also treated to pictures of the expansive and well-designed house the contestants will call home for the coming weeks.
The reality show will run for 72 days (over 10 weeks). It also retains some of the Big Brother features, such as diary sessions, Head of House games, Friday night parties, and tasks.
It will be co-hosted by Nigerian, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, and Lawrence Maleke, a South African.
Guests at the live screening of the show include Saga, Dorathy Bachor and Gerald (Nigerian Idol winner). Self-acclaimed Koko master, D’banj also performed at the event.
The last edition of BBN (Level Up) aired from July 23 to October 2, 2022. It was won by Phyna, and she smiled to the bank with a grand prize of N100m; while the last BBA held almost a decade ago in 2014. The winner, Tayo Faniran (Nigerian) went home with $300,000 worth of prizes.
Entertainment
South African Actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tells Success Story on Glo-Sponsored African Voices
Delectable South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, will this week on Globacom-sponsored Cable News Network International’s African Voices Changemakers, reveal her trajectory from the Rainbow Nation to the global stage of make-belief.
In the 30-minute magazine programme, show anchor, Larry Madowo, will engage Mbatha on her soaring career which earned her a mention in the prestigious TIME100 Next in 2025.
The thespian who has been featured in two Hollywood productions has also gained acclaim in the beauty industry as she has signed endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Cream of Nature, both global brands in skincare and haircare, respectively.
Madowo and Mbatha sat for the exclusive interview on set of the final season of the hit television series, Shaka iLembe at the historic Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg where she highlighted the cultural significance of Shaka iLembe, and why giving back to her society is at the center of her aspirations as well as the legacy she desires to build beyond the glitz and glamour of the big screen.
This edition of African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with additional broadcasts at noon same day. On Sunday, further repeats hold at 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. The repeats continue on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m and Sunday, March15 at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m as well as Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.
Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tiwa Savage, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at nurturing emerging African creatives, announcing the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and a landmark partnership that will bring the prestigious Berklee College of Music to Lagos for the first time.
The 46-year-old singer announced on her social media platform on Wednesday, declaring, “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home.”
She introduced Tiwa Savage Music Foundation as “a new initiative dedicated to empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship and world-class music education,” adding that, “For the first time ever, Berklee comes to Lagos with the Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme empowering Africa’s next generation of talent.”
Berklee College of Music, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music, renowned for its programmes in jazz, modern American music, and a broad range of genres including rock, hip hop, reggae and more.
In an interview with CNN, the “Ma Lo” singer explained that while Afrobeats has gained global prominence, the industry requires more structural support to remain sustainable.
“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal — but access is not,” she said.
According to CNN, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is designed to bridge that access gap.
Beyond supporting vocalists and performers, the foundation will also focus on producers, composers, sound engineers and music business professionals — areas Savage considers critical to building a durable creative economy across Africa.
The foundation’s first major project, tagged Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, will see Berklee faculty travel to Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026, to host a fully funded four-day training for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators.
The programme marks Berklee’s first-ever event in West Africa.
Savage underscored the impact of short, focused training, saying, “You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to.”
With the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and the forthcoming intensive programme in Lagos, the award-winning singer is now seeking to extend that same opportunity to the next generation — shifting from building global acclaim to building sustainable structures at home.
The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the death of two members of a film production crew whose lifeless bodies were found inside a parked vehicle at a movie set in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that the incident occurred on Saturday at a filming location within the premises of Evercare Hospital, which was being used for a movie shoot in Lekki.
Police identified the victims as Ekemini Imeh, fondly called Gee Tee, and his colleague, Ayodeji Walter Odediran.
Reports said the two crew members arrived early at the location to install lighting equipment ahead of the day’s filming.
After completing their task, they reportedly went into a Nissan vehicle on the premises to rest.
A member of the production team was said to have later brought food to them in the vehicle.
However, as activities continued on the set, repeated attempts by colleagues to reach them by phone were unsuccessful. Their bodies were eventually found inside the car after filming ended for the day.
Adebisi said the case was first reported at the Maroko Police Station and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti for a detailed investigation.
The police spokesperson added that autopsy and toxicology examinations have been ordered to establish the cause of death.
The incident comes shortly after the death of gospel singer Matthew Ogundele and three members of his crew, who were found dead in a music studio in the Ajah area of Lagos.
