Soft power or wasteful entertainment? Interrogating the prospect of ‘Big Brother Naija’

ABSTRACT

Understanding that states’ material capabilities must be complemented with subtle power resources, the competition for global influence is preconditioned, in part, on the soft power generated abroad. Nigeria’s capacities in these two realms of power resources are reflected in the Afrocentric roots of its foreign policy. The influence of its creative industry in Africa is evident but requires further scrutiny. The authors explore the soft power prospects of Nigeria’s popular TV reality Show ‘BigBrotherNaija’ and investigate how the programme has helped to shape perceptions about the country. Two broad themes of semantic affirmation and the opportunities for celebrity diplomacy are considered to argue that ‘BBNaija’ represents a potent source of attraction, aspiration, and admiration for Nigeria.

KEYWORDS:

• Big Brother Naija
• celebrity diplomacy
• creative industry
• Nigeria
• soft power

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. Ayomide Tayo is a Nigerian journalist who writes on the entertainment industry.