After weeks of speculation, Big Brother finally unveiled this Season's theme and introduced Africa to the first batch of BBNaija Shine Ya Eye Housemates – and yes, your eyes are not deceiving you; they are all gents!
Don't worry though, the ladies will be revealed during the second Live Show tomorrow (Sunday 25 July) at 19:00 WAT on DStv CH 198
Get to know the gents better below:
BOMA
Full name: Boma Akpore
Raised by his single mother and grandmother, 34-year-old Boma grew up on the streets of Yaba in Lagos. He describes his childhood as “extremely tough”, having had to pay his way through school. One of the hardest decisions he had to make was to drop out in his final year, as he couldn’t make ends meet, but his life’s high point came when he saved enough money to pay for film school, an achievement that was subsequently eclipsed by his graduation.
Boma describes himself as “sexy, intelligent, adventurous, strong and fit”, and considers himself “extraordinary”. While hustling on his acting career, he makes ends meet by working as a bartender by night, and a masseuse by day.
Having suffered bouts of depression after his marriage failed and after suffering an injury during football try-outs, he is determined “never, ever, to give up” and holds onto his faith.
CROSS
Full name: Ikechukwu Sunday Cross Okonkwo
Lagos-based Cross is a fitness enthusiast and entrepreneur who describes himself as “a bad boy with a good heart”. Although single, this 30-year-old is not afraid to dole out the relationship advice and believes people don’t know that communication is the key to successful relationships.
When he is not watching movies, travelling or clubbing, you will find Cross playing drums or being hype on the mic on an Amapiano or House track or two.
He sees himself as fun-loving, spontaneous and a good dancer who wears his heart on his sleeve.
EMMANUEL
Full name: Emmanuel Umoh
The first Nigerian to win the Mister Africa pageant, Emmanuel hails from Akwa Ibom, but currently resides in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where owns and runs a fitness centre and a unisex salon and spa.
A self-described risk taker, this 24-year-old loves to travel, connect with people and try out new and unique ideas. Emmanuel believes in making the best of every opportunity, and he counts his physical and social attributes as advantages that garner him a lot of attention.
Currently single, he describes himself as a “sucker for love” and believes “a healthy relationship goes a long way to building one’s life.”
JAYPAUL
Full name: Paul Ephraim
Jaypaul, a 29-year-old Lagos-based musician and actor, believes the Big Brother Naija House will be the perfect opportunity to help boost his fledgling career in the Nigerian entertainment industry. In his own words, he is “entertaining, confident, playful, honest and friendly”.
His hobbies include making music, making movies, dancing and cooking. While his career means a lot to him, Jaypaul believes in strong family bonds. He considers being a son to an amazing mother and brother to two wonderful sisters as his best roles to date – and it’s no wonder that losing his father was one of the lowest points of his life.
Jaypaul believes he is a catalyst for a chain reaction of positive activities and wants to show this to the world.
NIYI
Full name: Adeniyi Lawai
Niyi is a 33-year-old computer engineer from Oyo State. Though he was once in the running to be a professional basketball player, that ambition was quickly quashed when he sustained an injury, leading to sciatica.
With a sense of Dennis Rodman about him, he still loves to play basketball and work out, and is adventurous when it comes to new food, and enjoys both eating and cooking it. He is also an avid reader, aspiring writer and is fond of playing board games and card games – he even has a gaming license.
A husband and father, Niyi describes himself as “optimistic, spontaneous and adventurous”, while others describe him as being energetic.
PERE
Full name: Pere Egbi
Born in Warri, Delta State, Pere was raised by a single mother, and is the first born of two children.
He believes change is the only constant in life and describes himself as “a spontaneous, adventurous person”. Pere is a qualified nurse and served in the United States military for six years, before coming back to Nigeria to pursue a career in real estate. This vibrant 35-year-old is also a parttime actor and model.
He is attracted to things of high value and is motivated by his past, and – as an empath, he hopes to use his experiences with pain to help heal others. He enjoys dancing, playing games, writing, bar-hopping and water rafting.
SAGA
Full name: Adeoluwa Okusaga
Originally from Lagos, 28-year-old Saga is currently based in Port Harcourt as an offshore engineer, though he has found a new passion for sketch drawing and has become celebrated for his hyper-realistic portraits. He decided to turn his efforts to practicing art after being amazed that his work could draw powerful reactions from people.
Besides drawing, his hobbies include dancing, singing and exercise. That last passion has led him to start an online fitness club that has members from all around the world. He tries to light up any room he’s in with a few jokes and believes his travels to practically all the regions of Nigeria have given him experience relating with people.
The lowest point in his life was being informed that his mother – who he describes as his best friend – passed away.
SAMMIE
Full name: Samuel Jacob Alifa
Sammie is a 26-year-old amateur filmmaker and final year student at Ahmadu Bello University.
He enjoys storytelling, videography, basketball, eating and hanging out, and describes himself as “tall, handsome and charismatic”. He admits he talks too much at times and sometimes ends up gossiping because of the “great dialogue” he gets in his day-to-day conversations. That said, Sammie loves meeting new people and believes he has a bright future in filmmaking.
In 2020, he produced his very first short film and now has his sights set on growing his YouTube series and taking his career to the next level.
WHITEMONEY
Full name: Hazel Oyeze Onou
Multitalented Whitemoney describes himself as an open-minded “jolly good fellow” who likes to have fun. His hobbies include driving, hustling, watching movies and making music. The 29-year-old Lagos-based businessman and entrepreneur, originally from Enugu State, believes he has a great aura and that his “swag speaks for itself”.
The highest point of his life so far happened recently, when he kick-started his designer shoe-import business. Down to earth, yet strategic – Whitemoney is hoping his bright outlook on life will take him far.
While in the Big Brother Naija House, he would like to entertain, have fun, get exposed, and possibly win the ultimate prize.
YERINS
Full name: Yerimene Abraham Saibakumo
Medical doctor Yerins describes himself as “a perfectionist, creative genius, lover of art and poetic rap music”. He sees himself as a renaissance man who isn’t confined to one profession or career.
The 27-year-old enjoys drawing, playing chess, listening to – and making – music. He also has plans to write a medical book soon. He identifies himself as a fun-loving, creative and curious person, and he says his curiosity has helped him garner expert knowledge in many fields, from modelling and digital animation to fashion design.
The high point of Yerins’ life was when he graduated from Medical University in the Ukraine and finally got to see his parents for the first time in 9 years.
YOUSEF
Full name: Yusuf Garba
Yousef is a 29-year-old Secondary School Teacher who describes himself as a “soft-spoken, fun-loving, down to earth go-getter”. Apart from being a big food enthusiast, Yousef enjoys hiking, reading, traveling and sports.
He is also a model, host and personal trainer and confesses he can’t resist checking himself out in the mirror. Yousef counts winning the Mr. University of Jos and Jos Carnival King titles as the highest points in his life, while the lowest was when he lost his beloved aunt.
Don't miss the women’s introduction in part two of our special Big Brother Naija double launch show this Sunday, 25 July and Sunday, 25 July 2021!
For more information on this exciting new season, keep an eye on the website and follow our official Big Brother Naija social media pages on Instagram and Facebook. Follow and be part of the conversation using the hashtag #BBNaija.
Big Brother Naija will be broadcast on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 29 and is brought to you by headline sponsor Abeg, and associate sponsor Patricia. You don’t want to miss out on any of the action so sign up on DStv or get GOtv Max.