One would have thought that BB Naija Shine Ya Eyes housemates, Yousef and Saskay, would have seen the last day of the reality show due to the general belief that their stay in the house was as a result of votes garnered from the Arewa community.
Arewa refers to the people of northern Nigeria, who are popular for delivering the highest votes during the country’s general elections due to the population of the people in the region. The Hausa and Fulani ethnic group make up Arewa.
Unlike other seasons, this group showed plenty of interest in this year’s edition of the reality TV show touted as Africa biggest.
The contestants’ long stay in the house, while other top-dogs were sent packing, generated plenty of buzz on social media, even on the already suspended Twitter Nigeria.
Trust Nigerians, they strongly speculated that the votes from Arewa people ensured that Yousef and Saskay remained in the house, even when it looked certain that they were sure candidates for eviction.
Yousef, born Yusuf Garba Adam in the northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa to a Nigerian father and an Arabian mother. The soft-spoken, 29-year-old, secondary school teacher, was described by many viewers as less lively or fun as other housemates, and as such, his fan base, compared to other male housemates, was not so large… but he remained in the house.
Many described Yousef as the housemate with nine lives, as he repeatedly escaped eviction; an obvious sign that his village people were solidly behind him.
People, however, never stopped talking as they kept asking “Where does Yousef get his votes?” But Yousef was not alone in this…
Tsakute Jonah, aka Saskay, is a 21-year-old Adamawa-born artist, whose career in fine artistry, sees her paints images, especially on Canvas (Acrylic painting). Like other housemates, Saskay had her eyes on the prize and she was determined to see the final day.
Unlike Yousef, Saskay, despite being the youngest in the Big Brother house, didn’t show signs of a pushover as held on tight, never losing focus.
The efforts of Yousef and Saskay would’nt have if not for the support of the Hausa and Fulani community and some other Nigerians.
But recently, kasala burst for Arewa people following the eviction of both housemates. And as such, questions began to fill the air.
Many Nigerians started questioning what happened to the ‘almighty’ power of the Arewa community, who stood by their own from the scratch. Did they stop trusting the process or they fell in love with other contestants? Did sapa hit the voters so much that they couldn’t afford votes any more? Way too many questions were asked.
Whatever the answer is, it does not change the fact that Yousef and Saskay have been evicted from the 6th season of BB Naija and this has thrown Arewa ‘in the mud.’
To be ‘in the mud’ is a phrase used by Nigerians to describe a situation where a person or a group is subjected to the highest form of humiliation following the outcome of an event.
People of other extractions seized the outcome of the eviction show to taunt Arewa people by employing mocking remarks and asking why they couldn’t save their dearly beloved.
Trust Nigerians, when they’re on your case, just forget it…
In the meantime, one thing is certain, Yousef and Sasky would see the final day of Big Brother Season 6, but from their TV screens, in their homes.
