Showbiz
Heritage Bank Takes Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage to BBNaija
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Unarguably one of Nigeria’s most innovative banking service provider, Heritage Bank Limited, is promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage to the global community through the on-going Big Brother Naija tagged BBNaija.
This, it said, is part of its corporate social responsibility.
The bank, in a statement issued in Lagos, disclosed that the feat was executed by tasking housemates to find a common ground by drawing from and blending their different, unique personalities and cultural backgrounds to create a perfect Big Brother Nigerian wedding during the week.
Earlier in the week, the housemates were introduced to the theme of the week: Big Brother Perfect Wedding.
According to Heritage Bank, Nigeria encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations and ways of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture and paintings, a powerful tool to build businesses, connect individuals across cultures, educate and enrich societies.
Dressing is a component of culture, reflecting economic and socio-political substrates of the people. In the past, they have supported the arts sector and have promoted cultural heritage of our people through art exhibitions.
The bank believes that culture stimulates our emotive mind and challenges our interpretation of reality by making people to become intuitive, imaginative, flexible and tolerant.
The statement further said the housemates were then tasked to find common ground and fuse and adapt their different personalities and identities and cultural backgrounds for the perfect Big Brother Nigerian Wedding.
According to the bank, all housemates took part in the wedding celebration and they were required to draw from Nigeria’s customs to create a perfect Big Brother wedding.
Viewers chose the bride and groom via a Facebook poll on the previous day and the rest of the housemates decided what role they would play.
The housemates also allocated key roles from each culture according to what they chose to adapt: parents of the bride, members of the groom’s family, a marriage guide, decorators, catering among others.
The housemates were tasked with mediating the proceedings to a complete conclusion and each couple was given blackboards and chalk to assign one another their roles.
This task required housemates to draw on what makes them fit into the mould of Proudly Naija and blend each of their own ‘Proudly Naija’ identities to create a fusion of Nigerian culture for a wedding.
The ‘wedding’ preparation which started on at the beginning of the week climaxed on Thursday evening (9th March, 2017) similar to normal wedding scenario in Nigeria.
Some of the objectives of the initiative are to promote and preserve the heritage of Nigerian culture and tradition and to enlighten Nigeria youths and those in diaspora about the richness and diversity of Nigerian traditional marriages through infusion of the Heritage Bank initiatives.
Others were to show case the richness and multiplicity of Nigeria cultural heritage and to encourage Nigerians to be proud of their tradition/heritage #Iamproudofmyheritage as well as impacting the viewers of the programme on television positively through supplies of costumes and props.
The housemates also found a common ground to celebrate their diversities in a unique cultural heritage and it also showcased the way Kings and Queens in different Nigeria’s culture used to celebrate the past.
From the earlier hours of the day, the housemates were paired in groups of two (male & female) and were tasked to cook meals that were peculiar to their cultures.
Branded aprons and utensils were provided for the housemates as well as the ingredients and they then required to cook the meals.
After the housemates were done with the cooking, the meals were all arranged on a table and each housemate came forward to give a short presentation about the meal, its preparation and uniqueness to their cultures.
Later in the day the housemates were required to dress up for the Heritage Naija Old School Party. Local (Ankara) fabric were provided, with each housemate tailored to make costumes unique to each individual culture such as Agbada (Yoruba), Dansiki, Oleku, Iro & Buba, double George among others. The weddings were done in the Igbo, South South, Hausa as well as in Middle Belt traditions.
The venue set up and decoration was made up of cake, bride and groom costume and accessories, parents of bride and groom costume, catering/refreshment, bride’s luggage, music and compere.
A dedicated DJ was on ground to entertain them to local Naija tunes.
The fight against content theft intensified on Thursday as MultiChoice Nigeria led stakeholders in a Walk Against Piracy from Ikeja City Mall, Lagos, drawing a powerful mix of Nollywood actors, filmmakers, directors, writers, media personalities, regulators, students, and members of the public.
The walk was part of a broader national advocacy campaign aimed at protecting Nigeria’s creative economy from the escalating damage of piracy. Participants marched through the Ikeja axis, distributing flyers, engaging passers-by, and educating the public on the dangers of piracy and its impact on livelihoods.
Veteran actor, Saidi Balogun, one of the leading voices at the walk, described piracy as “a silent killer draining the lifeblood of the creative industry.”
“People see the glamour but forget the sweat, months of work, and the hundreds of jobs behind a single film,” he said. “When you pirate a movie, you are killing someone’s dream, someone’s job, and the future of an entire industry. It must stop.”
Screenwriter and producer, Obi Emelonye, warned that piracy poses an existential threat to the next generation of creatives.
“Piracy is a menace eating deeply into the industry. If we do nothing, young creatives coming behind us will inherit an economy with no structure, no revenue, and no incentive to create,” he stated. “We cannot allow that future.”
The regulatory perspective came from Charles Amudipe, Deputy Director of Operations at the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), who emphasised both the legal and personal risks tied to piracy.
“Piracy is a criminal offence under Nigerian law, punishable by fines and imprisonment,” he said. “Beyond the legal consequences, consumers who download illegal content expose their devices to malware, identity theft, and financial fraud. It is not worth the risk.”
During the outreach, members of the public raised questions about affordability and alternatives to pirated content. The team responded by highlighting accessible, cost-friendly, and legal platforms available to consumers, underscoring that entertainment can be enjoyed responsibly without breaking the law.
Caroline Oghuma, Executive Head, Corporate Affairs at MultiChoice Nigeria, explained that the walk was a continuation of MultiChoice’s long-standing commitments to consumer education. Last month, the company led a school sensitisation programme at Kuramo Senior College in Victoria Island, teaching students how piracy harms creators and how they can unknowingly participate in it.
“We want to catch them young, take this message into communities, and meet Nigerians where they are,” Oghuma said. “Today’s walk is a reminder that protecting intellectual property is everyone’s responsibility. What we are fighting for is the survival of Nigeria’s creative future.”
Other notable participants included members of the Intellectual Property Law Advocacy Network (IPLAN), lawyers, media executives, content creators, and fans of Nigerian entertainment.
MultiChoice Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to working with regulators, industry bodies, and stakeholders to champion policies, education, and enforcement mechanisms that safeguard creative work and ensure creators receive fair reward for their labour.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) has debunked viral news reports that that the chairman of its board of trustees, Mr Olalere Osunpaimo, well known as Lere Paimo, was dead.
In a public notice from the national Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the organisation, Mr Adejonwo Oluwafemi Femson, it was disclosed that the veteran action is “alive and well.”
Members of the public were advised to disregard the death rumour.
“We would like to inform the public that reports circulating on Facebook about the passing of Chief Olalere OsunPaimo (MFR) are FALSE.
“We have confirmed with Baba Eda Onile Ola’s wife that he is alive and in good health.
“Please disregard these false reports and be aware that they are being spread by unscrupulous individuals.
“Chief Olalere OsunPaimo (MFR), Chairman Board of Trustee Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), is alive and well.
“We urge everyone to verify information before sharing to avoid spreading misinformation,” the notice disclosed.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The duo of Nivea and inDrive has been announced as the title sponsors of TikTok’s 2025 Sub-Saharan Africa Awards, while Coca-Cola, Dis-Chem and PEP Stores are the category sponsors.
As title sponsors, inDrive and NIVEA (Beiersdorf) will play key roles in amplifying creator recognition, supporting event experiences, and on-the ground activations.
NIVEA (Beiersdorf) will sponsor the Creator of the Year award, while inDrive will present the Storyteller of the Year award, both reflecting a shared passion for innovation, inclusivity and celebrating African voices making a global impact.
In addition, Coca-Cola is sponsoring Food Creator of the Year award, Dis-Chem is for the Social Impact Creator of the Year award, and PEP Stores is for the Entertainment Creator of the Year award.
This year’s event is slated for Saturday, December 6. It would be used to celebrate the continent’s most inspiring and innovative creators who are using the platform to educate, entertain, and empower their communities.
“We are delighted to partner with TikTok, as we share a long-standing relationship across the globe, including in the Sub-Saharan region. TikTok is a unique platform that enables us to engage with young audiences in a language and format that truly resonates with them.
“We extend our gratitude to the company for organizing The 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa and congratulate all guests and participants on this remarkable event,” the Marketing Lead of inDrive Africa, Mikita Ponarin, stated.
“TikTok is proud to partner with great local and regional brands that support Africa’s creative economy. What excites us about these partnerships is the shared vision.
“These brands are making a conscious choice to invest in African creativity at a pivotal moment. They see what we see: that when we uplift creators, we strengthen entire communities and economies across the continent,” the Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa,” Boniswa Sidwaba, said.
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