Former Big Brother Naija housemate Seyi Awolowo has disclosed that he intentionally tried to keep his famous family identity hidden when he auditioned for the 2019 edition of the reality television show, saying he wanted to be judged on his personality rather than his surname.
Speaking on The Nigerian Meter Podcast, the grandson of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo explained that his plan changed the moment host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu introduced him on stage with his full name.
According to Seyi, he had hoped to enter the BBNaija house simply as ‘Seyi’ without revealing his connection to one of Nigeria’s most prominent political families.
He said he believed using only his first name would allow fellow contestants and viewers to assess him based solely on his character and performance in the competition, free from the expectations attached to the Awolowo name.
Recalling the moment his strategy fell apart, Seyi said his full identity became public during the live stage introduction before he entered the house.
He explained that once Ebuka announced him as “Seyi Awolowo,” every housemate immediately became aware of his family background, effectively ending his plan to compete anonymously.
“I didn’t want anybody to know I was an Awolowo in the house. I didn’t want the housemates in particular to know that’s who I was, but when I got to the stage, and Ebuka called ‘Seyi Awolowo,’ that’s when everyone knew,” he said.
He added that he had intended to participate without the weight of public expectations associated with his family name.
He also dismissed suggestions that his family background gave him any special advantage during the selection process for the reality show. He maintained that he followed the same audition procedures as every other hopeful contestant and earned his place through the standard process.
Providing details of his audition experience, he said he waited in line like other applicants and did not receive confirmation of his selection until the early hours of February 3.
“I did the audition proper; I stood in line. I didn’t get my golden ticket until about 3 a.m. on the third of February that year,” he said.
He further revealed that he attended the audition alongside a friend, while one of his stepbrothers also attempted to participate but arrived too late to complete the process.
Seyi Awolowo went on to become one of the most talked-about contestants in the 2019 edition of Big Brother Naija, with his time in the house attracting significant public attention.
