Broadcasting

Games, Intrigue, Drama Pervade Big Brother House

Published

16 years ago

September 21, 2009

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Last week on Big Brother Africa tagged: The Revolution, viewers saw two completely different experiences – while the men could forget about eviction for the week and focus on their task, the women pampered themselves and pondered who would be evicted after just one week.
Big Brother had volunteered the male housemates to take part in a 3-day Bootcamp. The group splitted into two squads and selected squad leaders – for the red team, Leonel and for the green team, Jeremy. As part of the task, the bedroom was divided into two defensive camps. The squads must try to steal each other’s mascots, learn a marching song and sequence, have a watchman patrolling the house from dinner to breakfast.
The Twin Twist is still part of the game – but they had a lot to catch up with come switch time as a lot of events keep unfolding in the house. Edward couldn’t be too careful – he had to remember the most basic things like where he must sleep, since the room had been re-organised for the task. He had to remember who his teammates were for the task, new, old and fake alliances – all of this, and he didn’t even realize exactly how much some of his housemates were on to him!
Jeremy had heard female voices near the house – and let Big Brother know during his diary session that he thought he had figured out BB’s game!
As for the girls, Emma enthused over Jeremy’s muscles, telling Big Brother that she couldn’t wait to meet the boys. Rene also asked BB to let the men and women mix in the near future. Kristal used her diary session to tell Big Brother how she thought the existing cliques in the house had already turned into alliances and she said: “if you’re not in one, you’re out!” Liz told Big Brother that she saw a division in the house between the ladies who were ‘more westernized” and those with more traditional views.
As part of the 3-day Bootcamp, the men’s tasks included a bedroom inspection, with each team inspecting the other’s beds, a ‘rock on’ challenge where each team had to hold a rock in a net for as long as possible and ‘sawn off’, where the red and the green teams had to saw along the painted lines of a tree trunk, with the first team to produce the pieces individually winning the task. And as if there wasn’t enough physical exercise, the housemates had to ‘assume the position.’ Each housemate had to get into the position of doing a pushup and hold it for as long as they could, and at the end of the day, the green team won the ‘rock on’ challenge and the red team took the sawing challenge.
The ladies on also received their first task of their time in the house, having to make miniature Ndudas – representations of the housemates – just as they men had to last week. The task also seemed to give them the chance to get to know each other better.
As part of their Nduda task, the ladies had to present speeches about why they deserve to stay in the Big Brother Revolution house. Rene told Africa she was doing it for Namibia, while Elizabeth burst into tears while telling the rest of the housemates about growing up without a father and having to take care of her family. Edna was optimistic, pointing out that she is in the house because of her work ethic. She promised to dedicate her work to educating the children of Angola. Mzamo spoke from the heart about being an ‘original Malawian’ and Maggie told Africa she is ‘full of variety.’ Liz dedicated her speech to "being real and fabulous” while Geraldine gave love to her home country, Nigeria .
Kevin and Itai discussed the alliances while lying in bed, and observed there were two distinct groups in the house – one consisting of Phil, Yacob, Eddie and Hannington and the other made up of Quinn, Leonel, Jeremy, Kevin and Itai.
The final day of the men’s Bootcamp task involved peeling as many potatoes as possible, as fast as possible. While getting on with the task, though, the two teams come under vicious attack from an unseen foe! Potatoes aimed at the housemates could be seen flying in from outside walls, but the troops valiantly stuck to their task! At the end of the afternoon, the buckets of peeled potatoes were delivered to Nobuhla Hostel and the Noah orphanage in Alexandra, Johannesburg – so the housemates’ hard work wasn’t in vain!
To end off the task, the housemates were provided with ingredients for a hearty dinner. Awards were handed out, acceptance speeches made and mascots honourably discharged. The evening was sealed with a reward of cigars and cognac – which led to a toast to evicted comrades Wayoe and Teddy.

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Broadcasting

Showmax Unlocks Easier Payments for Nigerian Subscribers via Baxi

Published

14 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Showmax, Africa’s leading streaming service, has expanded its payment options in Nigeria through a partnership with Baxi by Onafriq, giving customers an easier and more convenient way to subscribe and stay connected to world-class streaming entertainment.

Started Monday, 22 December 2025, existing Showmax customers can log into the Baxi by Onafriq app, select and pay for any of Showmax plans including: Showmax Entertainment Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices), Showmax Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices) + Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League Mobile.

This update allows customers to complete their entire subscription process within the Baxi app, delivering a more efficient payment experience.

Alternatively, existing customers with verified mobile numbers can top up their Baxi by Onafriq app or through its Baxi POS agent device to load funds directly into their Showmax account. These funds can then be used to pay for a Showmax plan.

For new customers, subscribing is also seamless. After creating a Showmax account on their mobile device, they will receive an OTP via SMS or WhatsApp, which allows them to verify their mobile number and immediately return to the app to top up and activate their subscription.

Speaking on the announcement, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said: “With these new payment options from Baxi by Onafriq, we are making streaming on Showmax more accessible, allowing our customers to pay quickly and securely through a trusted financial service provider. This is a significant step forward in our mission to deliver world-class streaming experiences for our customers”.

“This launch is about making entertainment access seamless,” said Mxolisi Msutwana, Managing Director, Anglophone West Africa, Onafriq. “By automating the renewal process, we are not only providing greater convenience for customers but also helping to drive the adoption of digital payments across Nigeria.”

With more people turning to digital services, Showmax is doubling down on its commitment to make it affordable and effortless for customers to access and stream the stories they love. By partnering with Baxi by Onafriq, a popular agent and digital payment network, Showmax is meeting subscribers where they already are.

Showmax, launched in 2015 and available in more than 40 markets across the continent, is a leading African streaming service. It offers a unique combination of original African content, first and exclusive international series, popular movies, premium documentaries and the best kids’ shows, plus a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League.

Onafriq is an omnichannel network of networks, making borders matter less by providing our partners with a single pathway to unlock the full power of cross-border and cross-platform payment solutions. With a network spanning 43 African markets, Onafriq connects over 1 billion mobile money wallets, 500 million bank accounts, and over 400,000 agents in Nigeria, enabling domestic and cross-border disbursements and collections, card issuing and processing, agency banking, and treasury services.

In Nigeria, Onafriq operates as a B2B payments enabler with an extensive agency banking network through its flagship product, Baxi. Baxi connects over 400,000 agents nationwide, offering essential financial services such as bill payments, airtime and data purchases, funds transfers, cash-in and cash-out transactions, and more, driving financial inclusion and providing seamless access to digital financial services for millions.

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Broadcasting

DStv Offers Instant Package Upgrade for Customers from January to February

Published

5 days ago

January 3, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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DStv has launched a new campaign tagged “We Got You”, aimed at giving customers more entertainment value at the start of the year without additional cost.

DStv

The campaign, which runs from January 1 to February 28, 2026, allows subscribers who pay for their current package in full to enjoy an automatic upgrade to the next DStv package.

The initiative is designed to ease the pressure that often comes with January, a period marked by school resumption, tighter budgets and increased household demands.

Through the offer, DStv is rewarding customer loyalty by unlocking more channels, stories, sports, children’s content, local productions and international programmes at no extra charge.

Speaking on the campaign, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said, “We want our customers to step into the year feeling valued.

“When you buy your package, we upgrade you because you deserve more. This is our way of bringing extra excitement, choice and convenience into your home.”

According to DStv, the offer is open to existing subscribers who remain active during the promotion period, customers who reconnect their decoders, and new subscribers who join between January 1 and February 28.

Under the offer, subscribers who pay for DStv Yanga will be upgraded to DStv Confam, Confam customers will receive DStv Compact, Compact subscribers will be upgraded to Compact Plus, while Compact Plus customers will enjoy access to DStv Premium.

The upgrade applies only to decoder viewing, and subscribers will revert to their original packages at the end of the promotion period.

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Broadcasting

FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

Published

5 days ago

January 3, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially given way to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), signalling a pivotal shift in the country’s revenue administration framework as the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 takes full effect from January 1, 2026.

FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

NRS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the landmark legislation in June 2025, alongside a comprehensive package of tax reforms designed to streamline compliance, expand the tax net and bolster federal revenue for critical infrastructure and social services.

At a colourful ceremony in Abuja on December 30, 2025, NRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, unveiled the agency’s new logo and corporate identity, describing it as a beacon of modernisation and efficiency.

Adedeji, who doubles as the pioneer helmsman, stated that the fresh branding embodies “a renewed commitment to a unified, service-driven revenue system” in line with global standards and Nigeria’s economic aspirations.

“The new identity underscores continuity in mandate, enhanced capacity and proactive taxpayer support, fostering trust and shared prosperity,” he added, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Dare Adekanmbi.

The NRS emergence caps decades of advocacy for tax overhaul, repealing the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 and vesting the new body with broader powers for revenue assessment, collection and accountability.

Judicial hurdles were cleared when an FCT High Court dismissed suits seeking to stall implementation, paving the way for the four key Acts — Nigeria Revenue Service, Tax Administration, Nigeria Tax and Joint Revenue Board — to roll out seamlessly.

Despite pockets of controversy, including claims of bill alterations, the Budget Office affirmed the laws’ authenticity, prioritising fiscal stability and investor confidence.

For ordinary Nigerians and enterprises, the NRS promises simplified processes, digital innovations and reduced red tape to ease compliance burdens while curbing evasion.

Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Chairman, Mrs Aderonke Atoyebi, reassured that core values of integrity, fairness and professionalism persist, with staff nationwide driving the transition.

Industry watchers anticipate a surge in non-oil revenue, crucial as Nigeria navigates global headwinds, with the NRS positioned to elevate the tax-to-GDP ratio through transparent engagement.