BBNaija: Why I Chose To Enter House As Seyi, Not Awolowo – Ex-Housemate Reveals

Former Big Brother Naija housemate Seyi Awolowo has revealed that he intentionally kept his family background private during his 2019 audition for the reality show because he wanted to be recognised based on his personality and abilities rather than his famous surname.

According to Ireporter Online, Seyi disclosed this during an appearance on The Nigerian Meter Podcast, where he explained that being the grandson of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo came with expectations he wanted to avoid while competing on the show.

The reality star said his intention was to enter the BBNaija house simply as “Seyi” and allow viewers and fellow contestants to know him without any influence from his family legacy.

However, he explained that his plan changed during the official stage introduction when BBNaija host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced his full name, revealing his connection to the Awolowo family.

“I didn’t want anybody to know I was an Awolowo in the house. I wanted everyone to see me for who I was, but when Ebuka introduced me as Seyi Awolowo on stage, everyone became aware,” he said.

Seyi added that he had hoped to compete without the pressure or assumptions that came with his surname, saying his goal was to create his own identity within the competition.

The former housemate also dismissed suggestions that his family background gave him an unfair advantage during the selection process, insisting that he went through the regular audition process like other contestants.

He explained that he attended the audition, waited in line and only secured his golden ticket in the early hours of February 3, 2019.

Seyi revealed that he attended the audition with a friend, while one of his stepbrothers also attempted to participate but arrived too late.

He maintained that his journey into Big Brother Naija was based on his own efforts and not simply because of his family name.