The management of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), made up of senior directors, has continued to defy an attempt by Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to shut down the facility hosting the Big Brother Naija reality show and bring it to an abrupt end.

Sources at the commission disclosed that minister’s desire to bring the show to an end was announced to the management on Wednesday by the commission’s acting Director-General, Dr Armstrong Idachaba, who told the meeting that Mohammed had directed him to shut down the Big Brother House under the pretext that the show is being held in violation of COVID-19 protocols.

NBC insiders further disclosed that Idachaba told the meeting that the minister wanted the letter ordering the closure of the facility to originate from the commission because it is the industry regulator. But Idachaba’s explanation was said to have been greeted by vehement opposition from members of the senior management, who offered various reasons why they thought it was not in the commissions best interest to interfere with the show.

One of the directors was said to have reminded the meeting that the NBC, on 1 July, wrote a letter to MultiChoice, producers of BBN, asking it to explain how and why the show will not violate Presidential Task Force (PTF) directives on COVID-19. He similarly reminded the meeting that MultiChoice replied, providing detailed explanations on measures taken in collaboration with the Lagos State government, whose agency, Lagos State Safety Commission, greenlighted the show. He stated that MultiChoice indicated in the letter that housemates had been screened prior to the show and that the BBN House had been disinfected as well as adapted to ensure sufficient physical distancing in addition to eliminating the use of live audience.

Another attendee pointed out that from observation since the show launched on Sunday, the safety protocols, notably generous use of hand sanitiser, have been followed.

Most of those at the meeting were said to have told Idachaba that he should ask the minister for a written directive to shut down the facility if he so badly wants to. According to the directors, BBN has not violated any provision of the Broadcast Code or breached programming standards.

Despite the overwhelming opposition, Idachaba was said to have told the directors that he would have to carry out the minister’s instruction, something that provoked murmurs of disapproval from the meeting, with some directors complaining of Mohammed’s continued interference in the running of the commission. The D-G, however, told the irate directors that he will confer with the minister to see if he is able to persuade him to withdraw the instruction for closure.

Lai lai

Abeg, make them shut the program down. It is totally useless.

They should act fast.

If they are violating the Covid-19 rules then there's a case.

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Golan007:
If they are violating the Covid-19 rules then there's a case.

Good thought

They were screened before the show started.

Why the hullabaloo?

They should be more concerned on how to fix Nigeria's economy.Though i neither watch nor understand the show, there's nothing wrong with the show going on as far as the housemates were screened and possibly tested.

Take WWE for example.

Did they not seek for the government opinion before embarking on the show?

Biko contact me for your diesel engine generators..

Some people will love this news.

The show should be shut down for life.

Money will have to be paid to shut him up

Ok, let d drama start

The minister got it wrong in my opinion, I am sure the necessary precautions and test was carried out in line with NCDC regulations before the show started, just like the test and preparations put in place before the various football leagues in Europe and other part of the world started. Why should they shut down the show?

While I'm not a fan of the show I do not support the decision to shut it down