Big Brother Naija Season 6 Finalists
The Shine Ya Eye edition of the 2021 Big Brother Naija season 6 has come and gone, but the good memories it brought to entertain Nigerians will remain for a long time. As usual, the show was filled with suspense, drama, genuine friendship, and minimum drama, to say the least, because these housemates have been the most toxic-free to date in the history of the BBnaija Show. This year’s show lived up to its billing and promise of joy and laughter coupled with touches of heightened emotions now and again, not to mention surprises!
Within 72 days, the Shine Ya Eye edition of the show witnessed a lot of twists and evictions that kept us, the viewers, glued to our Tv screens in suspense, wondering who would get the hatchet next. Of the 26 contestants, only six made it to the finals; Hazel Oyeye Onou (Whitemoney) of White Money Geng, Afije Roseline (LiquorRose) of the Liquolions/Rosemary, Pere Egbi, also known as the General of the Patriots, Cross Ikechukwu Okonkwo of the Cross Nation, Angel Agnes Smith of the Arch Angels and finally, Emmanuel Umoh of the Emirates!
After much ado, White Money, who was popular inside the house, emerged as the winner of the grand prize of N90million, which includes a N30million cash price. His win did not entirely surprise us because White Money became practically indispensable with the role he played in the house as the unofficial cook. It was he who ensured everyone had their meals. He literally served each person individually, day in, day out. He loved to cook and clean. He was a very prominent player when it came to various tasks given in the house. He always had a jingle for every product. White Money made his presence felt more than any other contestant. He got under our skin. He was a brother and friend to all. He played the game to the T! You could not miss him because he was everywhere and anywhere, making his mark slowly but surely.
In this riveting encounter with AZUKA OGUJIUBA, the six finalists reflected on their time in the Big Brother house, highlighting the intriguing details of the 72 days they all spent in the house and their plans for the future.
Hazel Oyeze Onoduenyi
White money (Winner)
How do you feel being the winner of the BBNaija reality show? Did you see it coming, and now that you have won, what is the next for you?
I felt really amazing and blessed. I never saw it coming at all. It was an overwhelming feeling for me.
Which housemate’s eviction shocked you the most and why?
That would be Maria cause I always saw her as a strong contender in the game.
If you were made the Nigeria President, what are the three things you will put in place to move the country forward?
- would create more skill acquisition jobs for the youths.
- Infrastructural development
- Investment in agriculture
Tell us some challenges you faced in the House and if there was a time you felt like throwing in the towel and leaving as Kaycee did?
The only challenge I faced in the house was not having my privacy anymore, but no, I never wanted to give up. My head was in the game all through. I spent years auditioning back to back, and I knew contesting wasn’t going to be easy either.
Tell us briefly about your background, your real name, and what inspired your name White Money?
My real name is Hazel Onyeze Onoduenyi, AKA White Money. I am Igbo by tribe and Nigerian by nationality. I am a 30years old businessman/entertainer, the last child of three boys from Enugu state, Udi local government Nigeria.
You spoke a lot about the streets when you were in the house. What advice do you have for those still on the streets?
Never give up on your dreams. Stay focused and believe in God almighty. #remain original #who dey!!
What is your greatest fear in life and why?
Not making heaven because -lastly, man has to cool off with the most-high after this world struggle here on earth, Amen.
If you were to go on a luxury weekend trip, which female housemates would you take along with you and why?
I will take the Holy Spirit instead!
If given another chance to go back into the BBNaija House with higher stakes, would you do it again?
No I wouldn’t because though I emerged winner, my mental state of mind cannot handle another long haul like that at the moment.
Who was your favourite male and female housemate, why and what will you miss about them?
Male is Niyi. Female is Liquorose aka Lilimo.
And I love both of them cause they are both original and say their truth at all times.
Looking back, what do you sincerely miss about Biggie’s house?
I miss Biggie’s voice plus how he calls my name and the steady electricity!. Everything in that house ‘nah ota mie mie’.
Roseline Omokhoa Afije
Liquor Rose (1st Runner up)
You were already a known face in the industry with the all-female dance group you belong to, so what was your aim of going to Biggie’s house?
I intended to engage a larger audience so that I could gain a stance on financial stability because there are things I can do other than dance. It encompasses communicating literary thoughts, persuasive oratory, building and managing a conglomerate, music, film making, acting, and so on. They’re just a lot.
Despite my versatility, I believe the world knew me for just dancing, so I jumped at the chance to change the narrative by doing and achieving more in the industry. When I say “doing more,” I mean in all of its ramifications, music, acting, writing scripts, poetry, entertainment, and art in a broad sense.
However, I desired a financial balance so that I could consider going into other businesses, as well as a socially progressive environment in which I could publicly express my thoughts, rediscover hidden potentials, and demonstrate my brilliance, which is why I chose Big Brother Naija platform.
What are the challenges you faced while in the house, and what did you learn living with complete strangers with diverse personalities?
I didn’t really seem to have a challenge in the house, except that for a while, I was a bit curled up in my shell, I was somewhat introverted before getting into the Big Brother House, and so I learned to interact and engage with people, and living in a house like that, with relative strangers, I realized that people are different, with different perspective and thoughts, but then l realized one ought to think rationally in line with them, and as such, have a clear grasp.
You and Emmanuel hit it off straight as a couple in the house, the only recognized relationship this year. Was it love at first sight and what was the major attraction for you?
It was just the connection we had at first, and when the energy aligned, he was a great vibe. Everything between us clicked, and so we had a lot of similar optimism. I’d rather say that our friendship grew more quickly, resulting in a close bond.
Apart from Emmanuel, who else was your favourite male and female housemates and why?
Apart from Emmanuel, I have some other favourites in the house; each of the housemates is beautiful and unique, and they all have great personas. I can’t even begin to mention names because if I did, I’d go from Maria to Tega, Saskay, Angel, Peace, Nini, Niyi, Yousef, Kayvee, and everyone else in the house that is amazing.
If you were made the Nigeria President, what are the five rules you would implement to move the country forward?
Let me be president first, and I’ll let you know!
Now that you are out of Biggie’s house, what are your plans, what do you intend to use the platform to achieve?
I plan to use this platform to explore every aspect of my dreams and goals. Every person, in my opinion, has dreams and aspirations, but realizing these dreams is a critical component of having aspirations.
As previously stated, I intend to bring my dreams of curating films, music, art, and speechmaking to fruition in the global industry.
Specifically, I want to inspire people because every smile on someone’s face brings fulfilment. Also, start a philanthropic project to make the world a more positive environment for vulnerable groups. I intend to do all of these things; God help me.
If you were to go on a luxury vacation with three of the housemates, who would they be?
It’ll be White Money, Maria, and Emmanuel. But if Maria is too busy, then Tega.
What is your greatest fear in life?
I’d say procrastination because we all intend to do things in life but never get around to doing them. I title it “The Evils of Procrastination” because it is my greatest fear. As such, the more we procrastinate, the less we accomplish.
If you were given a million dollars, what would you do with it?
There are several ideas we could accomplish with money; believe me. I need that money so I can show you so many things I can do with it. I need the money in front of me so I can tell you what I’m capable of!
You did a task on mental health in the house. Tell us three major things you learnt about mental health?
First and foremost, communication. Communication has impacted both within and outside of our intent. Secondly, we must all learn to forgive those who have mistreated us and made us vulnerable to a variety of depressing or traumatic situations. However, you should be deliberate about forgiving yourself and moving on.
Consequently, you must recognize your remarkable strength and make yourself a top priority. Be aware of life’s stressors and the folks who are out to bring you down.
Acknowledge your imperfections and strengths while having to accept that you are an individual who is susceptible to falling short. Finally, believing in oneself is a true component of self-love, which can be discovered through daily declarations, mental discipline, emotional intelligence, and big speeches.
Who is your favourite dancer, and how has person influenced your career as a dancer and why?
A-To be candid, so many dancers from all over the world have inspired me. Laura Gibson, Dr Kaffy Shafau, and others have influenced me. I can’t forget about my crew: E4ma, Ellaley, Pocolee, and so on.
Aside from these people, it’s worth noting that I’m constantly inspired by new dancers that keep me going. Also, there are artists whose dance moves impress me. They are Michael Jackson, Ciara, Aliya, and Beyoncé.
Pere Egbi
(2nd Runner up)
When you came out of the house, you said you love Mariah and said you also love your girlfriend. Is it possible to love two women at the same time, or was it just cruise talk?
There’s nothing about me that screams cruise. Mariah is a very adorable person. I love her personality and admire what she represents. While in the house, I found her very engaging, delectable, energetic, and intriguing. She’s amazing.
What motivated you to take part in the BBNaija Season 6?
I had been an actor for years before Big Brother; I auditioned to take my acting career to the next level.
Tell us about being one of the ‘Wild Card’. Was it a burden scaling through and making it to the finals?
Being a wild card was quite a burden as much as it was also fun. Only because I had to get in the heads of my fellow housemates, figure out what they were thinking, and used it to form my own strategy, ensuring I remained undetected until Big Brother gave me out.
Scaling through to the finals was honestly something I didn’t see coming. But it was exhilarating to witness.
While in the House, you did a task on mental health. Was there any time you felt you were losing your marbles because of the monotony of living in one place for that long?
Mental health is so vital. We need to shed more light on it. There was no time that I felt my mental health was in danger. However, there were times I felt so overwhelmed and felt the pressure as I felt the house had turned against me, and leaving Biggie’s house voluntarily crossed my mind. But I had to draw strength from within to keep pushing through the storms in the house.
When you were the ‘Head of House (HOH), your reign was so dictatorial. You were compared to the late military head of state Gen. Sani Abacha and the nickname the ‘General ‘followed suit. What does leadership mean to you, and looking back, do you have any regrets about the way you and Maria ruled your fellow housemates in the house?
Abacha is Abacha and Pere is Pere. I served in the United States Military, and he served in Nigeria’s Military. We are completely different people. He ruled a country, and I was only Head of House in Big Brother’s house. During my tenure, I needed to do things very differently and be a lot firmer, especially after witnessing how some certain housemates responded to previous HOHs and the tendency of most housemates to be quite disrespectful to the position. I had to emphasize the importance of maintaining respect and accountability. I have no regrets about how I did things as HOH.
Tell us a bit about your background, your acting career, and your plans after being in Biggie’s house?
I have always had and still do have so much respect and admiration for Nollywood. So it’s going to be movies, movies and more movies for me. I started out acting in Super Story for Wale Adenuga Productions, from there to doing This Life. After that, I landed roles to feature in Charles Novia’s film Caught In The Middle. It was after that, things started to slightly look up careerwise for me. I then landed a job as a news presenter with Tajudeen Adepetu’s company ‘Business Television. There I gave a detailed breakdown of the happenings in the business world daily. I moved to Spice TV (also owned by Tajudeen) and worked as a red carpet presenter and show producer. Entertainment has always been the love of my life. So right now, I’m focused on working as an actor in films and also open to opportunities to host shows, model, and work with Brands.
Apart from Mariah, which other female housemate did you crush on?
No other female housemate was my crush.
If you were to go on a romantic holiday, which of the female housemates would you take along?
I’d probably want to keep that a secret.
What is your greatest fear in life?
Becoming overwhelmed by my success that I am forced to do things differently. Hence I’m consistently staying focused on my goals and staying prayed up.
Who were your favourite housemates, and what fond memory do you have of them?
Sasky was my favourite housemate in the house because of her high level of intelligence, maturity, and great composure. I remember sitting by the garden one day, and we were all having a conversation about the history of colonization and why it happened. Her inputs were by far very informative and you could tell she knew a lot. During our group tasks, she showed unrivalled intellectualism for a 21-year-old. I’ve got mad respect.
Another favourite housemate is Cross. Though we only got to really know each other towards the end of the show, it’s been worth it. Cross has great energy and we both discovered we have so many things in common. He is a good guy.
Last year in Biggie’s house, we saw the ‘Bromance’ between Ozo and Neo; they were referred to as the ‘Apple Boys’. This year, it was you and Cross and you guys were referred to as the ‘Pineapple boys’. But the viewers didn’t see this ‘Bromance’ coming. At what stage precisely did you and Cross realize the depth of your friendship?
At the beginning of the show, I remember I kept my distance from Cross because I didn’t understand him. He also told me later that he didn’t like me then because he didn’t understand me. But as things progressed and people left, we started talking and as we talked, we started seeing how many things we had in common. He found out how cool I was, I saw how really easy-going he was and we connected as Cancer men. He’s such a great guy. Almost like you can see through him like glass. I love my brother. Gringo loves Cross and the boss loves Gringo right back. Gringo is my alter ego, just like the boss is his alter ego.
If another opportunity arose for you to go to Biggie’s house again, will you do it?
I will gladly go. And hopefully, they do a show for All-Stars; I’d want to be in it. I miss having free food. I miss the group tasks; I learned so much in those group tasks.
Overall, do you think Biggie was fair the way he played the game, especially how you and Angel emerged as double winners and went to the house. This is the first time in the history of BBNAIJA that six finalists emerged from the reality show?
Whatever Biggie decided to do then is on Biggie. I have nothing to say about that. Biggie wouldn’t want to cheat his younger ones. Biggie’s decisions are his decisions.
Cross Ike
Cross Da Boss ( 4th Runner up )
You are an established, focused young man with some business chains and probably didn’t need the Big Brother Naija platform, so what was your aim of going to Biggie’s house?
I went to Biggie’s house to create an identity for me and tell the world my story. To show people that no matter how much adversity you have faced in life, you can always turn things around with faith and perseverance. I also wanted to correct the stereotypes some people had of me, I wanted to define myself in my own way and allow people to relate to me for who I am.
Tell us about your family. Is it true that your dad was assassinated and how did you all cope after your dad’s demise?
This is a very deep and personal story to me. My family sought asylum outside the country after the assassination of my dad and a lot of things went wrong. My Mum was still a young and uneducated woman, so it was difficult handling the situation, my siblings and I all at the same time. Our family lawyers duped us off my father’s wealth, and some of the relatives wanted to marry my mother off immediately. You see, my Mum is the strongest woman I know. She did everything in her power to safeguard us and brought us up into the people we all are today. The story is really deep; I think I will make a movie about myself and all that happened soon, so people can relate and understand all we went through. As the first son, I had to make sacrifices for my siblings to go further than me in their endeavours. I thank God my situation didn’t get the best of me. I am a living example of God’s faithfulness.
You love to dance, you are flirty, you are flighty, you love people and that’s why Biggie nicknamed you life of the party. With such a personality, how does a woman you like know when you’re serious about a relationship?
That is very simple. I am serious and very committed when I am in a relationship. I will always be with you, support you in all you do, speak about you to my family and treat your family as mine too. If Cross falls in love, trust me, she wouldn’t need to ask, “Do you love me?” She will see it every day, less talk, more action.
Who is your kind of woman?
Any lady that loves God like my Mother has the beauty and brains of my sisters (Ada and Dinma) and the humility and compassion of my godmother.
Last year, Neo and Ozo’s’Bromance’ made them call them the ‘Apple boys’. Now, you and Pere are called the ‘Pineapple boys’. Nobody saw this coming, considering how you kicked against the way he kept hounding White Money in the house. What changed your mindset about Pere?
At first, I didn’t like Pere as you know but getting to know him, I found out there was more to him than what we were seeing. He is a brave man, goal-getter, daring and when you stay around him for some time, you will get comfortable and see yourself telling him things. One thing people don’t know about Pere is that he’s even more playful than I am; forget his uptight “general” tag.
Who was your favourite female housemate in the house?
You should know by now, Cross loves all the women in the house. At some point in time, I spoke to every lady and had a thing or two with some of them. Nini and I had plans to launch a project in Abuja; Angel and I were also close. She cared for me and cooked for me, I planned to invest in Saskay’s Art projects, and some of her business ideas were great. Maria is someone I want to do business with in the future, you know she knows a lot about travelling and I want to have a travel vlog and educate people on travel, basically explore the world. Queen, what can I say, a strong woman who cares for others and is very concerned about women empowerment, I also want to donate to her cause at the right time, many more, as I said. Jackie B is someone I care about a lot as she also looked after me in the house. I love all the women in the BBNaija season 6 Shine Your Eye season.
Tell us some of the challenges you faced while in the Big Brother house and was there any time you felt like leaving?
People don’t really ask this question. Being in a confined space with strangers can mess with your mind. You won’t know how to react, and all, plus you have to be very accommodating of every housemate and their behaviour. I won’t lie, when I first came into the house, in the first 1-2 weeks, I felt like leaving, but I slowly found my feet and blended accordingly. My biggest challenge was the food. I am very selective of the things I eat, I am allergic to fish, plus I don’t eat Swallow, hence I had to make do with noodles for the most part and one of my favourite food “Pizza” was not readily available in the house.
If you are made the Nigeria President, what are the three major rules you will implement to move the country forward?
I don’t think I will add a lot to the already existing laws; rather, there are so many things that can be implemented in better ways. Firstly, I will bring about a better security structure aimed at protecting the people and not extorting or killing them. I will also bring employment for the millions of unemployed people and lastly, good roads. It will be intense, but I think we seriously need to fix our roads. These three sectors: security, infrastructure development and jobs, need urgent attention.
If you were to go on a luxury weekend trip, which of the female housemates would you go with and why?
I will go with Princess, why? Because in that house, she was one of the few ladies I never got to know properly, and sometimes when I, Cross Da Boss, was tipsy, she took care of me and prepared meals for me. So that will be a perfect opportunity to get to know her and show my gratitude.
What is your greatest fear in life?
Not making it to heaven because heaven is the goal. Also, failing my family and loved ones.
Now that you are out of the house, what projects are you aiming at doing?
I am aiming to take my fitness products brand CrossFitness Nutrition to the next level. We sold out our stock whilst I was in the house and we are currently in the process of restocking. We would launch with a grand event so watch out!! I would also continue my Cross Over Night parties which my team started whilst I was in the house. We are taking it across the whole world. The world would experience what it means to party with CrossDaBoss. The restaurant which I co-own, GemHouse in Abuja, is currently undergoing renovations. There are plans to make it bigger and better and take it to other cities in the country. I’m also going to delve into the music industry and release a couple of projects. I have a song coming out very soon featuring Ajebutter 22 called Feeling Funky and it’s a banger, trust me! I’m also considering acting as I heard I didn’t do too badly while in Bigge’s house. Directors…holla at your boy. Lastly, as a businessman, I am more than willing to work with any brand that aligns with mine and ready to give it my all to achieve success.
What do you miss about Biggie’s house and if the opportunity comes again, will you go back?
I miss Biggie’s voice. That’s my big brother. He always took care of me in the house, gave me advice, and most importantly, the platform to showcase myself to the world. And yes, if the opportunity comes again, I will go back into the house. The outside world is overwhelming, I still haven’t gotten used to the life outside, I want to go back to the house, partake in the interesting tasks and eat Biggie’s free food. Oh, and most importantly, party and sleep all day.
Angel Agnes Smith
What motivated you to take part in the BBNaija Season 6?
Nothing really motivated me. I was figuring my life out and thought it was a good idea to audition.
How do you intend to use the platform to better your life and to impact your immediate environment and the youths of Nigeria?
I intend to use the platform to make my life better by connecting with the right people that can put me in the right places. As for the youths of Nigeria, I spoke about my mental health project, and I believe they’ll benefit from it.
You spoke a lot about your parents not being there for you and how your grandmother used to beat you. Were you truly abandoned by your parents as a child because a lot of times, some housemates just tell stories in the house as part of their content?
They were not really present, and I had to adult on my own pretty quickly.
Tell us about yourself before going into Big Brother’s house and your plans after Big Brother Naija?
I was a writer before going into Biggie’s house and I still am. I have a lot of plans for my book launch to my mental health blog, reality tv, opening an art studio, owning a salon and spa, also wanting to go into real estate. I’m going to be in everyone’s faces.
If you are to go on a romantic holiday which of the male housemates would you like to go with?
Romantic? Nobody really, I’m not romantically involved with anyone in the house.
What is your greatest fear in life?
Fear of the unknown and it stems from not knowing how my life is going to end up.
If you were made the president of Nigeria, what are the rules you will instantly put in place?
I would restore our right to exercise our human rights to the fullest capacity.
If you were given another opportunity to go back into the Big Brother House, would you accept it?
Yes, I would.
Who was your favourite housemate and what fond memory do you have of him or her?
Cross. I think every time we laughed is a fond memory.
While in the house, you kept on talking about mental health and your mental health. Tell us about your situation and what led to it?
I struggled mentally for the longest time, from being bullied by teachers in high school to losing my boyfriend at the age of 19. A lot of factors made my mental health decline.
In the history of BBNAIJA, there has never been a finale for six housemates. How do you feel making it to the finals in such controversial circumstances, especially with people thinking Biggie was partial?
I’m grateful that Biggie gave Pere and I the opportunity to earn our spot in the finale.
Emmanuel Umoh
(6th Runner up)
You made a statement in the house that you are just like Boma outside of the house. Could you please tell us what you meant by that?
Boma is an exceptional model who has conquered not just the runway world but the fashion world as a whole. And that’s pretty much me outside the house.
What motivated you to take part in the BBNaija Season 6?
Every phase o my life has been a stage where I take necessary steps to better my life as an entrepreneur and career as a model and improve generally. I realized I got to a point where I needed to take another step and the BBNaija has just the platform I needed, so I went for it.
What are the lessons you learned, co-habiting with strangers in the BBNAIJA house?
I learned a couple of things in the house. One is that everyone is unique and talented, another is that opinions are meant to be respected, especially when teamwork is involved, and patience is a virtue.
What are your plans now that you are finally out of the BBNaija house?
Well, a couple of things which include, but are not limited to, pushing my modelling career to a higher level with lasting brand relationships, expanding and growing my businesses, BODYLAB fitness centre, and HAIRLAB salon and spa, build on my interest in real estate, do more with my charity foundation, where I can provide help to kids in schools, scholarships and relief packages for the disabled.
You have been on one or two major platforms, the Mr Africa platform where you cinched the title, and now Big Brother Naija, where you emerged as one of the finalists. Which platform has given you the most exposure?
Honestly, both platforms have given me the exposure I need. The Mister Africa International helped me see a different side of things and I gained a lot of new families from different parts of the continent and got the opportunity to travel around and learn new things. With BBN, the publicity, fame, the enormous fanbase gained, and prizes that come with it cannot be overemphasized. It’s a whole néw world entirely. I am grateful to both platforms, this one and Mr Africa International.
If you were not entangled romantically with Liqourose, which other female housemate would have gotten your attention?
And if I wasn’t close to her, l can’t tell who else I would have been close to. It could have been any of them
You did a task in the house on mental health. What lesson did you learn from that task, and how did you feel when Kayvee had to leave Biggie’s house because of his mental health?
I’ve learned that mental health is a very vital thing that most people tend to care less about and people should be paying special attention to their mental health, especially in the times we live in now. When Kayvee left, I was scared and felt really sad and bad but hopeful.
Who was your favourite housemate, and what fond memory do you have of him or her?
This is a tough one because I was close to several people and drew inspiration from them. There is Liquorose, Whitemoney, Boma, Kayvee, Cross, Sammie, Niyi, Yerins, Princess, Aarin, Saga, Beatrice
What is your greatest fear in life?
That would be not being worthy and losing relevance. From an early age, I have been taught that it is important to grow in life and help make a difference in the world and I have always wanted to do just that hence the reason I launched my Ime foundation. So not adding value to lives would be the worst thing and of course, my biggest fear is being or staying average. I have always wanted to be exceptional. And hence why I work so hard to stand out and make a difference in the world.
If you were Nigeria’s President, what are three important rules you would make to move the country forward?
Equal pay for both men and women.
Free and Quality education; not paying for textbooks for primary and secondary school students.
Free and quality health care at Public health centres. The health budget would be a priority.
