The Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) All Stars edition ended on October 1, 2023, with a surprising winner: Ilebaye Odiniya, a 22-year-old model and criminologist from Kogi State. She beat 23 other former housemates, including some fan favorites, to clinch the grand prize of N120 million and a brand-new car.
Ilebaye, the Gen Z baddie, was the fourth housemate to enter the show in July. She had previously participated in the Level Up (season 7) edition of BBNaija, where she was evicted in the third week. She said she never expected to win the All-Stars edition, which featured some of the most popular and influential contestants from previous seasons.
“I’ve never thought I was going to emerge the winner. I didn’t use any strategy to win. I felt I would stay in the house for a maximum of two weeks. I didn’t know I would win,” she said during the prize presentation.
Ilebaye’s journey in the BBNaija house was not without drama and controversy. She received two strikes for fighting with CeeC and choking Doyin during arguments. She also had issues with other housemates, such as Mercy, Pere, and Adekunle. However, she also showed her fun and creative side, participating in various tasks and games and entertaining viewers with her TikTok videos and dance moves.
Ilebaye’s victory resulted from her resilience, charisma, and support from her fans, who voted massively for her in the final week. She garnered 30.08% of the votes, while Mercy came second with 23.48%. Cece, Adekunle, Pere, and Cross were the other finalists.
Ilebaye is the first winner of the BBNaija All Stars edition, which was introduced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Africa Magic, the channel that airs the show. The edition featured some of the most memorable housemates from the past eight seasons of BBNaija, who competed for another chance at fame and fortune.
The show was a huge success, as it generated buzz and excitement among viewers and fans across Africa and beyond. It also showcased the talents and personalities of the housemates, who entertained, inspired, and educated millions of people.
Ilebaye said she was grateful to Big Brother, the organizers, family, and fans for making her dream come true. She promised to make good use of her prize money and make them proud.
“I’m really happy to be your star. And to my housemates, thank you, guys, so much, and I promise to make you proud, not to disappoint you guys, and I promise to make sure I make good use of the money. Thank you guys so much. I love you all,” she said.
Ilebaye’s story is a testament to the power of determination, passion, and love. She proved that anything is possible with hard work and faith. She also inspired many young people to pursue their goals and dreams.
Source: This Day
