On Kemen’s eviction: two tragic truths that this mess will reveal about Nigeria and Nigerians #BBNaija

Kemen, one of the more popular housemates on the ongoing Big Brother Naija show has just been evicted and the whole of Nigerian internet is awash with theories and postulations about the housemates, the reason for his eviction and just generally the future, especially as regards sexual assault and other inappropriate behaviours of sexual nature.

Below is a video that has been circulated today that many people believe to have been the catalyst for his eviction:

The video shows Kemen touching Tboss’ privates while the latter was fast asleep beside him. Without her consent. Or something just as perverted.

He has been evicted from the show now and a debate is already raging on Twitter as to whether or not he deserved to be evicted; whether Tboss had encouraged him in anyway and if the nature of the show itself is what gave rise to this act.

These questions reveal a lot more about Nigeria and Nigerians than what the housemate has done.

If it turns out to be true that Kemen actually assaulted Tboss or touched her without her consent then the rage on Twitter right now should ideally be about how Tboss would be empowered and encouraged by Nigerians and the show’s producers to institute a criminal action against Kemen.

It is sad that his eviction may just be the end of the matter. And the young man will leave the house without any more punishment than social media users are going to met out to him in the next couple of hours. Already, another housemate has been evicted from the house and that is trending alongside the Kemen/Tboss’ issue. Nigerians will move on, the show will continue and Kemen will be just another sexual predator on the loose because we failed to completely address the issue. It is even possible that Kemen might come out victorious after this episode since there are people willing to openly shame the victim – a sleeping Tboss – about this.

Secondly, the very fact that the organisers of the show chose to say that the reason why Kemen was evicted from the show is that he violated one of the house rules without immediately clarifying what really went down – considering the nature of the allegation – shows that we have not really learnt as a country to deal with issues by addressing the root cause.

Kemen will leave the house and not get a chance at the prize money but will be allowed to capitalise on a fame that will come from the fact that “no one knows the true story”.

This, if allowed to happen will be as much of the fault of Nigerians as it is the fault of the Big Brother Naija organisers. The Big Brother organisers owe a duty to tell us all why Kemen was evicted so that all of the conversation surrounding this will not continue to be based on mere conjecture that won’t permit any reasonable resolution.

If they fail to do so, Nigerians must now demand that the real reason behind his eviction be made known or demand that the show be taken off air as a consequence. Except, of course, our guess is right and Nigerians consider a show that rewards “nothingness” 0ver seizing an opportunity to finally take a stance of a very important issue that affects over half its population.

 

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