After gruelling, compelling, suspenseful, enthralling and romance-filled 72 days in the Big Brother House and what can be tagged Big Brother Season 8, it all ends tonight. Out of 24 that walked the walk and talked the talk, the chips came down to 6 finalists. And only one of them can walk away with the prize money of whooping 120 million naira.
Will it be Merce Eke, Cross, Pere, CeeC, Adekunle or Ilebaye? Coming into the Biggie’s House, Ilebaye had the tightest odds. She was never in the picture as a possible finalist, until she warmed her way into the hearts of many viewers of the show, basically, by generating content after content.
Amongst the six finalists, Ilebaye is the only one who was never a finalist. She was the third Housemate to be evicted from Season 7 of the reality TV show, she exited so early, she could barely make her name count with the lovers of the show.
Now, here she is as a finalist and it appears destiny is winking at her regardless of the stiff opposition she faces in Mercy, CeeC, Adekunle, Pere and Cross.
Mercy came into the All-Stars House as a huge favourite. She won season 4 of Big Brother Naija in October 2019, becoming the first woman to win the reality show.
CeeC was the first runner-up during the Double Wahala Season 3 edition in 2018. All eyes and shares were on her when she came into the All-Stars edition.
Pere too, has seen it all and done it all as he emerged the second runner-up of BBNaija Season 6.
Adekunle was also a former finalist of the show. He was evicted during the grand finale show of Season 7.
Cross is also a finalist from Season 6.
Only Ilebaye has not graced the podium on a finale day show. Making the cut this time around may just be destiny’s way of putting a smile on her way, and to the bank in a grand style. She could be the dark horse that wins the race.
Ilebaye
Born in 2001 in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria, and hailing from the Igala tribe, Ilebaye Precious Odiniya is a product of a Christian family. Although her accent suggests a Ghanaian heritage, Ilebaye’s roots lie in the Nigerian tribe of Ebira, with origins tracing back to Okpo, in the Olamaboro Local Government Area.
Ilebaye says she got her accent from her English teacher in secondary school who is Ghanaian. She came in as the youngest housemate and ever since has had fans and viewers with the constant thought of whether or not her controversial moments were one of her strategies in the game.
From several altercations to winning wager games and then the ultimate HOH immunity, we have sieved through to pick some of what is described as her epic highlights on the show.
So here are six major highlights from her stay so far:
Physical altercation with Cee-C and Doyin
Many were shocked at how things quickly turned out after the housemates’ second Saturday night party on August 6, 2023. Ilebaye and Cee-C had their very first altercation which was a bit about Doyin’s friendship with Ilebaye. Other housemates were seen to have withdrawn from intervening in the matter as this was Ilebaye’s third altercation in the house already.
The back and forth didn’t end there as she was seen to have pulled Cee-C and was also said to have choked Doyin in the garden bathroom. However, the physical contact with Doyin was the only one not captured to the seeing of viewers
Received the first strikes of the season
As a result of the altercation with Cee-C and Doyin, Big Brother found Ilebaye guilty of breaking the house rules against fights and physical contact. She was issued a double strike, which made it the very first strike from Big Brother for the All Stars season.
Won ultimate Head-of-House challenge
On Monday, September 18, 2023, Ilebaye wrestled the toughest HOH game to claim the ultimate immunity card. After going head-to-head with eight other All Stars housemates she won the dicey game of balancing on a platform for over two hours.
This win automatically made her the second finalist as she escaped possible eviction that week.
Victim of Ike’s ultimate prank
Ilebaye was sadly at the forefront of the receiving end of Ike’s meanest schemes while on the show.
She was woken up to see the mess that had happened to her clothes which were littered on the bathroom floor. Housemates as well as Ilebaye were in shock and in the dark as to who could have perpetrated such an act up until Big Brother revealed Ike as the culprit.
Became the ultimate Super Commando woman
Ilebaye won Super Commando’s ultimate task for the All Stars housemates. Beating the challenge set of obstacles in record time, she became the ultimate Super Commando female alongside Neo.
Has had the most fights so far on the show
Ilebaye has had the most altercations on BBNaija All Stars so far. They include:
First pool party altercation with Tolanibaj about Neo
Heated back and forth which almost caused Angel to leave the house
A physical altercation with Cee-C and then a subsequent disagreement over Doyin’s picture frame.
Break-up with her bestie Doyin due to an unspoken misunderstanding.
Tearful argument with Whitemoney over wager task instruments.
Ilebaye and Cross butt head over a missing drink.
