I never wanted to be linked to Awolowo when I went for BBNaija, Seyi Awolowo

Former Big Brother Naija housemate Seyi Awolowo has revealed his deliberate attempt to conceal his prominent family identity when he auditioned for the reality television show in 2019. Seyi, the grandson of the late Nigerian nationalist and statesman Chief Obafemi Awolowo, stated his desire to be evaluated based on his own abilities rather than his well-known surname.

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I didn’t want anybody to know I was an Awolowo in the house. I didn’t want the housemates in particular to know that’s who I was, but when I got to the stage and Ebuka called ‘Seyi Awolowo,’ that’s when everyone knew

Speaking on The Nigeria Meter Podcast, Seyi explained that he did not want his fellow contestants to be aware of his family background during his time in the house. However, this intention was thwarted the moment the show's host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, announced his full name during his introduction on stage.

"I didn't want anybody to know I was an Awolowo in the house. I didn’t want the housemates in particular to know that’s who I was, but when I got to the stage and Ebuka called ‘Seyi Awolowo,’ that’s when everyone knew," he recounted. Seyi had envisioned participating in the competition simply as "Seyi," free from the weight of expectations associated with his lineage.

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My own plan was just to be there as Seyi, but immediately he mentioned it, my whole plan went away

He further dismissed any notion that his family name provided him with an advantage, insisting that he underwent the same rigorous audition process as all other contestants. Seyi recalled attending the audition with a friend and mentioned that one of his stepbrothers was also present but arrived too late to participate. Seyi Awolowo was a notable contestant in the 2019 edition of Big Brother Naija, generating significant discussion among viewers.

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I did the audition proper, I stood in line. I didn’t get my golden ticket until about 3 a.m. on the third of February that year