
My name is Folakemi, I work with a leading management consultancy firm in Lagos.
The week had been quite hectic for me, we had some partners visiting from the Netherlands and the responsibility to host them and make sure they experience a comfortable stay in Nigeria fell on me directly as the most senior member of the business unit they had direct dealings with.
After ensuring they had had dinner and settled comfortably in their rooms at my favourite hotel, I sat down at the lounge to rest and relax a bit before going home that Sunday evening.
So it was the night of the grand finale, and the show had been subsequently filled with lots of twists, tension and tempers as it steadily approached its end leading to the disqualification of one of the top contenders, Tasha.
This disqualification created a huge frenzy everywhere with the followers of the show and the fans of the housemates, especially on social media. This heightened the attention paid the show by many people. Almost everywhere I went, the gist was Big brother – the tension, the intrigue, the drama, the campaign, the endorsements, different notable people promising cash compensations to their favourite housemates, and the possible eventual winner.
Mercy was “peppering” everybody with her style, her figure and her “assets”, both the housemates and the entire audience. Mike was loved for his personality, maturity and discipline. Seyi was the fine boy of the house – fun, smart, stylish and a good representation of a winner.
Everyone was waiting to have the eventual winner announced. And that fateful Sunday evening, I was sitting in my cosy corner at my favourite hangout. I was enjoying my tall glass of chapman and well-seasoned, delicious chicken wings and spring rolls.
With me at the lounge were some other fine gentlemen and ladies. Though most like me, were matured business people and some corporate elites lodging at the hotel, every one of us appear to be interested in who the ultimate winner would be.
My initial assumption was that the big brother show was perhaps something only young people would find appealing, I was however surprised when I heard these men and women in their late forties and fifties discussing the show and mentioning the names and discussing the behaviours of different housemates. “So these big guys too watch?” was the funny question on my mind.
Suddenly the magic began to happen.
MI, Africa rapper number one, and his crew came down from their rooms, walked past where we sat at the lounge, went to the reception and announced his departure to the venue of the big brother grand finale show!
Before I could process what I just saw, Patoranking and his crew also came down, walk past us and went off to the venue of the show. Then Tiwa Savage came up on stage on TV and I saw Patoranking that just walked past me at the hotel show up on stage with her performing!
I was like, wait a minute; are these guys…? No, it can’t be, then I asked someone at the reception the question I was thinking, and yes! My guess was on point! All the performers and the last five housemates have lodged and would lodge in that same hotel after the show that night!
The performers were already in and the last five winners – Mercy, Mike, Frodd, Omashola, and Seyi will all be checking into the same hotel I was in that night!
As I was struggling to contain my excitement of meeting and perhaps interacting with all these guys one on one, Patoranking walked back into the hotel and in fact, joined us at the lounge and we all began to chat and debate who the eventual winner could possibly be as we watched Ebuka continue to make his announcements on TV.
Ladies and gentlemen, where I sat, that night, at the lounge of my favourite hotel, Big Brother pepper them edition, came to meet met live and direct. I had the opportunity and privilege of meeting the fresh stars of that night!
I sat down “jeje” and the show came in to meet me! Where else but the lounge of L’eola Hotel, Shonibare estate, Maryland, Ikeja Lagos.
The classy, the stylish and the well profiled? L’eola Hotel is our place!
L’eola Hotel brought Big brother to me right there – live and direct! Hmm, That’s what stars do, – and indeed, that’s how star hotels do too!
You want style, class, serenity and valuable company? It’s at Leola hotel my friends.
Let’s meet there!