NEWS DIGEST- Ilebaye Odiniya, also known as “Genz Baddie,” has emerged as the winner of the All Stars edition of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show for 2023.
At just 22 years old, Ilebaye was the youngest housemate in the competition, competing against 23 other housemates who were considered strong contenders both inside and outside the Biggie house.
During her time in the Level Up Season 7 edition of Big Brother Naija, Ilebaye was evicted in the third week of the show. Few would have predicted that she would make it to the final week, let alone go on to become the first winner of the All-Stars edition.
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Ilebaye’s followers on Instagram numbered fewer than one million, while first runner-up Mercy Eke had four million followers. However, on Sunday, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, the show’s host, announced that Ilebaye had won the reality TV show with the highest vote of 30.08%, while her strongest contender, “Pepper Dem” winner Mercy Eke, received 23.48% of the vote as first runner-up.
How did Ilebaye do it?
Ilebaye’s underdog story likely won over many viewers, but she could navigate the challenges of the show which ultimately helped her win.
During the 70-day run of the show, Ilebaye gave viewers some memorable moments inside the Biggie house. She was known for being both playful and controversial, collecting two strikes after fighting with Cynthia Nwadiora (CeeC) and choking Doyin during an argument. Although both CeeC and Ilebaye were banned from the head-of-house game for that week and faced nomination for possible eviction, they both survived.
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Throughout the show, Ilebaye also had other issues with her fellow housemates that helped rally her fans outside the house to push and fight harder for the ‘underdog’ to win.
Who is Ilebaye Odiniya?
Ilebaye, whose full name is Ilebaye Precious Odiniya, is from the Igala tribe in the Olamaboro local government area of Kogi State. She graduated from Salem University in Kogi State, where she studied Criminology and Security Studies before starting a career in modeling.
Born in 2001, Ilebaye has been featured in TV dramas by Wale Adenuga Productions since she was young, appearing in “Papa Ajasco,” “Super Story,” and “Nnenna and Friends.”
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Ilebaye wins BBNaijall-stars edition
Ilebaye was also a participant in BBnaija’s “Level Up” season, from which she was evicted in week three. She is now the youngest winner in Big Brother Naija history, taking home a prize worth 120 million naira. Ilebaye is the third female housemate to win the reality TV show, following Mercy and Phyna.
In an interview before her appearance in the “All-Star” season, Ilebaye shared that she was “destined to win the money,” and explained that she had not won the “Level Up” season because she was naive. “I didn’t prepare for the last season, and I lacked management. I just entered the house as a naive girl. This time, I will participate in tasks, party, and socialize,” she said.
What is BBNaija?
The Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) reality TV show is a platform for showcasing participants and their talents. Although there has been debate about the relevance of the show, past winners and former housemates have gone on to become influential figures and successes in various fields, thanks to the platform the show provided them. 
Previous winners of the show include Katung Aduwak, who won the first season in 2006, Michael Efe Ejeba, Miracle Igbokwe, Mercy Eke, Olamilekan Agbeleshe (known as Laycon), Hazel Oyeze Onou (known as WhiteMoney), and Ijeoma Josephina Otabor (known as Phyna), who won the Season 7 show.
