Housemates Salone Season 4 officially began on Friday, promising $45,000 (equivalent to SLE1 million) and an all-expensive round trip to Dubai, the largest prize so far in the history of the show.
At a launch held at Chapter One Night Club & Restaurant in Freetown, First Lady Fatima Maada Bio called for a shift toward more decent, dignified, and purpose-driven content in Sierra Leonean reality TV shows. “Let us clean the game on reality TV shows in this country,” she said, whilst committing to support a “clean and decent” Housemates Salone show.
She commended AYV Media Empire CEO Ambassador Anthony Navo Jr. and Africell’s Shadi Gerjawi for their significant contributions to youth development and national branding through entertainment. She acknowledged their “unwavering support” in national campaigns and youth empowerment, including the “Hands Off Our Girls” initiative.
The First Lady also encouraged the housemates to leverage the platform to demonstrate creativity, discipline, and leadership, highlighting that the show’s ambition to compete with Big Brother Naija will elevate Sierra Leone’s global entertainment profile.
The event attracted a diverse group of dignitaries and stakeholders, including Minister of Information and Communications Chernor Bah, officials from the Tourism and Youth ministries, former housemates, diplomats, and media executives.
Minister of Tourism Nabeela Farida Tunis underscored the role of Housemates Salone in rebranding Sierra Leone, attracting tourism, and redefining the nation’s cultural identity. She described it as “one of our flagship entertainment events and a key vehicle for international exposure.”
Africell CEO Shadi Gerjawi confirmed the grand prize for this season’s winner and assured that all health precautions for mpox would be strictly enforced during the live-streamed show.
AYV’s Anthony Navo Jr. reinforced the season’s theme of “Clean Game,” vowing to eliminate indecency, vulgarity, and inappropriate behavior. He said, “The game has been contaminated. We must clean it. No more ‘mammy cuss’, no more nudity, no more bad behavior.”
Both Navo and Gerjawi appealed to Sierra Leoneans to champion an empowering and values-based entertainment model that uplifts youth and embodies national pride.
Minister Chernor Bah re-echoed these sentiments, asserting that Housemates Salone aligns with President Bio’s vision to cultivate local talent and establish Sierra Leone as a hub for creative excellence. He concluded, “The President and First Lady believe in the power of entertainment as a force for development.”