New Nigerian Newspapers Online Edition

All is now set for the much awaited debut of HITV’s reality TV show tagged Nigeria! The show is set to hit the screen on Saturday July 5 2008. This is coming on the heel of the successful completion of the nationwide screening process which produced eighteen Nigerians selected out of the thousands that applied on line.
Already Starcomms, Nigeria’s 4th largest telecommunications operator and leading “triple-play” (mobile, fixed wireless voice, wireless broadband) provider has emerged as the lead sponsor, other sponsors include Dana Group.
Dana Group would be providing a brand new Kia Rio car to the overall winner of the competition in addition to providing refrigerators, washing machines, deep freezers and LCD television sets. Ten million Naira is up for grab.
Both sponsors said they are sponsoring the show because of their unalloyed belief in the Nigerian state and the fact that Nigeria is endowed with potentials that are waiting to be tapped as the show shall reveal
The show is expected to showcase 18 ‘’neighbours’’ would be required to live together in a house for a maximum period of 8 weeks. The reason for their living together in a house is to discover that individual who can be called “The Nigerian”.
In order to emerge as the ‘’The Nigerian’’, the contestant must be tolerant and rich in the knowledge of Nigeria’s socio-economic and cultural heritage. The individual must be smart, witty and express a deep sense of confidence in his/her heritage.
The Neighbors are expected to engage in weekly tasks that ignites their intellectual capabilities, knowledge of on-going social issues, culture/traditional influences and international relations amongst others. The winner of these weekly tasks becomes the ‘’President’’ for the week.
To add excitement to the show there will be weekly Village Square meeting on Saturdays, where each neighbor has an appointment with the Supreme Council (members of the public). The public will be allowed to call in to ask the neighbors questions based on previous tasks from the week. The Supreme Council is allowed to either bash or praise the neighbors.
The governing body is not heard or seen but only communicates with the neighbors via a TV screen
Voting for eviction is done by simply sending text message of just the name of the neighbor to be evicted, to certain codes provided by GSM operators. The number of SMS received, determines who is evicted at each point. Survival in Nigeria is primarily by Neighbor’s solo efforts, but inter-tribal or intra-tribal solidarity is allowed. Possible bitter disagreement amongst kinsmen is not impossible.
The House where the neighbours would reside would be referred to as NIGERIA; the word ‘house’ is never mentioned. Aesthetically, the design of the roof top of the house called Nigeria is the real map of Nigeria.
Nigeria has 6 bedrooms, [3 Neighbors to a bedroom], a large kitchen, a large dinning room, a large living room, a small for the Village Square meeting and beautiful garden. Apart from the electronic gadgets, bathroom and kitchen wares, all the furniture within and outside the house shall be of rich, exquisite, and esoteric African materials and designs.

Mr. Toyin Subair, Managing Director and CEO of HiTV reiterating the essence of the show states that “ Nigeria” is a noble idea borne out of the need to enhance and propagate the positive image of Nigeria as a whole, its constituent parts and the togetherness which its various peoples share. More importantly, the show will present world-class television entertainment to Nigerians in the comfort of their homes.