If there’s anything that has been able to unite Nigerian families of different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds, it’s entertainment- especially TV shows. Over the years, numerous TV shows with diverse themes and storylines have graced our screens. From the good old days of TV sets with antennas to the ‘beat it three times until it works’ TV and our modern LED TV screens, we have witnessed a robust number of entertaining shows.
These TV shows were almost religious rites in our homes, as we gathered to watch them and bond with each other, laughing, learning life lessons and even sharing emotional moments.
Here are our top picks. Get ready to be hit with a wave of nostalgia:
Super Story
It’s only right to start this list with one of the most popular Nigerian TV show of all time- SuperStory. Every Thursday on NTA by 8 pm, families gathered to watch the highly suspenseful and entertaining anthology show. Each season had a new storyline, more intriguing and sometimes even scarier than the previous one. From the unforgettable theme song to the proverbs at the end, this show was epic. This show was so suspenseful; you wouldn’t want to pee until there was a commercial break. The worst thing that could happen was if the power went out during a crucial scene!
Fuji House of Commotion
Like most TV shows of the early 2000s, ‘Fuji House of Commotion’ was a family-oriented comedy. This show followed a highly dysfunctional, noisy and down-right crazy inter-ethnic polygamous family. Chief Fuji: the family patriarch had three wives and a mistress, with over a dozen children of different ages. It was a madhouse, and there was always one crazy conflict or the other going on. However, this show managed to show how such a large and diverse family was able to work their way through different problems while providing lots of light-hearted humour. What a show!
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Everyday People
Everyday People will always be remembered as one of the greatest Nigerian TV shows of all time. Not only did it have a solid storyline about the daily lives of a middle-class family, but it also had one of the most memorable theme songs of all time. The show was helmed by stars such as Carol King, Ify Onwuemene, Nobert Young, and the humorous Sam Loco Efe (of blessed memory). ‘Everyday People’ brought a lot of comedy, emotional moments and life lessons.
One Love
You probably forgot about this show, didn’t you? ‘One Love’ was a popular family show that aired on AIT every week. It addressed numerous issues that the average family face- love, teenage angst, marriage, discipline and more. This endearing family had us glued to our screens, especially the naughty kids: Biodun, Adesuwa, Enitan and Dami. Like many other shows on this list, this show had a wonderful soundtrack.
Dear Mother
‘Dear Mother’ was another exciting show that shaped our childhoods. It centred on Teju, a single mother trying to raise her three children while trying to focus on her career as well. It was an endearing show that delved into the complex challenges that average mothers face in our modern society. We couldn’t get enough of the children’s antics, as well as the grandmother’s hilarious stories and mannerisms.
Extended Family
Before Bovi became one of Nigeria’s most famous faces in comedy, he was pulling strings as the creator, producer and actor on ‘Extended Family. It was a hilarious sitcom about a family raised by a stern patriarch (The General) who was bent on strictly raising his family, by instilling values and meting out corporal punishments with his whip when needed. However, his two nephews were highly mischievous, as they always seemed to find new ways of getting into trouble. This family was more messed up than most of the TV families on screen, and that’s what made this show so special.
The KKB Show
Saturday mornings were incomplete without the KKB show. It was a staple in every Nigerian household. The KKB show was a highly entertaining variety show by kids and for kids. There were skits, short dramas, educative segments, and so much more, all to entertain and teach children essential lessons about the school, family, friendships and social responsibility. EVERYONE wanted to be on this show because it seemed like all the cool and talented kids got to star in it. It also had a lit theme song.
P.S- This was also the show that gave us the iconic line: ‘You had the audacity to steal my meat. My personal meat!!’ ??
Papa Ajasco
Now, this is one show no one can forget. It was another Wale Adenuga Production, and it was the most popular comedy show in the early 2000s. Despite being downright ridiculous and often exaggerated, it gave us healthy doses of humour with its characters- Papa Ajasco, Mama Ajasco, Boy Alinco, Pa James and Miss Pepeye.
Here are some other shows you probably forgot about:
● This Life
● Odd World
● Family Circle
● El Dorado
● Binta & Friends
● Domino
● Heaven’s Gate
● Spider
● Edge of Paradise
● Face 2 Face
● Kamson and Neighbours
Which of these TV shows did you love the most? Share with us!
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Back then in primary school, Friday morning assembly was usually filled with tales on the previous night’s episode of Super Story!
Fuji House of Commotion and Papa Ajasco tho, legit comedy shows!