Artist, actor and former Big Brother Naija housemate Adeoluwa Okusaga, popularly known as Saga, has revealed that his appearance on the reality show was a calculated step to kick-start his entertainment career.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Saga disclosed that he auditioned for the show at the urging of colleagues despite never being a viewer.
“My colleagues at work literally begged me to go for Big Brother; I never watched the show,” he said.
According to the engineering graduate, his entry into the BBNaija house was far from accidental fame.
I went to Big Brother Naija to launch my career as an entertainer,” he stated. “When I was an engineering student in school, I didn’t even touch any of the creatives; I completely abandoned them. I started drawing officially the year after I left school.”
Saga drew parallels between engineering and the creative arts, arguing that both disciplines require imagination, intelligence and technical skill. He cited Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci as an example of someone who successfully bridged art and science.
I love engineering. A lot of artists end up as engineers because to be an engineer, you need a powerful imagination. You need understanding, skill and you need to be smart,” he explained.
Reflecting on his journey, Saga said he focused strictly on engineering while in school, where he became known for his technical drawing skills. However, after graduation, he began seriously exploring music, fitness and visual art.
“When I was in school, I didn’t touch any creative work. My classmates are surprised now. Back then, they just knew me for technical drawing. I loved drawing diagrams and even did assignments for people,” he said.
He added that he would often take his drawing board to work, sketching during breaks while also nurturing his passion for singing and fitness.
Describing his time on BBNaija as challenging yet transformative, Saga said the experience ultimately reshaped his life.
The Big Brother experience was rough at the time, but in hindsight, it was absolutely worth it. I couldn’t have pictured my life playing out differently,” he noted.
Since leaving the show, Saga has transitioned fully into acting, featuring in several Nollywood productions while continuing to develop his music and visual art career.
