All the way from the stable of the famous Nigerian reality television show, the 2020 Big Brother Naija Lockdown (Season 5). We bring to you the personality of former female housemate, Tolani Baj (or Tbaj in short). She made a reappearance at 2023 Big Brother Naija All Stars (Season 8). Although she did not win in any of the seasons, she is one of the most famous female housemates that have emerged from the reality TV show so far.
The pretty face has more than looks to her advantage; she has some guts as well. And surprisingly, she is a very private person – in spite of being quite outspoken. It is noteworthy that Tbaj did not enter the Nigerian entertainment and media industries through Big Brother Naija. So she is not new to the big screen. Before then, she was an accomplished Disc Jockey.
About Tbaj: Her Background
Tolani Shobajo is a Nigerian-American Disc Jockey, reality show star, content creator, social media influencer, and actress. She was born in October 1993 in Chicago, Illinois, USA; but she hails from Lagos state in Nigeria. There is quite scanty information available on popular media about the life of Tbaj. As we pointed out earlier, she is a private person. Much of her family life remains hidden. Nevertheless, one of her siblings is identified to be her youngest sister, Kofo Shobajo.
She spent part of her childhood years in Chicago, before her parents moved her back to Nigeria. She reportedly completed her education in Nigeria, after graduating from one of the country’s best universities.
The Career Life of Tbaj
Following her graduation, Tbaj sought a career in Nigerian television broadcasting. But before then, she had been a YouTube content creator, covering new music and Nigerian culture.
It is known that before she joined Big Brother Naija Lockdown season 5, Tbaj was already a Disc Jockey and remixer (A & R). She had worked with notable companies in Nigeria’s music and media industries. They include Pulse TV, Aristocrats Records, and Universal Music Group. She was also hired by popular Nigerian blogs Tooxclusive and BellaNaija.
She had also set up a modeling and media agency named 234NextGen before entering the BBNaija house. Her company was into event management, artist and repertoire management, and music marketing. And in 2019, Tbaj featured in music artist Ladipoe’s music video ‘Let Me Know’.
Nevertheless, Tbaj became extremely popular on the set of 2020 Big Brother Naija Lockdown Season 5 due to her penchant for dancing, cooking, and parties. We will recall that Laycon was the winner of that particular edition of the reality TV show.
Tbaj: Her Net Worth in 2023
Tolanibaj’s net worth is said to be in the range of 100,000 to 300,000 US Dollars (as of 2023).
Tbaj: Navigating Through Controversies
Tbaj, who is still single, was also into an unstable relationship with fellow housemate, Prince Nelson Enwerem. Prince, however, seemed more interested in fellow housemates Dorothy, Nengi and Wathoni.
In another twist, Prince revealed that after leaving the BBNaija house, his relationship with Tbaj nosedived. This was due to accusations she leveled against him and his family. The situation also affected his relationship with the other former BBNaija housemates, who seemed to have abandoned him.
Yet again in 2023 Big Brother House All Stars Season 8, she developed a close friendship with another housemate, Neo Akpofure. It appears the relationship did not have any serious footing. Current posts on Instagram (as of December 2023) reveal that Neo has reconciled with a former housemate and love interest namely Beauty Tukura.
Tbaj has also faced criticism on several counts for controversial statements she made on social media at one time or another. Sometime in March 2023, she went on X (formerly Twitter) to lash out at men who walk through doors before their women, rather than open doors for them. She regarded such men as rude, and questioned their upbringing. Her tweet drew diverse comments and sharp reactions from far and wide. Certain X users saw the comment as ‘wrongly timed’. Quoted verbatim:
‘I find it rude when a man walks through a door before a lady. Who raised you?’
Again in April 2023, Tbaj tweeted on X, stating why she would not want to marry an entertainer. She said that having a child with a celebrity would be exhausting, as a result of the pressure and jealousy that would come with it. She was emphatic that her emotional well-being was very important to her. As such, she wishes to protect herself from potential toxicity in the future. In her words,
‘Having a baby with an entertainer must constantly be draining. I recognize that I’m a jealous lover, so let’s save ourselves from future toxicity.’
In another tweet, Tbaj called the X trolls who labeled her ugly as ‘unhappy people’.
In December 2023, Tbaj was speaking on the Bahd And Boujee Podcast, which she co-hosted with actress Moet Abebe. She openly lamented that none of the men she had dated in the past married her. She further said that she had dated seven men and that in each case, she thought he was her future husband. But they always left her. And that she came to the conclusion that what is now left in the dating pool is ‘remnants’, as she believed all the good men are taken. In her words,
‘I feel like in the dating pool, we are left with remnants. The good ones are married. We hopped on the train too late. I have dated like seven guys and I thought they were the ones…’
To which the invited guest, actor Daniel Etim-Effiong, replied:
‘Tbaj, the problem cannot be all these seven guys. Maybe, the problem is you.’
