How Family Feud is Deepening Bonds and Uniting Homes. The Story of Nwankwos

For many born in the mid-1990s and beyond, these shows were their main form of entertainment. Super Story aired between 8 pm and 8.45 pm on NTA, and similarly Papa Ajasco, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, among others aired at a similar time. It was a time when families would sit in silence, glued to their television sets. Kids from nearby homes, perhaps due to the crowded sitting room, were often allowed to peep through parted curtains or open windows. These shows ultimately became a source of fond memories for most millennials and Generation Z. Prime times were believed to foster family bonds and unity.

However, in recent times, family bonds, which can be witnessed through co-viewing shows, are slowly being eroded by the advancements in social media and the increase in shows that are not family-centric.

In 2022, this culture was reignited with the introduction of Family Feud, one of the longest-running and most loved TV shows in the world, to Nigeria. Sponsored by MTN Nigeria, the country’s leading technology company, in partnership with Ultima Studios.

The show began airing on October 7, 2022, on DSTV and GoTV’s Africa Magic Family and Africa Magic Urban from 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with reruns on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A total of 59 families participated in the game show, spanning 52 episodes. The Nwankwo family, consisting of Nwankwo Anastacia, Ijeoma Okeke, Amanda Utulu, Nwankwo Onyinye, Akpormeha Eguono, and Nwankwo Uche, emerged as the highest-winning family and took home the grand prize of ₦2.9 million.

In a conversation with Netng, the Family Feud winners shared their experiences from the registration phase, interviews, the shows, and ultimately how winning the grand prize felt.

The show, hosted by Bisola Aiyeola, the first female host of the Family Feud franchise, not only emphasised the brand’s continued support for its customers but also amplified MTN Nigeria’s cultural impact, resonating with the Nwankwo family.

Background of the Nwankwo Family

Bound together by both family ties and the bond of friendship, the Nwankwo family’s creativity in answering the game’s sometimes tricky questions earned them such a huge prize money.

Nwankwo Anastacia, who brought the group together, told Netng how the bond they shared as friends was strategic to their success.

“Three of us here now, (Ijeoma Okeke and Amanda Utulu), are related by bond. Two of my blood sisters, who were also involved, are not available for the interview,” she said.

Anastacia, a Mass Communication graduate, who now works as a Sales Manager with a pharmaceutical firm, grew up in a large family of five siblings. Growing up in a typical Nigerian family home, which inevitably shared some prime-time moments with the early shows of the 2000s, gave Anastacia a relatable feeling when she was watching television and the advertisement for registering for Family Feud came on.

“I was basically watching in the sitting room when the show came on, and I found it interesting. So, out of curiosity, when the advert came on and the whole ‘send FF to 205’ popped up, I decided to give it a try,” she said.

In a half-minded state, Anastacia, with ₦105 airtime on her SIM card, decided to send the code, a decision that would come to change her life.

“I just did it. My mind wasn’t really there. But after a week when they sent me an email, I thought it was a joke.”

She was asked to bring five ‘family’ members who would participate in the show with her.

For Anastacia, a bonafide FC Barcelona fan who enjoys sports like tennis, football, and basketball with a great degree of team play, putting the team together was not a challenging task.

With her skills in sportsmanship and her background in mass communication, Anastacia was able to convince her two friends, Ijeoma Okeke and Amanda Utulu, and two of her siblings to join the team.

The formation of such a great team would prove pivotal in answering the often-tricky questions they would face later on in the show. Perhaps it helped that Okolie Ijeoma, a makeup artist and crochet artist, had known Anastacia for over nine years. She would become a formidable member of the team on their journey to winning the highest amount on the first season of Family Feud Nigeria. Aside from Anastacia’s two sisters, she also asked Amanda Utulu, a 30-year-old virtual assistant, to join the alliance.

In retrospect, the ease they experienced during the registration and audition stages could have signaled to the Nwankwo family early on that they could emerge as the champions on their episodes.

“The registration was one of the easiest things I have ever done,” Anastacia said. “It was quite easy, just seamless, no stress,” she added.

Amanda Utulu echoed Anastacia’s claim. “From the start to the audition, it was so easy and flexible,” Utulu said.

As with every other competition, particularly one with a prize catch, tension arose as the show progressed. However, whatever tension the participants felt was dispelled by the “breath of fresh air” that the host, Bisola Aiyeola, brought to the show.

“Oh my God, Bisola Aiyeola was fun. She was amazing,” Amanda Utulu said, when asked about how Bisola conducted the show.

“Bisola Aiyeola interacted with everyone. She was very lively and a breath of fresh air to the show,” Ijeoma Okeke said.

Bisola Aiyeola, who hosted the ninth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA), is a Nigerian actress and media personality.

After becoming the first runner-up of Big Brother Naija in 2017, Bisola won the AMVCA Trailblazer Award at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards.

On winning the fast money round on their first time on the show, while Amanda Utulu described the feeling as “mind-blowing,” Anastacia would recount how it felt when they won the ₦2.5 million, the first time.

“So it was breathtaking. We were in shock. It was that feeling when you’re not expecting something, and it happens. If you re-watch the video again, you’ll see how shocked we were. We couldn’t hide our excitement. The feeling was amazing.

The Nwankwo family had such an incredible time that they would love to be on the show for a third time.

Now, Anastacia not only re-watches her own episodes with her family but also eagerly looks forward to Family Feud every Friday and Saturday. She said, “This show is an amazing family show because there’s nothing inappropriate in it. There are no bad words used. I started re-watching my own episodes, but wow, I watch Family Feud every Friday and Saturday. I don’t miss it. I watch it when I’m with my parents, my siblings. It’s just an amazing show. Please, you guys should not stop doing what you’re doing.”

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