In the ever-churning gossip cauldron of Big Brother Naija, where past seasons fuel as much tea as the present, Season 10 evictee Tracy has tossed a fresh log onto the fire with a casual but cutting remark about a fan-favorite alum. During her September 18, 2025, appearance on Doyin David’s Doyin’s Corner podcast—already a hotbed of shade thanks to co-guest Denari’s rants—Tracy, a 27-year-old caterer from Port Harcourt, stirred the pot when asked about her ties to Erica Nlewedim, the disqualified Lockdown (Season 5) star turned Nollywood darling. “I was not a VIP fan of Erica, I only met her once,” Tracy said with a shrug, her tone dripping with enough nonchalance to send #Elites—Erica’s fiercely loyal fanbase—into a tailspin. The clip, dropped by Instablog9ja on X, exploded with 3,200 views and 150 replies in hours, reigniting debates about loyalty, fandom, and BBNaija’s unwritten code of sisterhood. [0] [1]
Tracy’s comment wasn’t random—it came amid a grilling about her Season 10 alliances, where she and Denari already threw jabs at housemates like Dede and Imisi. The Erica jab, though, hit a nerve because of its context: Tracy, who entered the house as a wildcard with a bubbly “girl next door” vibe, had been rumored pre-season to idolize Erica, whose 2020 run was a masterclass in charisma (and controversy) before her Kiddwaya-fueled exit. Fans speculated Tracy might channel that same fire, especially after a leaked pre-show photo showed the two at a Lagos fashion event in 2024, all smiles. But Tracy’s dismissal—“VIP fan? Nah, just one meeting”—felt like a betrayal to those who’d hyped her as “Erica 2.0.” Her follow-up didn’t help: “I respect her hustle, but I’m my own person. No comparisons, abeg.” [0]
X turned into a war zone faster than a Head of House challenge. The #Elites, still ride-or-die for Erica (now killing it in films like Blood Vessel and running her Elite League agency), took it personally. “Tracy, you met Erica ONCE and got clout from it, now you’re shading her? Ungrateful!” one fan blasted, sharing the 2024 photo with 200+ retweets. [2] Another tweeted, “Erica paved the way for gals like Tracy to even dream of BBN, and this is the thanks? Smh.” [3] Tracy’s defenders, though, saw it as real talk: “She’s not obligated to worship Erica. One meeting doesn’t make her a stan—let her breathe!” a neutral quipped, sparking a 300-reply thread debating whether newbies owe OGs homage. [4] Blogs like Gistlover and Pulse Nigeria fanned the flames, with headlines framing it as “Tracy snubs Erica’s legacy,” while TikTok stitches mocked the “VIP fan” line with skits of “one-time meet-ups” gone sour. [1] [5]
The shade cuts deeper given Erica’s towering shadow. Her 2020 disqualification—after a heated clash with Laycon—made her a polarizing queen, but her post-show glow-up (movies, endorsements, and a Netflix deal) cemented her as a BBNaija blueprint. Tracy, evicted in Week 5 for “playing safe,” leaned on foodie content and low-key alliances, never quite hitting Erica’s spark. Some fans smell jealousy: “Tracy wanted that Erica shine but flopped—now she’s acting brand new,” one X post sneered. [2] Others see strategy: her distancing could be a bid to dodge comparisons, especially with Erica’s vocal support for current housemate Faith, who Tracy also shaded on the podcast. [6]
This spat taps into Naija’s obsession with BBNaija legacies—where past stars like Tacha or Mercy Eke set benchmarks that newbies either embrace or evade. Tracy’s “one meeting” quip, intentional or not, reads like a rookie mistake in a game where fanbases are fiercer than Lagos traffic. Will she backtrack to appease the Elites, or double down on her “own lane” mantra? For now, the internet’s verdict is clear: in BBNaija’s court of public opinion, snubbing a queen like Erica is a risky play. As one fan summed it up, “Tracy, you no be VIP, but you just VIP’d yourself into drama.” With the season still sizzling, this shade might just be her ticket back to relevance—or her final eviction from the fandom’s good graces.