'Big Brother' Star Arrested While Visiting South Africa
Cross, a former contestant on the Nigerian version of Big Brother, Big Brother Najia, claimed he was stopped by police when he violated a curfew in South Africa. After telling police he was visiting the country, the reality star said he was released. Cross was also recently found himself at the center of a nude video leak controversy late last month. Cross was born Ikechukwu Cross Okonkwo.
Cross has been chronicling his trip to South Africa on social media. On Tuesday, he published a tweet claiming he was arrested because he was out too late. "So SA I got [stopped] by your police, apparently there's a curfew. They took me to their office, Omo nobody tells me ooo. So guys I tell them to say I get name called siyabonga and my first time in SA and they smiled and I think they wan let us go ooo," he reportedly wrote, according to Naija News. "Omo Japa Japa. My bed they call me. Thanks, guys We are free now."
Cross has over 676,000 followers on Instagram and over 47,000 on Twitter. Late last month, he accidentally posted a nude video of himself on SnapChat that was quickly deleted. However, it was up long enough for it to surface on other social networks. He later apologized and claimed he was just getting adjusted to being a public figure, reports Vanguard. One of his former Big Brother co-stars, Tokunboh "TBoss" Idowu, told her followers on Instagram she believed Ikechukwu intentionally leaked the video just to raise his profile.
Meanwhile, Cross' mother reportedly told her son that she plans to use his fame to preach the gospel of God, reports Punch. "It is funny but it is not funny. Companies are coming, brands are coming for their products. I, myself; I have my own product; the gospel is my own product," she said. "That is why I said, 'Cross, as companies are calling you to be their ambassador, Holy Ghost school is calling you, Cross, to be our ambassador to preach the gospel.' That is what I want. But Cross, other companies can pay you but we are not going to pay; you will do it for God."
While companies use social media to sell products, Cross' mother said she wanted him to use it spread the word of God. "All these your lovers, you know that there are a lot of them, tell them that Jesus needs them," she said. "So bring them to the Holy Ghost. We are going to 'ship' together. That is what I learnt from Big Brother, 'shipping together.' We are going to 'ship' together with all your lovers and fans, in the name of Jesus."