'Big Brother' has Nigerians suddenly talking about sexual consent

Lagos, Nigeria

The Nigerian version of "Big Brother," the reality TV show known for featuring the worst excesses of human behavior, has sparked a conversation about sexual consent in this African country.

Nigerians have taken to social media to discuss the issue after a contestant, Ekemini 

Ekerette, (also known as Kemen) was booted off the show recently for appearing to molest another housemate as she slept.

Big Brother Naija @BBNaija

Biggie makes it very clear he takes safety very seriously & Kemen has had a disciplinary hearing. He must leave immediately! #BBNaija

The latest incident has led to soul-searching and recriminations in a country where studies show that rapes go largely unreported and victim blaming is common.

Influential political blogger Japheth Omojuwa recorded a video in which he said many people in Nigeria are "genuinely ignorant" about sexual consent. He said this is an opportunity for "Big Brother Naija," as the show is called here, to use their platform to address "one of the biggest social issues in Nigeria -- rape."

In one notorious case, a video surfaced on You Tube in 2011 showing five men raping a woman at Abia State University in eastern Nigeria. It sparked public outrage, but police did not make any arrests because they said they couldn't identify any suspects on the video and the woman had not resisted the assault. The suspects in this case were never brought to justice.

Since Kemen's expulsion from "Big Brother," thousands of Nigerians have debated whether the show's producers made the right decision. Many men and women have pointed blame at Tokunbo Idowu ("T-Boss"), the female contestant.

Others thought it highlighted a bigger problem of sexual consent in Nigeria and talked about the casual groping and assaults they have faced in public places.