BBNaija’s Anto Lecky Elevated to Special Adviser on Tourism and Creative Economy by Edo Governor

From the Big Brother Naija house to the Edo State Government House, the journey continues. Munirat Antoinette Lecky, the former Big Brother Naija housemate popularly known as Anto, has been elevated to Special Adviser on Tourism and Creative Economy to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, marking a significant promotion just over a year after she first entered public service.

Lecky announced the appointment on her Instagram page on Wednesday, October 21, sharing the official letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, and dated October 12, 2026. The news, confirmed by multiple Nigerian outlets on Thursday, makes her one of the most prominent reality TV stars currently serving in a Nigerian state government.

The Appointment: What We Know

According to The Nation, which reported the story on October 22, Governor Okpebholo approved Lecky’s appointment as Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism and Creative Economy, with the appointment taking effect from October 12, 2026. The letter of appointment, signed by the SSG, entitles her to all remunerations stipulated in the Political and Public Officers Emolument (Amendment) Law of 2023, which provides for the emoluments of elected political appointees and public office holders.

The appointment is a promotion. Lecky previously served as Senior Special Assistant on Tourism and Creative Economy, a role she took up in 2025. Her elevation to Special Adviser represents a step up the administrative ladder and a vote of confidence from the governor in the work she has done over the past year.

Punch reports that the appointment was announced as part of the state government’s efforts to develop tourism and the creative economy in Edo State, sectors the administration has identified as areas of economic activity with real potential for investment.

“The Reward for Work Well Done”

Lecky’s announcement was gracious and characteristically motivational. Sharing the letter on Instagram, she wrote: “In just a little over a year, I’ve been given a promotion to do more for my state, and I am extremely grateful,” quoting the maxim: “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.”

She thanked the governor directly: “Thank you HE Senator Monday Okpebholo for the opportunity to continue serving Edo people, now as Special Adviser on Tourism and Creative Economy. Thanks to my Chairman and the SSG for their strong support through this journey.”

The post struck a tone of humility and purpose, a marked contrast to the flashier announcements that often accompany celebrity appointments. For Lecky, the emphasis was on service, not status.

A Message to Fellow Celebrity Appointees

One of the most talked-about parts of Lecky’s announcement was her pointed message to other public figures holding government appointments across Nigeria. In an unusually candid passage, she urged her fellow celebrity appointees to take their responsibilities seriously.

“I will also like to remind my fellow public figures/celebrities that have been appointed by governors to please truly answer the call and do the job,” she wrote. “I know how difficult it might be to leave the comfort of your homes and go back to your states, but your people need you and the work is rewarding.”

The remark touches a nerve in Nigerian public life. In recent years, several governors have appointed entertainers and social media personalities to advisory roles, a practice that has drawn both praise and scepticism. Supporters argue that celebrities bring visibility, youth appeal and real-world connection to government. Critics counter that too many of the appointments are decorative, with the appointees rarely seen doing the work. Lecky’s message reads as a quiet challenge to that perception, and as a signal that she intends her own tenure to be substantive.

She also extended an open invitation to the public, maintaining what she called her “open-door policy” and asking Edo residents to share tourism and creative ideas for the state. “Together, let’s take Edo to the world,” she wrote.

Why Tourism and the Creative Economy Matter in Edo

The portfolio Lecky now leads is one of the most culturally significant in the country. Edo State is home to the historic Benin Kingdom, one of Africa’s great civilisations, and its cultural output is internationally recognised. The Benin Bronzes, the extraordinary bronze, brass and ivory sculptures created by Edo artisans over centuries, are among the most famous artworks in the world, held in museums from London to New York, with ongoing conversations about their repatriation.

Beyond the bronzes, the state’s heritage spans traditional arts, festivals, crafts, fashion, film, music, visual arts and hospitality. The creative economy, entertainment, fashion, film and music, is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Nigerian economy, and Edo has been positioning itself to claim a larger share of it.

The state government has identified tourism, cultural heritage and creative industries as areas of economic activity, and Lecky’s brief sits squarely at that intersection. Her background is, in many ways, tailor-made for it: she is both a product of the creative economy and, now, one of its administrators.

According to the government’s announcement, her transition from Senior Special Assistant to Special Adviser marks a continuation of her involvement in the state’s tourism and creative economy portfolio, although the announcement did not provide further details on specific projects or targets. What those targets are, and how success will be measured, will be among the first questions her new tenure must answer.

Who Is Anto Lecky?

For those who came in late, Anto Lecky first entered the national consciousness in 2018 as a housemate on the third season of Big Brother Naija, titled Double Wahala. She finished in sixth place after being evicted just one week before the grand finale, but her time in the house made her one of the season’s most memorable personalities.

What set her apart, even then, was her seriousness. While many housemates leaned into the show’s entertainment value, Lecky was known for her intelligence, her composure and her evident ambition beyond the cameras. After the show, she did not follow the typical reality-star playbook of endorsements and red carpets alone. She built a career that blended entrepreneurship, acting and, increasingly, public service.

Her full name, Munirat Antoinette Lecky, reflects a cosmopolitan background, and she is often styled as Dr. Lecky in reports, a nod to her academic credentials. Over the years she has spoken publicly about personal battles, including a health condition she has discussed openly, and about social issues such as the “japa” brain drain, at one point begging Nigerian doctors to stay and save lives.

Her appointment as Senior Special Assistant in 2025 was itself a statement: that a reality TV alumna could be taken seriously in governance. Her promotion a little over a year later suggests the governor agrees.

The Bigger Picture: Celebrities in Government

Lecky’s rise is part of a broader trend in Nigerian politics. From Desmond Elliot in the Lagos State House of Assembly to Banky W’s runs for federal office, from Kate Henshaw’s advocacy to the various special assistantships handed to entertainers across the states, the line between entertainment and governance has been blurring for years.

The trend has its defenders and its detractors. Defenders argue that celebrities understand communication, command attention and can mobilise young people in ways career politicians cannot. Detractors worry about the trivialisation of public office and the appointment of loyalists over technocrats.

What is not in dispute is that the appointments are being watched. Every celebrity in government is, in effect, on probation in the court of public opinion, expected to prove that the appointment was about competence rather than clout. Lecky’s own message to her fellow appointees suggests she is acutely aware of this dynamic, and determined to be on the right side of it.

A Track Record of Speaking Up

Lecky’s appointment did not come out of nowhere for those who have followed her public life. Long before the government letter, she had been using her platform to speak on issues that matter to ordinary Nigerians. She has weighed in on the “japa” brain drain, at one point passionately begging Nigerian doctors to stay in the country and save lives rather than emigrating. She has also spoken openly about her own battle with a health condition, a candour that endeared her to fans who saw in her something rare among public figures: vulnerability without performance.

That combination, celebrity reach plus a willingness to engage with serious subjects, is precisely what makes her appointment interesting to observers. It suggests the Edo State government was not simply chasing star power, but betting on a public figure with a demonstrated interest in civic life. Whether that bet pays off will be written in the state’s tourism numbers and creative-sector jobs over the coming years.

What Comes Next

The congratulations have been pouring in since the announcement, from fans, colleagues and well-wishers across the entertainment and political spheres. But the harder work starts now. Tourism development is a long game: infrastructure, marketing, heritage preservation and private-sector partnership all take time to yield results.

For Lecky, the challenge will be to convert the goodwill of the announcement into measurable progress for Edo’s tourism and creative sectors. For the governor, the appointment is a bet that a young, visible, creative-economy insider can deliver where traditional bureaucracy might stall.

And for everyone watching, it is another reminder that in Nigeria, the most interesting career arcs are the ones nobody saw coming. From Double Wahala to the Government House, Anto Lecky’s second act is officially underway.

Source: The Nation, Punch, TheCable Lifestyle, Galaxy TV, eelive, New Telegraph.