Aspiring actress and model, Karen Igho from Nigeria and Zimbabwean pilot, Wendall Parson have won the 2011 edition of Africa’s most popular reality TV show, Big Brother Amplified.
The finale show kicked off with Big Brother Amplified host, Ik Osakioduwa who looked sharp in his grey suit and violet tie. He then introduced his co-host, Channel O-Access VJ, Dineo Moeketsi.
Nigerian “superstar†Wizkid hit the stage in a patent leather jacket paired with skinny jeans. Wizkid connected with the audience as he hyped up the crowd with his song “Holla at Your Boy“. Another young African star took the baton from Wizzy as Mo’Cheddah performed her song “Ko Ma Roll†dressed in a shiny print babydoll mini dress by Nigerian label April by Kunbi.
IK proceeded to the BBA house where he chatted with the housemate for a few minutes. After that, we were treated to clips which showed highlights from this season of Big Brother Africa – Big Brother Amplified. It was fun to go down memory lane! From the tasks to fights to romance to reunions and evictions. It was also funny that we had totally forgotten some housemates..oops!
M-Net Africa Managing Director, Biola Alabi provided insight into the decision to choose 2 winners this season and the various reasons why this season of BBA was truly AMPLIFIED. Coca-Cola Nigeria Marketing Director Austin Ufomba talked about the strategic relationhip between BBA and Coca-Cola brands – Coke & Sprite including the music, football and dance focused Sprite Triple Slam competition.
The Amplified Dance Crew rocked the stage with a dynamic performance to various rhythmic African tracks. With the female dancers in white and the male dancers in black, they did well.
Tanzania’s Cpwaa performed his hit “Action†and got the ladies in the audience screaming. His backup dancers added flavour to the performance with their synchronized moves.
And after verification from the Ernst & Young representative, the real action began…
First BBA finale housemate evicted – Vina from Nigeria Next was Hanni from Ethiopia
Then a twist – the 5 remaining housemates were order out of the house. South Africa’s Professor and Speedy performed before the Top 5 housemates arrived on stage. IK interviewed the housemates and they talked about their favorite moments in house and then showed highlights of their standout moments in the house.
Next to exit was Sharon O from Uganda Then Lomwe from Malawi
The Amplified Dance Crew performed one more time and Fally Ipupa from the DRC totally enchanted the audience with his “Sexy Danceâ€Â.
The performances were entertaining but we were waiting for one thing and that was for IK to announce the WINNERS!
Finally, Ik asked Luclay to stand…he went on about Luclay’s antics in the house. Then the moment of truth – SHOCKER – Luclay eliminiated.
So Karen & Wendall are the winners!
Big Brother Amplified Winners – Karen & Wendall
How Africa Voted Vina received zero country votes and was evicted first. Hanni, Lomwe and Sharon O received one country vote each and were also evicted, as was Luclay who received 2 country votes. Karen, with six country votes and Wendall with four country votes have won the Amplified season.
Karen: 6 country votes – Nigeria, Angola, Rest of Africa, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania Wendall: 4 country votes – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya Luclay: 2 country votes – South Africa, Botswana Lomwe: 1 country vote – Malawi Sharon O: 1 country vote – Uganda Hanni: 1 country vote – Ethiopia Vina: 0 Country Votes.
What did you think about this season of Big Brother Africa. Was it amplified? Did the winners deserve to win?
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Wendall, a 23-year-old commercial pilot from Zimbabwe and Karen, a 27-year-old model from Nigeria emerged as the winners of the U$200 000 first prizes in another amazing season of Big Brother.
Karen was everyone’s favourite with her heart-on-her-sleeve confrontational style which had her, and us, in tears many times over.
Zimbabwe proved to be a strong contender with Wendall, the quietly spoken fellow from Harare, surprising us all by finishing in joint first place.
As a true patriot of Zimbabwe his home country can truly be proud of their entrant.
How Africa Voted Vina received zero country votes and was evicted first. Hanni, Lomwe and Sharon O received one country vote each and were also evicted, as was Luclay who received 2 country votes. Karen, with six country votes and Wendall with four country votes have won the Amplified season.
Karen: 6 country votes – Nigeria, Angola, Rest of Africa, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania Wendall: 4 country votes – Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya Luclay: 2 country votes – South Africa, Botswana Lomwe: 1 country vote – Malawi Sharon O: 1 country vote – Uganda Hanni: 1 country vote – Ethiopia Vina: 0 Country Votes.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
For their final waltz out of the Amplified House, the finalists decided on wearing their Sunday best. They just had to look stunning to complement their spanking new hairdos.
It took them almost the entire afternoon to settle for the outfits they eventually selected. Who wouldn’t want to look good when they win a cool USD200 000?
Hanni looks yummy in a peach halter-neck mini dress while Karen has opted for a black and white animal print floor-length dress and cropped fur jacket, which makes her look regal.
Lomwe went for his lilac shirt and black jeans and Luclay is in ‘all black everything’ – the guys look just like money(his jeans, muscle top and waist coat are all black). Sharon O sports a blue umbrella top with black leggings and she looks really cute with that white furry scarf.
Vina’s body hugging red boob-tube dress was perfectly flattering and she couldn’t stop dancing. Wendall looked proper in his checked shirt with a pull over and stone washed jeans. The one accessory they had in common were their country flags.
All that’s left now is to wait, wait and see who amongst them are the season’s winners.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The atmosphere was electric and the fans were on fire as IK asked the Top 5 to leave the House and join him on stage.
Lomwe, Luclay, Karen, Sharon O and Wendall followed each other out of the House, through the Amplified fan park and onto the stage.
At this point, Vina and Hanni had already been Evicted from the Amplified House.
Vina was the first Finalist to be Evicted and as she walked out, she was overwhelmed by the Amplified crowd and fell to her feet when she recognised familiar faces in the audience.
The Top 5 made sure they grabbed a bottle of bubbly on their way out and their excitement was written all over their faces.
Once on stage with IK, they couldn’t help dancing before the entire African continent. They surely have come a long way and deserve to be celebrated.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
In another amazing season of Big Brother, styled BB Amplified, Karen, a 27-year-old model from Nigeria, and Wendall, a 23-year-old commercial pilot from Zimbabwe emerged as the winners of the U$200 000 first prizes.
Karen was everyone’s favourite with her heart-on-her-sleeve confrontational style which had her, and us, in tears many times over.
The Nigerian bombshell is proof that dynamite does come in small packages and that the future for this special child of Africa can only be bright.
Once again Zimbabwe proved to be a strong contender with Wendall, the quietly spoken fellow from Harare, surprising us all by finishing in joint first place.
As a true patriot of Zimbabwe his home country can truly be proud of their entrant.
Sadly there had to be those who came close but never got across the line.
Vina of Nigeria was first to leave, followed by Hanni from Ethiopia, SharonO from Uganda, Lonwe from Malawi and Luclay from South Africa who finished third.
All were worthy finalists and none of them would have looked out of place with the prizes.
As we have pointed out a number of times Africa you truly are beautiful and non-racist. Where politicians may let you down from time to time you have shown that you are bigger than that and racism is not running through this wonderful continent.
The producers, sponsors and staff who made Big Brother Amplified such a spectacular show, professionally run deserve a special mention.
Big Brother Amplified does enormous good in breaking down barriers on the continent and in creating a generation of Africans who love and respect each other.
There should be a nobel peace prize for your efforts but unfortunately you aren’t politicians.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
•Sharon O, •Karen , •Lonwe , •Vina
Though most Nigerians hated her guts and called her all sorts of names. They said she represented the country in the Big Brother Amplified (BBA) reality show for all the wrong reasons just because she chose to be herself which, interestingly, is the essence of Big Brother all over the world.
But interestingly, while her country men and women proved her biggest critics, viewers from other lands adored her; they cheered and applauded all her actions and mannerism in the house. And today, Karen’s ‘wrong’ actions have propelled her to the last lap of the show and except God says no, which some of us pray He does not (after all, the good book has made it abundantly clear the ways of man is not that of God) Karen will become an instant millionaire later today to the shame or is it the surprise of all those who had wished for her eviction from the show.
And if she grabs the whopping $200,000 grand prize, she will become the third Nigerian, in a roll, to have become millionaires courtesy of Mnet and its Big Brother TV reality show.
The first Nigerian to win the $200,000 which is usually at stake was Kevin Pam; he won in 2009 edition. His pioneering feat was repeated by Uti Nwachukwu who smiled home to Nigeria in 2010 from South Africa with $200,000 when he was declared the winner of Big Brother All Stars.
And if she emerges one of the winners, (there will be two winners) of the grand prize as the odds are strongly stacked in her favour, the life of the young lady, who made headlines news back here in Nigeria on account of her heavily enhanced breasts and outspoken nature would never be the same again.
Her holier than thou critics failed to realise that in a reality show like BBA that has life changing monetary prize at stake, every contestants and in this case, housemates, come into the show armed with strategy on her to outwit each other to win the money involved.
Karen had it in abundance, ranging from her ‘plastic’ boobs which she flaunted (after all, they say if you have it, flaunt it) and which made her the cynosure of viewers’ eyes that fateful day the host of the show, IK, ushered her into the Big Brother’s house.
Today, all that ‘immoral’ acts she exhibited has paid off for her; she has, together with Vina, another Nigerian, zoomed into the final and not only that, she, going by the comments of viewers and even some musicians that have performed at the weekly eviction shows, is been tipped as the first choice winner.
Aside her ‘what you see is what you get’ strategy, other qualities that endeared her to viewers across Africa and beyond is her large heart and compassion for others. She is simply compassionate to a fault. Otherwise, how else can one describe what she did the week she was appointed the head of the house (HoH). A HoH, is at liberty to save one person out of the housemates nominated for eviction. Interestingly, she was nominated for eviction the week she was appointed the HoH and viewers had expected that she will replace herself with someone else.
Karen declined benefit from that power vested on her; instead she told Big Brother that she will rather get evicted than save herself by nominating a housemate that was not initially nominated for eviction.
“If I do that, I will be blocking the chances of that housemate from winning the money at stake. All of us need the money and I will not be a party to denying another person the chance of getting the money. I will go for the eviction,†she told Big Brother in the Diary Room.
Truly, she went through the rigours of the eviction and survived; what a high popularity test risk! That singular act earned her more followership among viewers and fellow housemates; it also shored up Nigeria’s image as a country whose citizens have imbibed its big brother foreign policy.
It is also on record that 27 years old Karen is one of the few housemates that were not nominated more than twice for eviction all through the duration of the show.
Like Pam, Karen is a ‘Josite’; she was born in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.
Unemployed before going into the Big Brother House, Karen lists her mother as her role model. She likes people who are similar to her: fun and happy, and dislikes people who are boring, fake and dishonest.
Karen relaxes by “chilling with friends†and said she would love to visit Spain because “it is sunny, beautiful and exoticâ€Â.
However, Karen is not the only Nigerian in the final. There is Vina, 26, from Lagos who before her entry into the house was a radio presenter.
Vina, describes her personality as “amplified†and dislikes people who are lazy, unfriendly and think they are better than others and promised to be outrageous. A promise she never kept because, apart from her funny hairstyle, there has been nothing outrageous about her time in the house.
But despite the contribution of the reality show in turning jobless Nigerians into employers’ of labour, some hypocritical Nigerians still do not see anything good in the show. Some of the drastic changes or transformation the show has undergone in the areas of shower hour, liquor in the house et al is as a result of outcry from Nigerians. It was only in Nigeria that members of the House of Representatives wasted valuable time debating the issue of shower hour in the house instead of focusing on the more important issue of making good laws that will reduce poverty and unemployment that has turned youths into devil’s workshop.
Arguably the most successful season of Big Brother yet, Big Brother Amplified has been jam-packed with entertainment, drama and non-stop action from the moment the 26 housemates met on Sunday May 1. Triumphs and tantrums, romance and rivalry, friendships and feuds, the housemates have laughed, cried, bonded, argued and danced their way through a 91-day reality TV adventure, screened live continent-wide on DStv channel 198!
In addition to the finale including the biggest prize in the history of the show, it will also welcome the talents of six of Africa’s hottest performers – the incredible Fally Ipupa from the DRC, Nigeria’s sensational WizKid and Mo’Cheddah, South Africa’s Professor and Speedy, plus Tanzania’s Cpwaa. Joining them on stage will be all the previously evicted Big Brother Amplified housemates and the Big Brother Amplified dance crew, whose fast routines and smooth dance moves have won the hearts of fans continent-wide.
“We’re going all out to amplify the finale!†says M-Net Africa Managing Director, Biola Alabi. “In addition to these great performers, there’s going to be one really magic moment when it becomes clear to the final housemates that this year, there are two prizes. We know, our audiences know but the housemates competing for the big prize don’t know this as yet – and I can only imagine their shock and delight when they find out that there are two prizes of USD 200 000!â€Â
Meanwhile, according to M-Net Africa, the current season of Big Brother Amplified has already set new records for voting, thanks to ongoing audience participation. Last week, over 1.4 million votes were logged, the highest of any Big Brother Africa voting period. In addition, this current season has already achieved the highest cumulative total of any Big Brother edition, a total of 6.3 million votes. With voting for the final now well underway, total vote numbers look set for a new record.
So with just a few hours to go, Nigerians are encouraged to vote for Karen and Vina as only your votes can decide which two winners go home with the big prizes!
Others in the race for the money are – Hanni ( Ethiopia ), Lomwe ( Malawi ), Luclay ( South Africa ), Sharon O ( Uganda ), and Wendall (Zimbabwe).
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
THE remaining seven Big Brother Amplified housemates have made their mark but there can only be two winners.
Come Sunday, two housemates, who were shut out of their lives for almost three months, will walk away with the golden prize of about R1,3million each. There will be two winners for the first time in the history of the reality show.
In another first, a South African contestant has made it to the finals.
Local drama series Muvhango actor Luclay, 28, has survived the chop several times.
Last week, he received votes from five countries, making him the strongest contender.
Nigerian model Karen, 27, is also favoured. She has also been saved from eviction many times.
Also competing for the big prizes are singer Hanni, 22, from Ethiopia; Malawi radio and club DJ Lomwe, 27; Ugandan musician Sharon O, 25; Nigerian radio presenter Vina, 26; and Wendall, 23, a commercial pilot from Zimbabwe.
This year’s show was full of surprises. When the show started on July 1, there were 26 housemates. A few weeks later, they were split into two groups.
The housemates nominated each other from their respective houses and some were evicted.
Lotus, 24, from Tanzania, was, however, disqualified after she slapped Luclay during an argument over currencies.
Big Brother said at the time: “After very careful consideration and consultation. Big Brother has decided that Lotus, you have been disqualified from the game.”
M-Net has revealed the star-studded line-up for the show’s dramatic two-hour finale on Sunday.
Six of Africa’s hottest performers – the incredible Fally Ipupa from the DRC, Nigeria’s WizKid and Mo’Cheddah, South Africa’s Professor and Speedy and Tanzania’s Cpwaa – will entertain the expected crowd.
“We’re going all-out to amplify the finale,” said M-Net Africa managing director Biola Alabi.
Meanwhile, M-Net said Big Brother Amplified had already set new records for voting.
“Last week, 1,4million votes were logged, the highest of any Big Brother Africa voting period. In addition, this current season has already achieved the highest cumulative total of any Big Brother edition, a total of 6,3million votes.
“With voting for the final now well under way, total vote numbers look set for a new record,” M-Net said in a statement.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
When organisers of Big Brother Amplified asked Lomwe for his favourite quotation before he made his appearance into the house, the Malawi housemate did not hesitate but to say it is from Tony Montana in the movie Scarface. It goes: “First you get the money, then you get the power, and then you get the money.”
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That was three months ago, and today the question still lingers: Will he get the money on Sunday so he attains more power to get more money and realise his dream?
Lomwe joins six other housemates in the reality show finale and if he is one of the two winners, he is assured of US $200 000 (K30.4 million) more in his account.
That is enough to realise his dream, the dream he presented to the organisers when he entered the house. That same dream he told Big Brother during his chatroom session on Tuesday.
“I want to set up my own media business. A radio station for that matter,” said Lomwe, who is a DJ for FM 101 Power.
Not surprising for the 28-year-old, who describes himself as the kind of person who rides till the wheels fall off.
Will the wheels fall off on Sunday as he faces South African Luclay, Ethiopian Hanni, Nigerians Vina and Karen, Zimbabwean Wendall and Ugandan Sharon O?
Last Sunday, Lomwe survived eviction, which saw the ouster of Zimbabwean Vimbai, Kenyan Millicent and Zambian Kim.
Miss Malawi Faith Chibale says Lomwe is bringing the moola (what Big Brother fans call money) home.
“I am voting Lomwe all the way because he has made me a proud Malawian. He has been real since day one and he is in my top three with Karen and Luclay. I believe he will bring the money home,” said Faith.
Lomwe is known, for one, for being ‘God’s gift to the women in the house’. Faith believes that is not just out of the air: “He managed to get the girls’ attention because of his good looks and the guy is cool”.
During the week, followers of the reality show have been making comments on the social network with some Malawian viewers saying Lomwe will carry the day and others say he will face the exit on the final day like Hazel and Mzamo in season three and four before him.
Last year, Malawi’s Code Sangala spent 77 days in the house, the same period he spent in season BBA II.
Leading a campaign for pro-Lomwe votes is Felicia, who left the country for South Africa on Wednesday to join other evicted housemates for the final show.
Felicia, who was evicted on day 70, said she has confidence in Lomwe who has the clout to bring the much-needed forex.
Whatever the case, if Lomwe does not win, he will wipe the tears with K1.52 million he gets for reaching the finals.
What is also known is that the entertainer will jet back home on August 3, with a welcome party at Zanzi in the capital, Lilongwe, on August 6 and Blue Elep
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Fellow Nigerians, I don’t know what you have been watching lately on television but as for me and my house we have been hooked on BIG BROTHER AMPLIFIED. And I’m not ashamed to say it publicly. Permit me to say a big thank you to DSTV and MNET for entertaining Africa and for allowing us to know people from different parts of our continent.This is their sixth edition and after some wobbling and fumbling in the past I think they have succeeded in taking BIG BROTHER AFRICA to the zenith of entertainment. As a media person myself, I know how tough it must have been to come this far.
Even as recent as last year, I was never too keen to watch what I considered an unnecessary intrusion of privacy and a promotion of frivolity. Though I was not as hypocritical as some of our politicians who banned the unedited footage of BIG BROTHER AFRICA from our screens, I was of the opinion that the organisers needed to upgrade their art by creating a more educative environment for the housemates. I wanted to see a platform that would reform some of our recalcitrant youths and mould them into decent members of our troubled society. Despite a few embarrassing moments in the house I’m quite impressed about the spectacular show they have been able to put up this season. I have finally come to terms with the necessity of entertainment as a compelling escapism from everyday stress and the vicissitudes of life. And the fact that some of us display ivory tower arrogance in matters of morality does not make us better human beings than those we see and treat as upstarts and outcasts.
For all you care, it has suddenly taken one erratic girl simply known and addressed as Karen from the petrified city of Jos, Nigeria, to attract most people to BIG BROTHER AMPLIFIED this year. Ironically, the two Nigerian ladies in the competition are both from Jos, a City that is fast becoming the hub of entertainment in Nigeria. The second lady who’s also popular in the house is our own ajebota (butter-fed) girl known as Vina. She is a sharp opposite of Karen. Vina is your typical silver-spoon kid with all the appurtenances of sartorial taste and impeccable pedigree. On the other side is the tempestuous Karen whose image is that of your next door village or street girl with a great knack for verbosity that oftentimes goes over the tops. While Vina makes extra effort to display her effervescent Queen’s English as well as mild mannerisms, our dear Karen struts and frets upon the stage in her natural and chronically native English with an overdose of thick accent and without caring a hoot who’s complaining. Karen is a walking oxymoron. She’s friendly and combative. She’s kind-hearted and bitchy. She’s generous and ruthless. No one messes up with Karen and escapes the rage of this volcanic eruption. Not even the Drama King Luclay from Cape Town, South Africa can bully this self-proclaimed gangster. Karen hits her target with the velocity of a thunderbolt and moves on as if nothing has happened. She’s turned the BIG BROTHER AMPLIFIED HOUSE into your typical house of commotion full of sound and fury. There is only one boss here and that is Karen.
I caught the bug of BIG BROTHER AMPLIFIED midway into the cut-throat competition. I was initially attracted to watch by the brief appearance of Confidence, the voluptuous Ghanaian night-club owner and a good friend but lost interest as soon as she exited. The next excitement was going to come from another rambunctious housemate called Ms P but I lost attention when she started a misplaced romance with the Ghanaian fashionista, Alex, whose strategy was to have most of the women swooning all over him like a modern day Casanova. But the unexpected happened to me as the two houses were merged into one and individual talents began to blossom. At that stage, I began to develop more than casual affectation for this highly addictive show.
As my interest increased, I started bonding with each of the housemates. I studied their profiles, knew their countries of origin, checked out their professions, followed their passion and so on. I liked the simplicity and childlike innocence of the Ethiopian girl Hannin who’s a singer. I admired the sophistication of the Angolan Queen, Weza, the well-sculptured lady who’s a presenter with Channel O. I respected the cool mien of Lomwe, the Malawian radio deejay who reminded me of my former teacher and poet from his country David Rubadiri. I enjoyed the hypnotic pranks of the wonderful Kimberly of Zambia, probably the most daring housemate and a guaranteed nominee for the award of the most sensuous. The Kenyan actress Millicent played up her awesome figure even if many viewers thought she didn’t have a pretty face. The only Whiteman from Zimbabwe, Wendall, a commercial pilot, is an epitome of gentlemanliness even if he was not as active as was required. Sharon O, the Ugandan artist appeared more to most people as a beauty queen and she never stopped admiring her fine face. Zeus, a rapper from Botswana turned out to be one of the most intelligent housemates. His aura was so powerful that he succeeded in melting Karen’s heart and turned her into a lady she never wanted to be. Vinbai, the supermodel from Zimbabwe was considered too standoffish and vindictive but I thought she was smart and intelligent.
But my top four hottest housemates were Karen, Luclay, Lomway and Sharon O. My dear Vina who I rate to be the most intelligent girl in the house would have featured somewhere in-between but her chances were badly dimmed by Karen’s incredible amplification. Karen according to pundits is set to break all-time records in the BIG BROTHER AFRICA’s history. Karen is billed to beat the South African rampaging bull, Luclay, alias Otono, an unstoppable actor to second place. Karen and Luclay are ruling the airways. Even as I write this piece, I’m monitoring messages being scrolled on the screen and the level of support for our own Lady Karen is overwhelming. And it is becoming obvious that those waging a war against the likelihood of a Nigerian winning the $200,000 prize again this year are fighting a lost battle.
I was never a total fan of Karen before her chat-room session last Monday. I was totally for her country-mate, Vina, purely on moralistic grounds. I was opposed to Karen like many others without caring to find out what was responsible for her unusual lifestyle. I had studiously ignored the injunctions of Jesus Christ that we should not judge others from our own myopic standpoint. I also did not recognise the fact that the principal essence of the show was pure and unadulterated entertainment. Some of us saw it as a talent hunt, while others believed it was a quest for expertise in pretensions. While most housemates worried more about Africa’s perceptions of their individual characters, Karen and Luclay broke all rules. Luclay yelled regularly at people and oftentimes at invisible spirits. I was so worried at a stage that he might go stark berserk and bite one of the housemates. But Mr Otono was a damn good actor who knew when to bark but not how to bite. He bullied all but not our own Karen.
Karen stood up to any man or woman who crossed her path. She spoke with the voice of an African amazon. She never pretended to be who she was not. Her story resonated with those who shared her similar travails. Many saw Karen in them and them in Karen. It was easy to dismiss her as a street-girl, a ruthless bitch, a reckless drunk, a loquacious and shameless impressionist. But she was true to herself. She is a free spirit who’s willing to roam unfettered. She was born to fly and fly she must. She does not care what you and I think of her tantrums; she cares only about what she thinks of herself. The world for her has always been cold and mean to her. And there is nothing more to fear for someone who’s already down. She came here to catch some fun. What will be, will be, and that is all that matters.
Karen was able to penetrate many hearts when she had the honour of being the head of house a few weeks back. It afforded everyone the chance to see her transform from a gangster image to that of a boardroom executive. She dressed serious and was gorgeous. She spoke more eloquently without the usual vulgarity. She led by example and was very selfless. Her caring heart was put on open display for all doubting Thomases to see and applaud. She took a big risk that could easily have backfired when she was up for nomination. As head of house, she had the privilege of replacing herself with one of the housemates but she chose to maintain her nomination. Many of her fans got angry that she had taken a stupid gamble, but this singular act won her fans and fame across Africa. I knew of a Ghanaian woman in her 70s who cried endlessly for Karen’s rare display of love for even her detractors.
I had my own stint at weeping last Monday as Karen took the invisible Big Brother and her captive audience down the memory lane of her tortuous journey through life. I listened to every word she uttered and watched every one of her powerful delivery. Nothing escaped me. As I released torrents of tears, I phoned a friend who told me that I have good company in his house. His Ghanaian wife and mother-in-law were crying their eyes tearless and his wife had just succeeded in ruining her fresh makeup as she was on her way to work. The Karen story was a spellbinder. I was mesmerised by the story of her beleaguered childhood. It was a stuff of thriller. She did not know her father. Her 45-year-old mother who happens to be her role-model was a gangster according to her and she had to live with her grand-mum. She did not really know her father and till this day she’s very bitter about him. For the first time, she spoke about how she was in a marriage for five difficult years for the wrong reasons and decided to quit for the right reasons. She had to take to doing this and that while in Europe. She was a strip-dancer and some of her nude pictures litter the internet. What more do you want to say or write about a child the world had already written off as nobody? I was always angry at Karen anytime she dramatized her madness and behaved like someone totally possessed.
But there lies the beginning of Karen’s story as a metaphor. Hers is a taleof nothing is impossible. There is a lot we can achieve as human beings if doors and windows of opportunities are opened to us. The lesson in this saga is that by the time tomorrow comes one of Africa’s supposed gangsters, Karen, would have become one of the biggest superstars on the continent. She would be crowned not because she’s the best role model in the house, but because there is a greater testimony to be derived from this quintessential grass to grace experience. Her mother would have to pray and fast for her. It is not always easy to exorcise the demons of street-life. She must conquer her biggest enemy and that is alcohol. I’m perpetually troubled once Karen starts drinking. She is always going bananas. May God redeem this young girl and keep her safe till tomorrow when her life must definitely change for better or for worse.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
SUNDAY Botswana’s Miss P, Ghana’s Alex and Angola’s Weza were evicted from M-Net’s Big Brother Amplified on Sunday after receiving the fewest country votes from Africa this week. Miss P’s revelation to the other ladies about her and Alex’s strategy seems to have cost the duo their places in the House while the eviction of a third Housemate came as a shock to viewers and Housemates alike. This means that half the Housemates have now been evicted from Big Brother Amplified leaving 13 running for the two massive prizes of $200,000 each!
MONDAY After the shock of seeing three of them leave yesterday, M-Net’s Big Brother Amplified Housemates had to re-focus on another set of nominations today. Thirteen Housemates have left and thirteen remain. Now, five are up for eviction again this week! Bernadina, Lomwe, Vina, Mumba and Zeus all found themselves in the firing line after Head of House Vimbai saved Wendall and put Mumba up in his place.
TUESDAY The Housemates decided to play it safe, choosing to Wager 75 percent of their Luxury Shopping Decibels for this week’s spooktastic Task! Jaws dropped when Head of House Vimbai read out the Haunted House Task that the Housemates will have to sink their teeth into this week. For two days and one night, Housemates will become ghosts and will be responsible for all the other ghosts and haunting in the House. The crew is expected to maintain an energetic level of performance throughout the two day period and even a minute of being out of character could cost the team the Wager. Upon hearing this, Sharon O and Bernadina made their feelings about the Wager clear. WEDNESDAY Vina, Luclay and Kim stayed up till way after midnight talking about how to deal with anger issues in the House among other issues. The Housemates were talking about the situation in the House and the strategies that some Housemates had adopted. Kim said the House had taught her the art of anger management. She said she just screams and then shouts; “Kimberly from Zambia.â€Â
THURSDAY The Zimbabwean duo seem to be taking the analysis of the game too far with the conclusion that next week they will both be up for possible eviction. Vimbai and Wendall tried to dissect the game and how it is likely to pan out as it nears the end. They spoke about the networks that some Housemates have out there which led to Vimbai querying what it is that Sharon O could be doing right in the House to warrant the love Africa has shown her. FRIDAY Sharon O and Kim chilled on the green couch discussing how the Housemates were freaking out in light of the looming Eviction. With less than three weeks left in the game, the Housemates have started stressing out and almost all of them spent evenings this week sleeping.
Kim said all she knew was that her mother was proud of her seeing as she has gone this far in the game.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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