BBA: Karen’s down-to- earth win

The win, though didn’t come as a surprise to most followers of the live show, came as a rude shock to most of the house mates, including Nigeria’s Vina, who never gave Karen a chance. Sunday Trust had speculated at the beginning of the show that a Nigerian may still win going by the quality […]

The win, though didn’t come as a surprise to most followers of the live show, came as a rude shock to most of the house mates, including Nigeria’s Vina, who never gave Karen a chance.

Sunday Trust had speculated at the beginning of the show that a Nigerian may still win going by the quality of its representative – that speculation is now a reality.

Karen’s win extends Nigeria’s record bar on the M-Net show- three consecutive wins and perhaps still counting. Also this amplified edition also saw all the two Nigerian representatives reach the final stage – a feat also not achieved by any nation on the show.

A remarkable coincidence too is that Zimbabwe and Nigeria were the last two nations standing. Zimbabwe’s Wendall also won $200,000. In the last edition, Nigeria and Zimbabwe also made the final two but Nigeria won. This year, if two winners were not considered, Karen would have won having cleared most votes across Africa.

It’s significant to note that Wendall’s win was un-expected. A lot of watchers had tipped Sharon O, Lomwe or Luclay to win alongside Karen. But alas, Africa decided to give it to the reserved Wendall.

How Africa decided the winners:

The Housemates who received the least country votes were evicted. The Housemates who received the most country votes were named the two Big Brother Amplified winners.

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 two country votes.

Karen, with six country votes and Wendall with four country votes 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.

-Esther Olubakinde sees Karen as natural and down to earth. According to her, though she could be unruly and make trouble certain times but that’s her nature and she doesn’t pretend about it compared to other housemates who were claiming holly holly.

“One good thing about Karen is that she forgives and forgets. You may have a fight today, tomorrow, she has forgotten about it. Very unlike a woman,” said Toyin Omolabi.

According to her, irrespective of what Karen’s past is, its irrelevant now, she is now a totally transformed person and we should give her the benefit of the doubt.

Several other Nigerians who spoke to our correspondent in Lagos also agreed Karen deserved the crown. They were unanimous about Karen’s sincerity and naturalness on the show.

Some, however condemned what they described as her unruly behaviour – a behaviour Karen herself acknowledges and tags it, ‘my madness.’

Several times she would tell Big Brother in her chart session “sometimes when my madness starts…” and even the housemates came to recognise her occasional ‘madness’ and learnt to deal with it.

Even the Minister of Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has called on Nigerian youths to be selfless, enterprising and determined in whatever they are doing just like Karen showed in BBA. He gave the advice in Abuja while congratulating Karen Igho.

While praising the winner for making Nigeria proud, Abdullahi stated that her selflessness, enterprise, creativity and team spirit in the Big Brother House were not surprising as these are common attributes of the Nigerian youth.

Highlights at the closing show

In a show which saw drama, tears, laughter and joy along with rocking performances from Nigerian stars Wizkid and Mo’Cheddah, Tanzania’s CPWAA, South Africans Speedy & Professor and Fally Ipupa (DRC).

IK and Big Brother drew the tension out until the last possible seconds of the two-hour finale, leaving Karen and Wendall delighted at the Amplified outcome.

Earlier in the show, Vina and Hanni had been evicted before IK took viewers back into the House and asked the remaining 5 Housemates – Sharon O, Wendall, Karen, Luclay and Lomwe to join him on stage. One-by-one he sent Sharon O, Lomwe and Luclay to join the ranks of the evicted Housemates before dropping the explosive Amplified twist on the remaining duo.

IK had joined the housemates in the House for a quick Q&A to set the tone for the evening, before taking viewers on a journey through the 91-day rollercoaster that was Big Brother Amplified. Love-ins, fights, Heads, Tails, ups and downs – it was truly an epic season.

Vina was the first to leave the House this week and collapsed in a heap on the stage when she saw her family waiting to greet her in the audience. Before the Housemates had a chance to draw breath, IK returned with more eviction news, sending Hanni through the Big Brother doors for the final time. He then returned to the House for a third time, asking the remaining 5 Housemates to stand and leave the House en masse.

Once they had joined IK on stage and the pandemonium in the studio had settled down, he got to talk to each of them briefly before getting back to business. One by one, he broke the news to Sharon O, Lomwe and then Luclay that they had been evicted, leaving Wendall and Karen locked in an embrace – not knowing that both of them had won the Amplified game.

IK then summoned them to the edge of the stage. “In the past, it always boiled down to one Housemate, one moment – this is that moment,” he told them gravely. “Karen… Wendall… both of you have won USD200 000 each! Both of you are winners!” he told them, before leaving them to celebrate with friends and family.