"Big Brother" Housemates Here

Between June and September this year, the South African pay-TV company, M-net broadcast a 24-hour television reality show dubbed “Big Brother Africa”, in which 12 English speaking young men and women in their 20’s were literally locked up in a palatial house at Randburg, South Africa, for 106 days to live in a spirit of peace, harmony and fun, qualities that are missing in the lives of many Africans.

The show sent out one clear message to the rest of the world; Africans can live together without civil wars, brutal dictators and worries about trade, genetically modified food and also conduct free and fair elections.

In the Big Brother house where 12 people from 12 different countries lived, there was no dictator, there were no protracted disputes, the housemates did not have to eat genetically modified food to survive the 106 days, and the election of the eventual winner was seen by many of the over 30 million viewers across the continent as free and fair.

Several weeks after the end of the show, it is still the talk of the continent. It's been praised for getting Africans to question national stereotypes and criticised for showing scenes of cuddling and kissing in bed that seem to condone casual sex in the midst of Africa's AIDS pandemic. Some viewers say it has done more to unite them than independence, the Cold War or the pan-African movement.

Countries represented in the Big Brother House were Ghana, Sammy Bampoe; South Africa, Abergail Plaatjies; Nigeria, Bayo Okoh; Kenya, Alex Holi; Malawi, Zein Dudha; Angola, Bruna Estevao; Uganda, Gaetano Kagwa and Mwisho Mwampamba from Tanzania. The rest were Warona Setshwaelo from Botswana, Tapuka Mkhere from Zimbabwe, Stefan Ludik, Namibia, and, the winner, Cherise Makubale from Zambia.

Billed as Africa's biggest TV event, "Big Brother Africa" captivated diverse audiences around the continent. And also threw a $100,000 cash prize at the feet of the winner, Cherise, who was seen as a heroine, a friend, a mother, a care-taker, excellent cook, great dancer and a hilarious entertainer. Indeed, her permanent smile lit up the Big Brother house 24 hours a day for the entire three-month period that the show lasted.

Many of the housemates have become very good friends who have visited each other’s country and spent time with the disadvantaged in society. Presently all 12 housemates have become crowd-pulling stars who easily cause human and traffic jams wherever they go.

Uganda's Gaetano Kagwa may not have won Big Brother Africa, but he still has star power in his native Uganda. The Nairobi (Kenya) Daily Nation reports that there was a four-hour traffic jam caused by Gaetano's return to Uganda.

Gaetano flew into Uganda's Entebbe Airport, accompanied by his girlfriend/lover from the show, South Africa's Abergail ("Abby") Plaatjes, only to be greeted by a mob scene both at the airport and on the 45-minute drive from Entebbe to Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

Ghana’s Sammy B, who was already popular as a result of his work as a radio personality is now a full-blown super star. In Ghana, Sammy is popularly known as Atongo, a name he used in an award winning radio commercial.

The period from June to September was a moment for Big Brother patrons around the continent to enjoy themselves, and for those in Ghana this month was a November to Remember.

Local television station, Metro TV in collaboration with Joy Beauty Soap, produced by PZ Limited, the Boomerang Nightclub and other supporters, held a special concert at the Accra International Conference Centre in honour of the Big Brother housemates.

Six of them were present at the show, and their performances on stage were not, at all, different from what they did in the Big Brother house — funny comments, captivating dance moves and infectious laughter and smiles.

The six included Nigerian Bayo Okoh, South Africa’s Abby Plaatjies, Gaetano Kagwa from Uganda; Sammy ‘B’ from Ghana; Mwisho, the Tanzanian and the Big Brother house queen, Cherise Makubale from Zambia, who gave the audience a few twists and turns of her favourite Tumba dance.

The top stand-up comedian, KSM; international magician Von Cudjovi and musicians; Kwasie Pee, Bat Man, Talal Fattal, Ben Brako, Thomas Frempong, Pat Thomas and Charles Amoah were on stage to dish sumptuous performances out to the already excited audience.