Sidney Returns With New Name

Last Sunday?s eviction of the only surviving Ashanti Regional contestant in TV3 Mentor 2, Sandy (Obolo), failed to elicit any expression of sorrow or surprise from the public.

Prior to that tense moment of eviction there was some unanimity that Sandy?s performance had placed her among the top-rated performers in the house.

But silence followed in the studio after presenter Anita gave the announcement of her eviction but the expressions on people?s faces did not spell sorrow or shock.

Though a section of the public at the TV3 premises were heard saying that she did not deserve to go out, they admitted that they were not surprised since they had already learnt a lesson from Prince?s eviction and concluded that in a suspense-filled show like this one, ?anything could happen?.

Others were of the opinion that she actually deserved to be evicted because though she was talented, she was not versatile and was more comfortable performing foreign songs than local ones.

Hawa Adama, an Accra-based Graphic Designer and an avid fan of Sandy told Graphic Showbiz that Sandy was not impressive with her performance last Sunday.

?She was quite good with Nayanka Bell?s Zibotey but actually flopped when she took the stage with Dada K.D. I also realised that she is not all that good when it comes to highlife performances and I think that contributed to her eviction? she said.

Other members of the public shared the same view and recalled that judge Mark Okraku Mantey had cautioned her several times to aspire to take up more challenging songs rather than settling for foreign songs from the likes of Mariah Carey, Cece Winans and Whitney Houston.

From the beginning of the competition, Sandy had been among the favourites of the judges and the general public, impressing them with good performances every week.

Her voice is good and though she did not exude much energy in her stage performances due to her weight, she brought creativity and confidence to the stage.

Her determination and often flawless performances pushed her on to witness the eviction of other housemates including her regional colleagues Cee and Rose, all the way to the final line last Sunday.

Sandy, who had been a backing vocalist for many gospel musicians before entering the Mentor house, had been tipped by many Mentor fans as a potential finalist but they were unhappy about her inability to perform with local songs.

The young lady from Kumasi did not shed a tear but was rather heard in an interview with TV3 reporters talking about how she missed her mother and her eagerness to see her again at home.

A distinct lamentation for Sandy however came from a Sports Journalist and faithful follower of Mentor 2 , Daniel Kenu, who said he was not in favour of Sandy?s eviction and that Dee should have been the one to go out because the ?big mama? was much better than him in terms of singing.

After last Sunday?s show, which saw the contestants performing African songs from Salif Keita, Rex Omar, Yousou Ndour, Nayanka Bell and Fela Anikulapo Kuti, some of the crowd rushed backstage to congratulate Dee for making it to the final.

Dada Dee looked very surprised and excited having made it among the final four as though he never anticipated it. His only response to the numerous fans was ? It was only by God?s grace?.

Meanwhile, with Sandy out, the stage is now set for an all-men?s squad featuring Prince, Joe, Kofi and Dee to compete in the grand-finale which comes off in a fort-night to crown the next Mentor king after the previous winner, Prince Nana Tuffour.