Big Brother Africa 4: Big Brother or Big Robber?

ARE we done with the surprises? Or is there more to come from Big Brother’s mine of shocks, twists and antics?
Even before we knew the girls that were coming in, two guys were making the trip home – now can someone tell me, can’t those evicted guys cry foul?

How can they be evicted even before the other housemates come in?Big Brother is hardly the place for conventional fairness, but I think there’s a case for the evictees. Viewers should have been given a chance to get to know all the housemates before nominations and evictions took place.Ghanaian Wayoe and Kenyan Teddy can argue that their eviction was not properly undertaken – and that the US$2 500 they were given does not come anywhere near the US$200 000 they were vying to win. And why were they evicted even before the girls came in?In any case, the girls are going to have an unfair advantage, coming into the house a week later.Botswana has one housemate, Kaone; so does Ghana (who has already been evicted); so does Malawi (Mzamo) and Tanzania with Elizabeth. But Nigeria has three housemates in Geraldine, Kevin and Nkenna; so does Namibia if you consider that the twins (Edward and Erastus) have the opportunity of becoming individual housemates, plus Rene.The rest of the other countries have two housemates each.Is the irregular number of housemates an indication that some more housemates are to come? If so, why should they come in at different times from the others – doesn’t that fly in the face of fair play? You might ask: whose fair play? This edition of Big Brother Africa has been labelled a ‘revolution’, implying there have been radical changes to the show, but the changes are bound to leave many viewers (and housemates, as well) feeling short-changed. CONFUSIONSFor instance, the girls have been allowed a television to monitor the boys in the other side of the house – why?By the time the walls come down, the girls will know which boy is hot and who is not on – yet the boys don’t know anything about the girls. Add to that confusion some of the boys have already gone home.But my biggest regret has to be the female Big Brother, she is just not on – I hope she is reading this as well.To those who have missed the action so far, Big Brother Africa entered its third week last night.On the first Sunday the African continent was shocked to watch 12 guys enter the house.Of particular interest were the Namibian twins Edward and Erastus, who alternate in the house and are allowed to share their secret with three housemates only. If a fourth housemate finds out, then the twins pack their bags and go home.If, after three weeks, no one finds out, then they become individual housemates.Now you tell me, with US$200 000 at stake, would you bother to tell even a single soul?The day after they entered the house, the guys were asked for nominations, with the puzzled housemates, who hardly knew each other’s names, finding it difficult to nominate. The next Sunday Teddy and Wayoe found themselves leaving the house.Then, after their eviction, we were shown the 12 beauties who are to be the other half of the house.Just like the boys, the girls found themselves in the diary room, just hours after getting in, having to nominate each other. And they had to rely on the colour of clothes – rather than names – to nominate each other!Then Big Brother came with the announcement that all the female housemates were nominated, as had happened with the boys.Talk about a confused Big Brother – or is it all part of the game?Viewers from Ghana have most right to feel bitter as they no longer have any reason to associate with Big Brother Africa after their housemate left for home.The same will go for Ethiopia once Yacob leaves the house, or Botswana once Kaone goes. Ditto for Malawi, which has Mzamo only.It must be particularly bitter for Ghana as their neighbour, Nigeria, has three housemates.* Garikai Mazara is a guest columnist.