Big Brother Africa 4: Eddie wins a second term!

NAMIBIA’S Edward Moongo swept to a second term as head of the Big Brother house on Friday!

Moongo, affectionately known as ‘Eddie’ by his loose alliance (not to be confused with social behaviour), beat out contenders from Angola, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Nigeria, which controversially fielded three candidates.It is the first time during this BBA season that any candidate has won two consecutive terms as Head of House (HoH).Moongo showed great stamina as the other candidates dropped like flies around him.What makes his victory all the more remarkable is that he is from a minority alliance.Supporters of the Namibian contender will also doubtless hope that his victory will quell criticism from some of the disaffected in the ranks of the BBA Youth League who argue that, at 33, Moongo is too old for the job.THE TEA PARTYThe HoH challenge was ‘loosely, very loosely’, rooted in an iconic moment in the American Revolution – The Boston Tea Party.Housemates had to balance a tea cup, containing liquid, and saucer on their foreheads – with one end resting on their noses – for as long as possible.They were not allowed to touch it with their hands.Moongo was the last man standing at the end of the ‘Tea Party’, though he encountered stiff resistance from Angola’s Emma ‘The Pout’, also known as Emm.I.Am (because she sees herself as house royalty), and Zimbabwe’s Itai, also known as ‘Itspai’ (alternative spelling: ItSpy) because of his serpentine ways.Emm.I.Am is a queen bee in a rival alliance, known as ‘the axis of E’ – Emm.I.Am herself, Tanzania’s Elizabeth, also known as ‘Elizabad’, and Nigeria’s kEvin, the serial rapper, also rudely called the rapping widget by some of the BBA disenfranchised.Elizabad is also the house consort of kEvin.Itai, aka ItSpy, has been described by BBA pundits, also known as addicts, as the quintessential (nothing to do with evicted South African housemate Quinocchio) political hitchhiker.This is linked to his tendency to switch alliances more rapidly than a chameleon on a Smartie box changes colours, as well as his predilection for hidden agendas.Some BBA loyalists describe him as the ultimate ‘hibernator’.As has become commonplace in the turbulent political climate prevailing in BBA nation, there were those among the masses who immediately cried foul over Moongo’s win, while his supporters promptly started campaigning for him to become ‘HoH for life’.Moongo’s critics, known as player haters, charged that he had an unfair advantage as his nose was better suited to the contest. They also accused the head of the Big Brother election tribunal, Biggie headmistress, of alleged favouritism.She refrained from responding to claims which she doubtless feels are reactionary and the work of imperialist agents.IN THE BLINK OF AN EYELIDWhat makes Moongo’s victory all the more remarkable is that he pulled an all-nighter on Thursday, entertaining the masses with karaoke until the early hours of the next morning.All the other contenders decided to catch some shuteye before Friday morning’s crucial HoH showdown.While the Namibian is unlikely to crack the music charts any time soon, it seems that his commitment to the greater entertainment good has won him more supporters among the restless masses.Pundits noted that given that Moongo had had no more than a couple of hours of sleep, it’s a sure sign that he has staying power.Critics, of course, tried to twist the situation.They claimed that Moongo sleepwalked his way to victory. But as The Namibian’s sports reporter Corry Ihuhua always says, ‘a win is a win is a win’!Political observers have also pointed out that Moongo is a reconciler – after he led a team of housemates comprised of friends and foes to a stunning victory in ‘The Green Revolution’ task.The Namibian’s ability to bring the best out of the team, through thick and thin, rain or shine, storm or worms, mud and crud, has drawn praise from even his fiercest opponents.Moongo and his band of eco-warriors overthrew the existing garden regime, and revolutionised the BBA kingdom, ushering in a new age of green living.