By Ahmad Muto
With 18 housemates evicted and six left in the Big Brother Titans house just hours to the finale, the conversation is no longer about nominations, but the grand prize.
Three Nigerians and three South Africans are the finalists, but going by social media – the only prominent medium for vote mobilisation – South Africa’s Khosi and Nigeria’s Kanaga Jr are the top contenders.
However, the other four also have sizable fan bases that are buzzing with optimism that their favourites might just surprise them.
Big Brother, as a reality show, has an endless room for surprises, if one is to go by how housemates get evicted; some popular ones don’t make a month in the house, while the boring ones sail to the finale.
That aside, who are the six housemates and what are their chances?
Khosi: This 24-year-old South African journalist and model’s first one minute in the house was enough to illustrate how much of a competitive character she was.
“My name is K-h-o-s-i, you pronounce it with a cough,” she told the first two male housemates she found in the house.
Khosi went on to dominate screen time with her multiple romance escapades.
Nigeria’s Yemi was her favourite male character and she protected him from the female housemates with determination and some threats.
Miracle also fell in her trap and finally Thabang. Those are the three she kissed passionately on camera, making her a loved, but equally hated character both in and outside the house.
Khosi’s stay was one characterised by nominations for possible eviction until last week when she became the head of house. She has a strong fan base, considering they voted every week just to keep her in the house.
Kanaga Jr: Those that watched Big Brother Naija, Lockdown edition in 2020 must have noticed Nigerian actor Kanaga Jr, 23, is partly Laycon in another body. Mr. Philosopher. Mr. Voice of Reason.
He developed a bond with fellow finalist South Africa’s Tsatsii that blossomed into a relationship. She once remarked that she didn’t know she was going to find someone interesting in the house. And it was her first time, she said, dating a non-South African.
Recall Khosi said dating a Nigerian in South Africa is considered a taboo.
Kanaga, on his part, wanted Yemi and Blaqboi in the finale, as told to Blue Aiva. His chances of bagging the money are not hard to see. He is a fan favourite.
Tsatsii: For this South African engineering student, 23, besides finally accepting to date Kanaga jr, one of her prominent highlights was breaking one important house rule when she asked other housemates about those they intended to nominate.
As punishment, when they she won head of house with Ebubu as a pair, Biggie revoked their head of house privileges and put them up for possible eviction. That one move risked their stay in the house. However, she is more of a participant than a competitor right now.
Yvonne: This Nigerian model, 27 just stumbled into the finale. She is even shocked she is one of the top six, evidence that the show is full of surprises. Does she have a fan base? If it exists, then they are smooth operators like Blue Aiva claimed she was.
South Africa’s Juicy Jay was her favourite male housemate. And she had strong opinion on entanglements in the house. She told Ebubu that Khosi switching to Thabang after Yemi’s eviction is exactly what Yemi would have done; shifting to Blue Aiva if Khosi was evicted. She might be the first to be evicted on Sunday. A possible sixth runner up.
Ebubu: This Nigerian model and actor, 28 must be the luckiest housemate this first season. Ipeleng literally carried him to the finale. This was after as the Supreme Veto Power Holder, she was tasked to pick one housemate to join her as the second finalist.
She avoided picking her former partner, Blaqboi, because of competition, at least according to observers.
Tsatsii nearly ruined his chances when she broke house rules, asking housemates about their choice for nomination. With no relationship history in the house, he said all his focus has been on the bag although, well, Khosi at one time got really close that Khobubu had already been coined.
Ipeleng: This South African law student, 23, was the first housemate to get to the finale after winning the Supreme Veto Power Holder and becoming the head of house that same day.
She had a relationship with fellow South African Lukay that was allegedly consummated in the shower after they both went in and she came out with what looked like used condom that she dumped in the trash. A day later, Blue Aiva claimed she found a used condom in the trash.
Miracle tried to date her, but she turned him down. Such is her character, a mixture of strengths and weaknesses; being the head of house more than once yet others left without even coming close.
Ipeleng has a sizable fan base and also stands a shot at the bag. But a runner up spot looks like it, may be third.
The reality show kicked off on Sunday, January 15, 2023 and will end this Sunday, April 2, 2023 with the winner walking away with $100,000 (sh380m). It is the first since Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Mzansi merged, bringing Nigerians and South African housemates in one house.
