Thursday, 21 October 2010 13:03
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Star Mhofu, Cape Town, SA.
DIGITAL satellite TV station M-Net should just call its now infamous Big Brother Africa reality TV show Big Brother Nigeria.
Thousands of fans and viewers across the continent and abroad were last Sunday left livid with the outcome of this year’s All Stars edition which saw Zimbabwean housemate, Munyaradzi Chidzonga — popularly known as Munya or the “diamond boy” — losing out to Uti Nwachukwu of Nigeria, on the last hurdle.
So much pain that some have accused M-Net of “favouring” Nigerians at the expense of the rest of the continent. Some followers of the reality show claim that the result was expected as the show was being run virtually by Nigerians.
“Munya was robbed of victory — M-Net (Africa) managing director, Biola Alabi, is Nigerian, presenter, IK, is Nigerian and even the performers on the night were Nigerian . . .,” claimed one disgruntled Big Brother Africa fan on one of the many internet forums where Munya has become the only subject of discussion.
The fan even claims that “Uti knew how the show was going to unravel; ‘prophesied’ that there was a second house, that two housemates living in that house will be brought back in the final week — even refused to go bury his father and moved the burial to November. Even the presenter knew the results before opening the envelope from the auditors — nxa!”.
Munya and Uti were tied on seven countries each, but an additional category, Rest of Africa, sent Munya out of the game. The seven countries that voted for Uti are, namely, Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Uganda and there was the Rest of Africa; against seven for Munya — Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The other three housemates that were in contention for the grand prize of US$200?000 — Sheila (Kenya), Mwisho (Tanzania) and Lerato (South Africa) — did not receive any votes even from their own home countries.
By close of business on Tuesday, over over 1?500 people, mostly Zimbabweans, had signed up to an account — $300k for Munya All Star. MNet, we dont need you (sic) — on the social network site, Facebook, to raise US$300?000 “to give to Munya what M-Net robbed from him!”.
The Munya United Fan Club membership had also grown to nearly 2?000.
The corporate sector in Zimbabwe also seemed to sympathise with the young man and set up a bank account where people can deposit money for Munya’s cause. Businessman, Philip Chiyangwa, joined hands with the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment board chairperson, David Chapfika, to launch a compensatory fund to raise a US$300?000 respite for Munya.
Chiyangwa said the fund would enable Munya to get over the trauma caused by the final results. He said: “We are not happy with the way everything has turned out. The whole process was flawed. The entire vote was flawed; it was far from reality as Munya was the perceived winner. Even Uti who was announced winner expressed shock because all indicated to a Munya victory.”
Big Brother Africa is in its fifth season, the first year having been won by Cherise Makubale from Zambia; Richard Bezuidenhout of Tanzania won the second season; then it was Ricardo Venancio (Angola) and Kevin Chuwang also of Nigeria claimed last year’s grand prize.
Meanwhile, M-Net Africa’s managing director, Alabi, spoke on how this season of Big Brother Africa has been the most successful to date, according to the All Stars official website.
Munya was expected to arrive at 12.30 yesterday from South Africa.
Some of the comments posted on various websites:
We waz ROBBED again, M-Net used us MUFC (Munya United Fan Club) to make money and they dumped our Munya — Chief Svosve, Cape Town, SA.
This was a scam, am sure Africans should be ashamed of themselves, this guy Uti won because he is Nigerian just like the presenter of this show IK and the MD including Big Brother herself. It must be called Big Broher Nigeria, it was a joke, the guy was calling Big Brother “aunt” and it was like he knew all along that he was winning no wonder why he didn’t go to bury his own father who died during the course of the show. This is a fundraising from Nigerians, Africans must refuse to be used by these crooks next year, let’s boycott this thing, its a shame. For Kevin last year it was genuine, but this year even the other housemates could not believe it that’s why there were no celebrations and even IK could not hide the guilty face. They have destroyed the reputation of this show and I don’t want to see it on my screen come next year . . . No wonder why the main Big Brother UK wants to withdraw its franchise/rights with this guy. — dante, Zim.
We were cheated period. — Ngwarai, Harare Zimbabwe.
Big Brother Africa was clearly rigged. How did Uti end up being supported by Mozambique? How come Uti knew the game plan and at one time he even said he knew there was a second Big Brother house where the eveicted housemates were being kept before a few of them were voted back into the house. How come the Big Brother news was always hitting at Munya? Did Uti’s father really die, or it was a conspiracy meant for people to vote for him out of mercy. During his celebrations after winning, he did not seem to remember that his father had passed away. How come the MD of Big Brother Africa is Nigerian, the presenter is Nigerian. How come three singers from Nigeria perfomed on the final day. No one from southern African nations like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and even from Kenya. I am responding to the RIGGING BY BIG BROTHER by reducing my subscriptions by half (from Premium to Compact), Big Brother Africa must pay for using other African nations. Nigerians are using scam to win.
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