The Big Brother show is undoubtedly one of the .most watched/followed
indigenous TV reality show on the continent. Comments and headlines
floated the internet when Beverly got involved with Angelo. Here’s what
he had to say.
I mentioned earlier on my facebook page that I
don’t follow Big Brother Africa and that is by choice. A choice I
believe lots of people have on their decoders by ignoring or disabling
the channel off their bouquet. I align myself with Professor Wole
Soyinka’s statement made a few years back that BBA is pervasive and
debasing.
Reading snippets of this year’s edition on some online
platforms, I think the Good Prof’s statement has largely been
vindicated. Uninhibited sexual frolicks on open camera, accusations of
STDs being passed around, shameless smooching by hormonal charged
housemates and ear-tingling swear words are the pre-dominant values
being shown to the continent from that neo-Gommorhic contraption of a
creation. Of course, I’m told the content producers cleverly hide my
above description with so-called tasks which lamely try to project
positive African cultures and traditions; which is ironical because such
modern franchises like BBA are neo-imperialist means of eroding the
very essence of Africanism as the world moves to an incomprehensible
digital age.
There are various countries represented in the BBA
house from many African countries. The Producers of the show cleverly
put up a caveat that the contestants represent themselves and not their
countries, which I find nebulous and amusing. But I understand why they
are playing safe. The reality is that BBA is a competition and every
person in that house represents (intentionally or otherwise) the culture
and morals of their respective countries. So when one housemate screams
blue murder that he was infected by another with an sexually
transmitted disease ( I’m told its a Nando accusing a Selly) its not
just a personal accusation. Its Nando’s country (Tanzania) accusing
Ghana of giving them Chlamydia. That’s just the plain reality.
And
while some of us are sniggering about that, the latest furore generated
by Nigeria’s representative in the house, Beverly Osu, over her
unlimited libido is as shameful to many as it is interesting to others.
Almost all major Nigerian online sites and newspapers have been awash
with opinions and comments for the past couple of days about how Beverly
got herself in a ferocious foreplay which was caught on camera. In
accompanying pictures, Beverly is seen with her South African romantic
interest, Angelo, in a hot-blooded sexual position with mouth agape in
ecstasy as he does something to her with his finger. In fact, I don’t
even know which is more shocking, the act itself or the crass reportage
given to it by the bloggers. Most of the bloggers went on a tactless
headline spree by posting headlines such as ‘Beverly Osu ‘fingered’ by
Angelo’ and other shocking headlines like that. What is that naa? Ehn? I
guess they didn’t know how else to report it except in the
tell-it-like-it-is headline.
Anyway, the arguement in Beverly’s
favour is as amusing to me as it is as silly. Some say its her body and
she can do what she wants with it. True. I agree. But those with such
opinions could very well ask their sisters or daughters who have bodies
to dance naked in the National Stadium to accentuate their arguement.
Since freedom of the body has now moved from being personal to being
open in a visual zoo, then those people might as well go on a naked
display.
Another school of thought canvassed by former Big
Brother winner, Uti Nwachukwu, says its not easy for a sexually active
person to ‘hold bodi’ for 3 months in the house. Is that an excuse? In
fact, from the Biblical perspective, I liken the sexual adventures in
the BBA house to the sacrilegeous Absalomic act in the Bible, wherein
Absalom openly slept with his Father’s concubines for all to see on his
royal patio. Only, in the BBA, there are no kings or usurpers. Only
people who profess to be followers of faiths they don’t know jack about.
Coming
back to my hypothesis, it is not Angelo who used the finger on Beverly.
Its actually South Africa which has fingered and sub-raped Nigeria.
Since both housemates are representatives of their countries, Angelo’s
act should be seen for its symbolism rather than its entertainment
value. SA is the biggest economy in Africa, according to financial
analysts. Nigeria is the fastest growing economy in Africa. There’s been
a struggle for continental domination by both countries over the years.
To underscore their importance in Africa, South African companies have
been investing heavily in Nigeria; finding huge profits in the porous
economy of Nigeria. Nigerians welcome all these investments with open
arms. Just as Beverly opened her arms and *cough, cough* for Angelo. So,
when Angelo carried out his act, he might have been telling us
Nigerians who cared to watch, ‘F**k you, all! You Nigerians ain’t shit’.
And that is how I see it.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not
xenophobic in anyway. I’m being very realistic. Beverly represents a
whoring Nigeria which seem to get nothing right but just allows itself
to be screwed both by internal and external interests. Its as simple as
that.
But all this grammar and analogy I’m giving here will not
change something. When this same Beverly comes back from the BBA house,
she would have turned into the next big celebrity with possible
companies falling over themselves to sign her for endorsements. Its just
what pointing fingers can do to one.
[Charles Novia]
