HOUSEMATE PROFILES

YACOB – ETHIOPIA

28-year-old Yacob became famous across the continent after his appearance on Big Brother Revolution.

Recently based in Addis Ababa, where he was working in the family business, the 6.4ft Yacob says that his weirdest moment ever was: “Living in a house with a group of strangers for 5 weeks with cameras and microphones watching and listening to every moment. Knowing that millions are watching every minute.”

The self-confessed introvert, who says that he cannot live without his family’s love and support, says that he dislikes sad, negative thinking people.

He says that the thing that makes him laugh out loud is: “Unintentional humor…situations people are in that make them react.”

He says if his friends had to pick his worst qualities they would pick that: “Maybe I can’t keep a secret and gossip to much…and that I’m single.”

Yacob’s message to viewers: “Don’t be quick to judge me based on Big Brother Revolution. Give me a chance and see what I’m ‘bout….to all my supporters from the previous show, thanks and keep up the support. I’m going to need all your support and more if I have a chance to win this thing.”

And his new strategy in the house will be to: “Diversify…and be cool with everyone in the house without picking alliances.”

UTI – NIGERIA

Season 3 Big Brother Africa housemate Uti hates it when: “people try to list your faults even though they have their own”. Working as an actor, TV presenter, model and MC, the 27-year-old BSc. Ed (Computer Science) graduate lists some of his good qualities as: “understanding, down to earth, fun to be with, accommodating, genuine...”

He also says that if his friends had to list his worst qualities they would say, “I have a loud voice, I talk too much when I’m excited, sometimes I’m not tolerant of people’s misbehaviour.”

In the new season of Big Brother, Uti says his strategy will be to: “try not to get attached to/fond of anyone”. His message to viewers is: “try not to vote for country, instead vote for the person.” And when asked what he will do to make sure he’s not voted out this time round, he says: “You can’t really control that now can you?”

Commenting on why he wanted to be on the new season, he says it was another chance to show: “who I really am and of course another shot at a bigger prize money!”

Uti also says that audiences should watch him on the new show because: “Cos I think I am still full of surprises.”

TATIANA – ANGOLA

29-year-old Tatiana from Luanda says her weirdest moment ever was her first day in the Big Brother Africa 2 house. The TV presenter, actress and model, whose motto is: “never give up”, says that if she could teach the world one thing it would be to: “love one another.”

Given the chance Tatiana would love to spend a day with Madonna because: “I’ll like to drink from her experience”. The Angolan likes passion and dislikes jealousy. She says that some of her good qualities are that she is enthusiastic, ambitious, honest and kind however her friends would say she is stubborn.

Asked what her message to viewers is, Tatiana says: “thanks for being there for me since we met 3 years ago. I love my fans.”

She wants her Big Brother experience to be fun, beautiful, relaxing, amazing and happy and says that audiences should watch her on Big Brother because she is real, fun, original, creative, warm, humble, loving. She also reveals that some of the things that make her happy is to see other people happy, travelling, having fun and being in love.

And when asked what she would do to make sure she wasn’t voted out again, she says.
“I will be stronger and more determined.”

SHEILA – KENYA

It was on Big Brother Africa 3 that African television audiences met Kenyan television reporter Sheila for the first time.

Now the 25-year-old, who works as a writer, director, actor and emcee, is back for a new season and when asked what she is going to do to make sure she isn’t voted out this time she says: “Just be as smart as possible. I hope there will be conspiring. I’m not really good at that but I’ll give it my best shot.”

Listing her good qualities as: “I’m caring and passionate’, Sheila says that if her friends had to name one of her worst qualities, it would be that she is super impatient. She also says that one of her bad habits is procrastination.

Her message to viewers is: “I know you’ll enjoy watching me”. With a personal motto that reads: “It’s never that serious”, Sheila describes herself as a people person. “Even if we don’t speak the same language, I’ll always find our common denominator.”

Asked about her special talent Sheila says: “I’m good at making you feel good about yourself.”

An admirer of efficiency, the Nairobi-born housemate dislikes: “People with no foresight, no ambition.” Commenting on what makes her laugh out loud she says: “People who try to figure me out. I’m still trying to figure me out.”
SAMMI – GHANA

35-year-old Kumasi born, Accra based Sammi is a musician and broadcaster. A housemate on the very first Big Brother Africa, after his time on the show he went on to host the Channel O music show 233 for Ghana.

The Ghanaian lists his amicable and friendly nature as among his good qualities, along with his ability to get along with everyone. He does get angry when someone tries to: “make me look stupid intentionally” and he dislikes: “when I am taken advantage of”. He does like when people get along together describing it as peace and fun.

His message to audiences is to keep their fingers crossed for exciting viewing and says that he’d like his latest Big Brother experience: “to be the best ever”.

He says he wanted to be on Big Brother again because: “the second experience, it’s rare” and says audiences should watch him as he is: “a funny and entertaining guy.”

Sammi, who is very proud of completing his debut album (“it was very demanding and challenging”), reveals that he deals with stress by keeping calm.

PALOMA – ZAMBIA

One time sales consultant and former Big Brother Revolution housemate, 26-year-old Paloma describes herself in 3 sentences. “I am a nice and sweet person and I can also be mean. Live life to the fullest like tomorrow will never come. And I also believe in my culture and religion.”

The Kitwe resident says that the 3 things she really hates are: “Un-cleanliness, laziness, and leaving the toilet seat up.” She says that her good qualities are that she likes helping people out and is very generous but acknowledges that if her friends were asked about her worst quality, they would list her temper.

Asked if she would do anything differently this time around she says: “yes, keep my opinions and ideas to myself.” She says she wanted to be on the new season because she believes she deserves a second chance.

Commenting on how her life will be changed by appearing on the show again, Paloma says: “It will take a dramatic turn and I guess some people will like it, others won’t but tough luck.” Her message to viewers on the new season of Big Brother Africa is: “Watch me turn the tables upside down in the house.”

MWISHO – TANZANIA

29-year-old Mwisho was a housemate in the very first Big Brother Africa show and returns to Big Brother Africa seven years later. The Morogoro resident says that his special talent is that he never gets bored and that he doesn’t get irritated because: “I don’t have the time to get irritated. I got better things to do!”

Quite simply he says that he likes being happy and dislikes: “people who think money amounts to happiness.” The Tanzanian’s motto is: “to always be happy, life is too short” and says that if he could teach the world one thing, it would be: “be happy!”

Commenting on whether he had a favourite housemate in the first season of the show he says: “I never have favourites. They were all good people at different times!”

Mwisho’s favourite quote is: “information is power.” His message to viewers: “Don’t kick me out too soon, lemme enjoy first!”

Mwisho says that he is always relaxed and enjoys reading, swimming and walking. He spends a lot of his time living near a national park and he describes the experience as: “nice and peaceful.” And when asked about his new strategy in the new Big Brother house, he says: “What strategy!”

MUNYA – ZIMBABWE

Harare resident, 24-year-old Munya has a BA Degree in Motion Picture Medium and is a film-maker, actor and small business owner whose current work includes starring in the Zimbabwean feature film Lobola.

The former Big Brother Africa 3 housemate says: “I have been acting and performing on stages since I was six years old. This passion evolved into film but my taste for live performance has always been in my blood.”

Munya’s favourite quote is: “Let’s make history” and his motto is: “courage, integrity, faith.” He also says he doesn’t find lies funny and that cowards and liars make him angry. Asked his special talent and he replies: “My ability to read a situation.”

He says his strategy in the house is to win and that he wanted to be on the new series of Big Brother to promote his film and re-connect with his fans. “Oh and to get my 200 000 dollars at the same time.”

He identifies Hazel as his favourite housemate in his first season of Big Brother because:
“I respected her self control and poise.” He says audiences should watch him in Big Brother because: “I am a charming, interesting and controversial person, with a cute smile. “

And his message to viewers: “Give me a chance…all I need is a stage…Only God can judge me.”

MERYL – NAMIBIA

24-year-old event organizer Meryl, of Big Brother Africa 2 fame, describes herself as an outspoken person who doesn’t mind people talking about her. “Such things make me stronger mentally and emotionally.” The Namibian says that if she could teach the world one thing, it would be: “We are all one big family and its time we started getting along.”

Asked what she likes and Meryl says: “Having people around me and learning new things” while she dislikes: “People that have bad things to say about others and gossiping”. She goes on to say that one of her good qualities is that she’s a good listener though she reveals that her friends would say that one of her worst qualities is that she trusts too fast.

In terms of why she wanted to be on Big Brother again Meryl says: “I have a lot to show people about myself and others have more to learn about my country. Entertainment is my middle name and I can give a lot of it.”

And her message to viewers is straight-forward: “Take a good look this time and don’t make hasty decisions as it will cost you greatly with entertainment. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

On the topic of why audiences should watch her on Big Brother, she says: “Drama, intrigue, fun, suspense, entertainment and I’m a whole lot of woman! I have a personality that others might find as outspoken and loud but it will surely keep you glued to your TV.

LERATO – SOUTH AFRICA

Johannesburg resident Lerato, who made her first appearance on Big Brother Africa in season 2, describes herself as a fierce and feisty party starter! The 26-year-old, who labels her clothing style as Urban Afropolitan, says her favourite quote is from the movie Forest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get.”

In the new season of Big Brother Lerato says that her strategy in the house will be:
“To choose my battles wisely and not let emotions get the best of me (although that’s almost impossible).” Speaking about her expectations of her Big Brother experience, she reveals that she would like it to be life-changing, fun, scary, awesome and enlightening.

Confirming that she is sometimes temperamental and that’s her bad habit, Lerato’s message to viewers is simple: “What you see is what you get. What you’ll be seeing is me carrying on with my day-to-day activities but you’ll have the front row seat to it all.”

Asked why she wanted to return to Big Brother Africa, she says: “Because I have a second chance at playing an interesting game.” She encourages audiences to watch her on Big Brother because: “I’m an unpredictable fire-cracker! You never know what you gonna get.”

KAONE – BOTSWANA

In Big Brother Revolution, 26-year-old Kaone became known for his creative, artistic outlook. Currently working as a radio producer and features presenter, Kaone says that lying is one of the things he really hates because: “it is a bad habit and it can land one in hot trouble”.

Another thing that Kaone dislikes is: “judging a book by its cover. It can make one miss the gold, people always make the wrong conclusion.” And while he rarely argues, he says that inconsiderate people do make him angry.

Listing his good qualities as thinking, wordsmith, poet, fashion designing and people skills, Kaone says that one irritating quality he has is that sometimes he gets too technical and that: “Sometimes I make a big meal off small things.” He says the best advice he has ever been given came from his dad who told him to never forget where he comes from.

He says that his new strategy in Big Brother is: “to be the last man standing” and that the one thing he will do differently this year is to be more serious about wanting to win the money and “trust the housemates less than I did the first time around.”

And summing up, Kaone says he’d like his Big Brother experience to be financially motivating, fun, crazy, adventurous and unforgettable.

JEN – MOZAMBIQUE

23-year-old Jen from Maputo became the first housemate in the history of Big Brother Africa to leave the series voluntarily during the Big Brother Revolution last year. This season she’s back and she says: “This is a second opportunity for me, so I am going in there with all that I have.”

Listing her good qualities, she says that she’s optimistic, a strong woman, loving and caring, independent and free spirited. A graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics, her message to viewers is: “Please watch the Big Brother house and vote for me”.

Jen also reveals that one of the things that really irritates her is racism: “because we are all the same as humans, so to compare one another by race, it’s ridiculous and stupid.” She also says she really hates waiting, dirt and people who are rude and think they are better than others.

Asked if she would do anything differently in the house this time she says: “No, I will keep being myself” and she says that she wanted to be on the new season of Big Brother: “to finish what I started.”

Asked about her ambitions for 2010, the Mozambican who speaks four languages (Portuguese, French, English and Spanish) says: “Win this year’s Big Brother Africa, buy a house and establish my own business.”

HANNINGTON – UGANDA

24-year-old Ugandan Hannington believes that: “a person can never write their own biography. Let his action dictate what is written about him. I am what you see, a free spirit.”

The Kampala based former Big Brother Revolution housemate says that his favourite quote is: “Take the world in your hands, only then will you have truly lived.”

A self described introvert and extrovert, he says he feels he is a bit of both depending on his surroundings. Asked what his friends would list as his worst quality, Hannington says it’s his impatience but that his good quality is that he makes things happen.

His message to viewers regarding the new season of Big Brother is that: “you didn’t get a chance to really get to know last time...I will give you me to the end.”

Commenting on why he wanted to return to the new season of Big Brother Hannington says, “I feel like I have unfinished business. Like I went out too soon.”

He says his plan for Big Brother in 2010 is: “My new strategy in the house will be to win the money at all costs.” He goes on to say that audiences should watch him in the house because: “last time was for fun, this time is upgraded fun.”

On a different note, when asked which famous person he’d spend a day with if he could, Hannington says: “Obama, there is no one greater right now”.

CODE – MALAWI

34-year-old Code, from Big Brother Africa season 2, specializes in radio advertising when he is not managing a successful dance troupe or taking on his role as radio DJ.

Asked what his strategy will be for the new Big Brother, he says simply: “Not to have one.”

His message to viewers: “Be prepared coz the fun is on, this time bigger and better!”
He says audiences should watch him because: “I am double the fun this time around.”

With one main regret from the previous time he appeared on Big Brother (“I wished I never replaced Tatiana”), Code says that this time round he’s going to work to stay in the show by trying: “as much as possible to win the tasks and avoid the whole beef situation.”

Commenting on his good qualities Code lists his ability to network, his charming smile and his voice but says he is still working on his temper.

Plus he says that the 3 things that really irritate him are: “Backstabbers /Playahaters/ Wannabes”.