Speculations about this year’s Malawi representative in the Big Brother Africa (BBA) reality television show ended last night with the unveiling of Fatima Nkata and Natasha Ann Tonthola as the contestants.
Fatima, whose name was all over, was joined by Nando of Tanzania as the fourth pair to go into the house. Natasha, perhaps the surprise of the night to many followers of the show, followed later with Angolan Buguesas.
The guessing game on who were the country’s flag carriers at the show started early this month and it was Nkata’s name that was out. There was even a Facebook page created named ‘Team Fatima Nkata-BBA The Chase’.
The pair, which is going to compete with other pairs drawn from 14 African countries for the $300 000 (about K102 million) cash prize, was visibly in a jovial mood in an interview with show host IK.
“I am gonna do whatever it takes to win. I gonna win because Africa will make me win,” said 30-year-old Fatima, a TV presenter, who has a daughter named Brianna.
However, she did not disclose the real character she will portray in the house saying there are two characters behind her.
In a phone interview, Fatima’s father, Aubrey Nkata, said his daughter deserves being in the house.
Said the father: “Fatima is one of the most accomplished young women of her age in Malawi. She is both naturally intelligent and well-read and makes it a point to be up to speed on a wide range of subjects. She is a brilliant conversationalist and can hold her own on any topic.”
Natasha, 26, a Lilongwe resident said she is not up for love, but to play the game to win and spend the money through charity.
The two go into the house with hopes to win the prize money after previous representatives failed to do so in seven shows.
With 53 cameras and 120 microphones, BBA The Chase has two houses—the Diamond with yellow colour and Rubies with red.
There are 28 (14 females and 14 males) housemates and the show is expected to run for 91 days.
The show started with a moment of silence in honour of former Nigerian housemate Goldie who died earlier this year.
