BBA: The Chase - home of the social climbers

Windhoek Gordon Joseph So the Big Brother Africa (BBA) Season 8, known as The Chase, was in fact a yawn when it came to the revelation about who Namibia's two representatives are, as the gossipmongers in fact got it right. Maria Nepembe and Dillish Matthews, as predicted, were unveiled as the Land of the Brave's hope to bring home the US$300 000 (N$2,8 million) prize money. This year's edition 28 housemates from 14 African countries and already has social networks ablaze with who will do what to whom in the house. Participating countries are Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The show promises twist and turns and its usual drama. Dillish first became known to us when she entered Miss University Africa last year and was crowned First Princess. Maria shot to fame when she played the leading lady in PDK's party hit, Dirty Kandeshi, a name that has stuck with her. She has been in the tabloid pages for her Twitter rants and more recently for her Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) bloopers. Still, Maria and Dillish are nothing if not entertainers and social networks honed in on the latter's confession on Sunday that she dances on tables . Beauty queens and social climbers There is now doubt that this season is filled with beautiful woman, each with a different kind of wit. Predictions are that Kenya's Huddah will probably make the house her stage, after she already rolled her eyes at another housemate at the live launch. With sultry Marilyn Monroe as her role model, Huddah admits that she loves attention, which will probably see her clash with other attention seeking housemates like our very own Maria and Ghana's Sally. Apart from the expected drama queens, there is also a bunch of beauty queens, who will go all out to remain graceful and poised, with South Africa's Koketso and our very own Dillish topping that list. Koketso was a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant. Social climbing is probably a harsh term, but we have seen in previous years that budding singers, models, actors and radio and television presenters have used the BBA stage to make their way to fame and fortune. Little-known Ghanaian recording artist Feza and South African choreographer Angelo Collins tops our list of social climbers. Also making the list is television presenter, Denzel from Uganda. On her profile, Namibia's Maria herself says that she entered the competition to get exposure with the hope that it will boost her broadcasting career. With almost all housemates not being so-called ordinary unknown people, one can't help but feel that the popular reality show has lost its reality element. Now we have people who each have much more to lose by being their true selves. Stay tuned to DSTV channels 197 and 198 for non-stop BBA viewing or catch updates of the show on Africa Magic Entertainment (DSTV channel 150) at 20:00 CAT.