Big Brother Naija season seven housemate Chiamaka Crystal Mbah popularly known on the reality TV show as Amaka, is an ambitious health worker with her sights on the Nigerian entertainment scene. Perhaps one of the most controversial housemates this season as the Level Up house gossip/Al-Jazeera, many remember her for her microwave incident that nearly burnt down Big Brother’s House. On Monday, August 29, Amaka was evicted from the Big Brother House in a surprise eviction episode, making her the 7th to enjoy that fate. After most of the housemates put her up for eviction, the lot fell on Amaka who spent the day romancing, apologising, and eulogising “the microwave” which was a punishment for misusing the appliance. In this interview, she talks about her time in the house and why she believes other housemates viewed her as a threat. TOMI FALADE brings excerpts.
What would you consider your achievements on the show?
The show was like a springboard for me to sell my brand, meet with different people and reach many of my goals. The show helped me to be more focused.
What lessons did you learn?
I learnt that you are you, and each person can only modify themselves a bit. I learned that women are strong and that there is nothing bad about standing up for yourself.
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Challenges and drama on the show.
Conflicts are bound to happen when you have that number of people.
I never said a lot of things to ChiChi, I only said what I needed to say and she agreed to the fact that all Phyna or Chomzy was saying was not so true. That solved the whole puzzle. I don’t think with ChiChi’s personality she was trying to save me. We all now know the truth. On Gidifia and I, it was just a normal issue. I don’t even care about those things, I am all about the bag now.
All the challenges in the house were lessons for me. I was broken and I became strong and I was broken again. It was all a learning phase for me. I am proud of my imperfections.
What next for you?
Building my brand with a lot of respect, dignity, integrity and value. I am open to working with all sectors of the entertainment industry and give value for money.
Some of your housemates thought you were arrogantwhenyouwereinthehouse. Doyou agree?
I don’t understand their point of view. I was always defending myself, and it was from a place of self-confidence and love. I always said on the show that my conscience is important to me. I apologise when my conscience tells me I am wrong. Why must I apologise when it doesn’t come from my heart? I was being real. Everyone must not relate with that, which is what makes us different.
How did you feel after the microwave incident when you were accused of almost burning down the house?
The Big Brother show changes lives and I did not feel good about that. It was not intentional, and the worst part of it was when I saw the remnants of the microwave. It broke my heart. My performance to the microwave was from the deepest and sincerest part of my heart.
What would you say is responsible for the multiple nominations you got from housemates?
I think they saw me as a threat. That wasn’t the best of weeks for me, I got on the nerves of some people trying to pass my point. We also just merged and not everyone would like me. We would have disagreed to agree but we never made it that far. Also, it is a game. I remembersomeweekswhenChiChiwas not in people’s good books, if the special edition happened that week, we would have sent her away too.
Why did you send Phyna to tell Groovy that youlikedhim, whydidn’tyougotohimyourself?
I was in between. On the show, I was not the kind of person to walk up to a guy to tell him I liked him. I also was not sure if I really liked him too. It was from the point of me protecting my heart. I have been hurt before. I don’t deny sending her though.
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Any regrets?
Nothing. But when the merger happened, I should have sat back to watch Gidifia, Deji, ChiChi and others, what they were saying to avoid drama. I was too hasty. But no regrets. Whatever happens in Big Brother’s house stays there and this is a new era.
