I’m still surprised I won – Karen Igho, BBA Amplified winner

Nigerian born winner of Big Brother Amplified Karen Igho, who happens to be the first woman and third Nigerian to win the prize for three consecutive times confessed that she was shocked that she won.

Karen arrived Murtala Muhammed International Airport from Johannesburg, South Africa last week aboard Arik Air in the company of her fellow housemate, Vina Loupet, who was with her for a total of 91 days at the Big Brother Amplified.

Karen disclosed this at a conference in Lagos organised by the sponsors of the reality show, Multi-Choice Nigerian Company, provider of DSTV channels, that afforded friends and media men the opportunity to fully interact with the ambassadors. Fielding questions from the press, the $200,000 lady noted that though the press wrote the good ,bad and the ugly about her while in the house, that she was grateful that they stood by her all through.

On why she put up some attitudes that called for negative reports, Karen declared that, “it is not easy for someone to be locked up in a place for a total of 91 days, no television, no cell phone. The worst of it all is that you have to face same faces everyday, which resulted in quarrels and fighting most of the time, but all the same we made up each time there was disagreement and it was fun”

Karen’s lifestyle in BBA according to her was not a strategy to win but was as real as her everyday life and will remain so adding that the best strategy in such situation is being oneself because “ I hate being a hypocrite besides if you go into the House with a strategy, Africa will definitely discover that you are not real and vote you out”.

Generally, life in the House was coated with mixed feelings for the complete Naija babe who spiced up her funny expressions intermittently with pidgin English. She had moments of laughter, sadness and times she wept and felt like just packing her bag and head straight back to Nigeria.

On the $200,000 prize money, Karen disclosed that her plans is to start work first in the country and then reach out to the distressed in Namibia, Zambia and Malawi especially in the area of HIV/AIDS pandemonium.

Describing herself as very courageous and brave, two attributes that saw her to the top, Karen advised young and aspiring individuals who plan to win in future to be honest, hard working and avoid being over confident. “Youths should not forget where they are coming from and where they are going, they should lay less emphasison what the government should do for them and strive to be self reliant.

Vina Loupet who gave a brief narration of her experience at the reality show revealed that the situation was pretty difficult as they were not aware of what was going on in the other house but was however glad on discovering that another Nigerian Karen was still in another House. Despite whatever rivalry people thought existed between the duo, Vina said that she cannot hide her excitement that Karen brought the prize home.

Dismissing insinuations that she lost out to Karen due to her accent which is more British in nature coupled with the fact that she appeared hostile at the beginning and exhibited a more friendly behavour later in the show, she explained that “the funny thing is that when I get close to people, I tend to hold back until I am able to understand the kind of people I’m dealing with”.

As for her accent, she said she was born here in Nigeria but left for Britain at the age of eleven and came back last December and “I am here to stay to make a future for myself, this is me, I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do about it”.