Kanaga (Jnr), a Nigerian and fan favourite, was the first runner-up. Kanaga, an actor and model, describes himself as a “sensitive young man who loves older women.”
Ironically, Ipeleng, the first contestant to advance to the finals, was the first finalist to be eliminated.
She described her time in the competition as ‘beautiful but crazy’ shortly after leaving the house. She did admit, however, that while she came into the show somewhat nervous, she left with more confidence.
She was followed by Nigerian Ebubu, who is also the first albino to make it to the show’s finale.
In his words, his time in the house was “exceptional and a new experience.”
When asked about the connections he made while in the house, Ebubu, who was another fan favourite, just smiled in response.
The next contestant to leave the house was Yvonne. According to her, though she did not emerge the last woman standing, she considered herself a winner anyway.
She also stated that she hoped her ‘romance’ with another housemate, Juicy Jay, would continue after the show because “I like him.”
She added that Juicy Jay, a South African, had promised her that he would visit Lagos, Nigeria.
The fourth housemate to be evicted was Tsatsii. She also stated that she considered herself a winner because she never thought she would make it to the list of the top three contestants of the show. She said, “Everybody will remember the top three contestants. I feel so happy.”
The show premiered on Sunday, January 15, 2023, with 20 contestants drawn from Nigeria and South Africa in equal numbers.
Yemi Cregx, Olivia, Blaqboy, Nana, Marven, Jaypee, Ebubu, Jenni O, Kanaga, and Yvonne were the Nigerian housemates who began the show 78 days ago.
Their South African counterparts were Cossy, Juicy Jay, Nelisa, Mmeli, Khosi, Ipeleng, Thabang, Yaya, Khehla, Tsatii, and Justin.
However, about four days into the show, four more housemates joined the other contestants, bringing the total number of contenders to 24. Sandra and Miracle OP were Nigerians, and Blue Aiva and Theo Traw were South Africans.
The show, which was filled with intrigues, relationships, fights, and heartbreak, was also a platform for a beautiful exchange of South African and Nigerian cultures. Many of the housemates stated that they learned new things about the cultures of other contestants.
The grand finale was also spiced up with scintillating performances by Nigerian act, Mayorlun; and South African DJ Maphorisa.
Another innovation that was added to the grand finale was a locked box on the stage which contained the name of the eventual winner.
