FINALLY BIG BROTHER-AFRICA CURSE IS OVER!!

Big Brother Africa:My reflections!!!
Nov 15, '07 1:27 AMfor everyone
This morning in our daily newspaper I landed on an article by Mr. Ambrose Nuwagira, who expresses his disgust of Big Brother Africa II.
As a sensible Ugandan, I totally agree with him. Many of us were watching this so called Reality show, but if I may ask, now that its over can somebody tell me what they have learnt? If we critically analysed our minds, weren't we better off before the show came. I strongly believe that every one who was deligently watching BBA has morally degenerated.
Mr.Ambrose calls it a curse, i have to add that its a tragedy,a calamity, a disaster,a move of the devil to defile this generation. However many of us dont know our enemy, so we fall prey to his schemes.
I pray that after this, we all come to our senses as Africans, and embrace our moral values. For some of us who are not only African but also christian, let us repent for the sin in our land. We have defiled our children to the extent of watching "shower hour" with them. What a shame. As parents in this generation, let us realise that we have fallen, however the strong people are those that fall and get up, determined to remain standing. Am for the standing ones, where are YOU????
Thank God Big Brother Africa curse is over
Wednesday, 14th November, 2007
By Ambrose Nuwagira
THE game is gone, the talk is finished and the service will temporarily be unavailable. The service of entertainment supposedly from Big Brother Africa. Since it is gone, let us focus on its impact and the lessons learnt. What was it all about and what were the consequences of the show that drove the hearts of over 50 million people, young and old, from all over the continent? Nigel Nassar in his article “A wrap-up of Big Brother” in the New Vision of November 12, 2007 describes it as the “98 hectic days” whose aim was to reveal how people from different cultures and backgrounds can live together, in isolation, without privacy and the “smartest” of them all walks away with $100,000. One representative was taken from each of the 12 countries, Uganda inclusive, and the integrity and pride of the nation was defined by the character and the behaviour of one individual. Their successes become the pride of the nation while their flaws too are attributed to the population represented. In the house, ‘our’ representatives begin off the journey-all with distinctive profiles attached to them. As days go by, the temperatures go high; it suddenly becomes a survival for the fittest, manipulations and backbiting begins, only the strong must survive and that is when ‘our’ representatives begun a personal game, with an attitude of me, myself and I. Conflicts arise and profiles begin to change, vows have to be broken, commitments have to be forgotten and the picture of the people being represented gets blurred, all for $100,000 prize, or is it a bribe? As a result, drama starts to unfold; Tanzania’s Richard who entered the house proudly declaring that he was married, is just swept away by Angola’s Tatiana, putting aside his Canadian wife, Ricki, for the time being! Malawi’s Code cannot hold on to his commitment to his five month pregnant longtime girlfriend back at home, in the presence of ‘our’ own Maureen who too is in a relationship back home. The house suddenly becomes a free world. Back home, the show is selling like hot cakes. To some it is a reality show but elsewhere it is a family show where parents and their children gather to discuss about the events in the house and the revelation of shower hour keeps even the married up late, probably glued to the same TV screens as their children. This is the new society of big brotherhood! Figuratively, there is too much irony in Big Brother. Socially, big brother is not a brother because there is nothing real in the reality show. It is an institution which is draining society of morals. Imagine a man with his wife and children attentively watching shower hour! This is very unreal. What has this show portrayed? That life is all about manipulation, hypocrisy, and exploitation, whereby the most clinical in these will always win. This is a blatant lie. To the African child, the biggest question in the last 98 days has been what can an African do for $100,000? The answers were just manifesting on the TV screens; hatred, envy, greed and infidelity. There is absolutely nothing African about big brother. Big brother is a sign of moral degeneration, greed, and gluttony. Africans have a sense of decency, shame, honour, dignity and moral sensibility. These are two contrasting situations. Now that they have broken the codes of decency, have made adultery look attractive and, of recent, portrayed fidelity as insignificant, what will be the next item on stage in an era where HIV/AIDS rates are increasing and vices like homosexuality trying to hold ground? Big Brother Africa portrays high corporate social irresponsibility and has offered our society a disservice. The writer works with Campus Alliance to Wipeout Aids (CAWA)