Dillish Beats Nigeria’s Melvin, Beverly to Win Big Brother’s $300,000

Dillish Pearl Mathews of Namibia has won Big Brother Africa reality TV show. In a finale of many shocks and twists, the undergraduate from Windhoek, beat five other housemates who made the grand finale of the show.

Dillish had promised to buy a house so she can live together with her siblings like real family if she won the $300,000 winning prize. And she is well on her way towards achieving that.

Dillish Mathews, who finished second place in a Miss Universities pageant held in Benin, Nigeria, was saved five times from possible eviction by Africa.

She never won a Head of House (HoH) task nor any 'Power of No' over the 13-week period of the Show.

Nigeria's Melvin Oduah, the man touted by many to win, in a shocking twist, finished in a distant third runner up spot. Beverly Ada Osu, the other Nigerian in the finale finished just behind Melvin in 5th place. Many Nigerians expected Melvin to go all the way after finishing in second place in both the 'Mr Nigeria' and  'Gulder Ultimate Search' competitions in his home country. In finishing 4th, the second-place syndrome tag is something he has to still live with.

Ghana's Elikem Kumordzi finished as the 2nd runner up but also won the Most Romantic Gesture prize, that comes with $10,000 cash to splash over the course of an all-expense paid trip.

In winning Big Brother Africa, The Chase, Dillish becomes the third female winner after the triumphs of Zambia's Cherise Makubale in the first season and Nigeria's Karen Igho in season six.

Zambia's rap diva Clementina Mulenga finished closely in second place behind Dillish.

The grand finale of shocks ensured that the three West African reps who made the top 5 finished in positions way below expectations.

This may not be unconnected with a fight back from Southern and East African countries who felt the West Africans were bragging too much about their winning prowess on Africa's biggest reality TV show.