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On Sunday night (21 September) 21-year old Tanzanian housemate Latoya Lyakurwa was the first contestant to get whacked from the BBAfrica 3 house.

After spending a week in rubbish-dump lockdown alongside fellow up-for-evictee Tawana Lebani, Latoya was voted out by 11 countries to 2.

I caught up with her for us at the crack of dawn on Monday to crossfire her with questions  - that include those you asked.

Here's what she had to scream:

Tashi: Why were you so convinced that you’d go back into the house instead of Tawana?
Latoya: Well it’s always about positivity - that I should be positive about what I’m doing. I should be out there and thinking that Africa was liking what I was doing. I had to convince myself because if I kept saying “I’m going home, I’m going home,” I wouldn’t have enjoyed any of that time. I was just trying to be positive to myself.

Tashi: What was it that you were doing that you were so convinced Africa would like?
Latoya: Well I think they got to see the other part of me - in the house it was just about dancing and laughing but in the trash house it was all about creativity and one-on-one conversations that got me opening up and talking to Tawana and her doing the same so I think it was more than what was happening in the house.

Tashi: Just before you left you said that if you went back you’d change Africa. What exactly were you planning on doing to change Africa?
Latoya: I said I would do things that when I get out of there would change Africa. I think Big Brother is a platform, a stage to show people who we really are and what we’re capable of doing. From in there we could get some good things to do to change people’s minds and how they think and stuff like that.

Tashi: When you were chatting to KB after your eviction you said that more anything you wanted fame and success. What sort of contracts are you hoping Big Brother will send your way?
Latoya: I believe I’m good at dancing - I’d just need a bit of polishing. I could do acting, posing - being a face for something and stuff like that.

Tashi: What made you jump into bed with a guy from the first night on the show. Didn’t you think it would get you judged by viewers immediately?
Latoya: You know, I think people misunderstand that. Thami got Ricco’s bed wet so I offered him: “We can share the bed you know, if you’re comfortable with it,” and he was okay with it.

I’m a cuddly person so I really enjoyed him being there and getting somebody to hug me as I sleep - it wasn’t anything about anything.

Tashi: Why do you think you were voted out?
Latoya: I do believe that people thought I was probably wasting my time in there - that I have a lot more to do other than spending my three months in a house with strangers, trying to learn them and know them - it’s better for me to be out here and do more creative things other than that.

(My response to the anwer ...


Tashi: Was sletty Tatiana from BB2 your inspiration for your strategy?
Latoya: Honestly I didn’t have a strategy - no strategy. Tatiana was - she did well - she was among the people who motivated me to go in there and have fun. I actually went there to have fun and air my credentials and then sadly for the money. It’s not like she gave me a strategy or anything - she was more motivation.

Tashi: But your strategy was obviously to go after all the guys.
Latoya: *laughs* If people think it’s like that then let them think what it is but I just went there to air myself and my credentials.

Tashi: On Sunday night you also said you wanted to set a trap for Uti - what trap? Where, how, why?
Latoya: Uti’s one of those kind of people who go: “Me? Aaaah, me - you’ll never get me. I’m very so-and-so.” So I was thinking if I could come up with a crazy dramatic idea I could make him fall into a crazy trap so he will not be a person who stand to his word.

Tashi: What were you going to do?
Latoya: If I was going back, I'd get into him and something would have come up eventually.

Tashi: Why did you refuse to do tasks even when you were contractually bound to do everything BB told you to do?
Latoya: As far I remember I refused to do two tasks. The first was the head of house task where you had to throw balls or something like and I’m hydrophic - I’m petrified of water. The first thing you had to do in the task was stand close to the swimming pool and throw balls to the other side. I tried a couple of balls, trying to ignore the pool but it just didn’t work so I had to quit.

Again, the wrestling thingie - I had bad experiences with fighting and beating and things like that. Generally I don’t watch wrestling, I don’t watch action movies, I don’t like watching people beating each other. I was like “You know what I’m not going to piss myself off to impress people – whatever they think, so be it.”

Tashi: You said Sheila’s a pretender in the house - did you trust her least?
Latoya: Not really - I never even thought of mistrusting people that’s why when I saw the people who nominated me I was shocked, I was really, really shocked. I’m just a friendly person, a jolly person who likes to get along with everyone. Even when Biggie said “Who do you think nominated you?” I was blank.

Tashi: Why did you say she’s a pretender?
Latoya: I think she might be, sort of a pretender I don’t know. It’s just a game and we’re under extreme pressure with weird circumstances - it forces people to be who they’re not or more than what they are.

Tashi: Is she a lesbian or not?
Latoya: *laughs* There was that day that she said like “Ja, I’m a lesbian” and she gave that story that called her parents and told them that: “I like girls the way I like boys,” I don’t know if I believe her - honestly I did not, probably she was just trying to set up a story for headlines but honestly I did not believe her.

Tashi: Munya was the person that shocked you most in terms of the votes - why were so surprised?
Latoya: Uti shocked me most because you know, me and Uti were buddies man - we were like “Yeah, you know you must visit so-and-so,” and I was like “It’s not like everybody who smiles at you is your friend and stuff like that.”

Tashi: Was there anyone who didn’t vote for you that you thought had?
Latoya: Nnnn? .. not really.

Tashi: Who would you trust least outside of the house?
Latoya: I don’t know - because I like everyone - I do believe everyone has something that touches me so I’d just work with them - ‘though the game taught me never to trust everyone so I just roll with the punches. Take things easily - don’t put myself in there and end up getting disappointed.

Tashi: Do you think you represented your country well?
Latoya: As for me, I should say of course I was am ambassador for my country but I was there for myself as in I went there to do my own thing because not everyone’s going to like me or kiss the ground I walk on so .. I think, ja I was good representative of Tanzania.


Tashi: In the rubbish penthouse you said you won’t ever watch the show because you’d be too jealous. Do you still feel the same way?
Latoya: Ja I’m never going to watch the show. Never.

Tashi: Will you follow what’s happening?
Latoya: No. I’m just going to lock myself away from Big Brother - it’s done, it’s done. I’ll be back on the closing day and that’s it, we can start over from there.

Tashi: So you won’t be tempted to cross over to the channel?
Latoya: Nope.

Tashi: How do you know that’s going to last - won’t you be too curious too see what’s happening?
Latoya: No - I do believe people wanted something good out of me, that they voted me out so I could come out here and do some serious stuff but I had so much fun, I enjoyed being in there and seeing people having all the fun and I’m out here being bored and all that, it would really hurt me so why disturb my heart, why disturb my soul - I’m just going to do my own thing.

Tashi: Which of the gals will you stay in touch with after the show?
Latoya: I’ll definitely keep in touch with everyone. Everybody has something I like, or something I could use in their country, or something they can do so I’ll definitely stay in touch with everyone.

Tashi: What was the most surprising thing about being in the show?
Latoya: Well I think the tasks were a bit way over-creative. I was like “Wow,” – I had this idea that when you go to Big Brother it’s just a lot of fun, not a lot of work and thinking and thinking and I thought “Wow, so this isn’t a vacation after all.”


Tashi: Who would you like to see leave next?
Latoya: Whoever Africa wants gone.

Tashi: No you can’t scanive out of the answer. Uti - for shocking you?
Latoya: Yeah.

Tashi: Who would you like to win?
Latoya: I can see Angola has really great chances - if Ricco wins that’ll be a good thing.

Tashi: That’s just bias talking.
Latoya: It’s what I really think.

Tashi: Who would you like not to win?
Latoya: Everone was my favourite - I really liked everyone, it was fine to be with everyone. That’s why I said it would be good if everyone stayed the house the full ninety days and at the end of day one person won and took the money and we all go home.
Tashi: But if that happened there’d be no-one to vote for because everyone would have murdered each other.
Latoya: I think that would have made the game more fun.

(Me thinking: SO agree)

Tashi: You’d like Rocco to win (completely forgot what his name is from all the chopping of “O’s” and “I’s”) Who do you think will win?
Latoya: I don’t know what Africa’s thinking but as I said Ricco.

Tashi: Why’d you think viewers would like him?
Latoya: I think people do like him - everybody in the house liked him. He’s that kind of person that nobody would even dare to hate so I think he really, really has good chances.

Ends

Thanks for your questions Segologo! Don't forget to keep your questions coming everyone - go wild! (I know)

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