His unassuming mien and knack for creativity made him emerge as the eventual winner of the Big Brother Africa Revolution. Multi-talented Chuwang Pam Kevin became the delight of many as he wrote his name in history books as the first Nigerian to emerge winner of the reality TV show.
His efforts were even commended by the Plateau State governor and other well meaning Nigerians. In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, Kevin talked about the crisis in Jos, his love life and his plans for a career in music.
How do you feel being the first Nigerian to win Big Brother Africa?
It is the start of something good and I feel I should be in the Guinness Book of Records. I still feel like Obama just like I did when I won. It’s a great feeling; one that will remain with me for a long time.
While in the house of Big Brother, did it ever cross your mind that you would eventually emerge as the winner of the show?
Yes! When I was applying for the show, it did cross my mind that I would become the first Nigerian to win. I looked at the prize money on offer and coupled with the fact that last years show was the Revolution edition, I told myself that I would win. But when I got into the house and saw other housemates, I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task.
While in Ghana as a Project Manager of the Next Movie Star reality TV in 2007; Uti Nwachukwu predicted that you will win something big in time soon to come. When you eventually emerged as the winner of Big Brother Africa, did you remember his words?
When I won, there were a lot of flashbacks. I remembered when I took part in the auditions of Big Brother and did not qualify, that was a year before I was eventually selected. I also remembered all other auditions that I was involved in before Big Brother came by and all of that makes me feel that I have somehow been favored if not for anything but the zeal to go on.
Some months back, the crisis in Jos took another dimension with blood letting and what have you. As an indigene of the city, were you affected in any way?
Yes I have! I have been affected in many ways; an injury to one is injury to all. I feel the pains of everyone that was affected in one way or the other. It has gone beyond being a Moslem or Christian, we are all Nigerians and it is sad when we allow religion or tribe to becloud our judgment. Jos is known to be the home of peace and tourism and it is sad for us to have allowed things to degenerate to this level. If we want to have peace, then there must be nonviolent co-existence. Two wrongs cannot make a right; I pray for the spirit of forgiveness and the will to carry on. There are people that have wounds that will take time to heal. I am hurt and my heart is heavy. I was in Jos when the first crisis took place and that bloodbath was far worse than this. Some people that lost their dear ones in 2001 also lost property and lives this year too. I just hope the effect of the crisis does not affect the psyche of the young ones that have been victims of such senseless killings.
How were you received in Jos after you emerged the winner of Big Brother Africa?
I got a heroes welcome. There were so many people waiting for me on my arrival. Even those who didn’t have TV sets in their homes came out to welcome me. The crowd was massive and people lined up to catch a glimpse of their son that made the country proud. It was more like a mob because everyone wanted to touch me. But now when I go back and see the level of destruction that we have succeeded in causing ourselves, I weep.
You have taken part in series of Talent Hunts in Nigeria such as The MTN/MTV VJ Search, The Next Movie Star and Big Brother Africa. How well have you been shaped by such experiences?
I have learnt a lot; I learnt perseverance, long suffering, patience and how to be humble. The Next Movie Star did a whole lot for me by actually launching me on the scene here in Nigeria. After that, I went to the NYSC camp and I was off the scene for a while. While I was doing other reality TV shows, I was still applying for Big Brother. At the end of the day, I got chosen to be part of Big Brother Africa and all the experience that I garnered became useful for me while I was still competing in the house of Big Brother. The Next Movie Star is all about acting and while in the house of Big Brother, I was given one of the toughest acting tasks. I was asked to act like an Italian and we had little time to study our scripts. It really built me a lot and most of the star attraction that is sometimes accorded to me is nothing new because I have been there and done that.
There is news going around that you have been signed on to Chocolate City and you will be releasing your debut music album soon?
It is not true that I have been signed onto Chocolate City. Audu Maikori, CEO OF the label is my very good friend but I have my own thing coming up soon. I have my own group and we are gearing up for our own stuff pretty soon. I believe signing onto a label will limit plans for myself and the rest of the group. I started the group in Jos way back and it was almost at the same time with Chocolate City. We started out as dancers and later evolved into rappers; they are even better off than myself and now that I emerged the winner of Big Brother, they seriously look up to me to lead the group. We’ve done a couple of songs and very soon they will hit the airwaves. It was also rumored that I had been signed onto Mo’ Hits Records but that’s all not true.
How soon should we expect the album to drop?
We hopefully expect it to be released before the last quarter of this year.
What about your other talents in acting and presenting? Are you also seeking ways to develop them?
Yes I am! I want to anchor more events because some people in some quarters also see me as a comedian. I have done some stuff for the Comedy Club; I am more of an anchor because I can play the roles of an MC and comedian. I am also going to give my acting career a boost by doing something major pretty soon. I also want to do a movie about my life and if I ever do that, it’s going to be comedy because my life I all about comedy. We are working on the script and you’ll be the first to know when it is released. I just want things to be done well, and that’s the reason why I am taking my time.
You were not in a relationship before you participated in Big Brother. Having won the contest and with the entire buzz around you, are you in a relationship yet?
‘‘That one na WAEC question oh!’’ When I went into the house, I wasn’t into any serious relationship and it is even very hard now to get into one because I have to be sure about the intentions of whoever I eventually settle for. Right now, my mind is seriously on things that I have to do because the expectations are really high and I don’t want to let my teeming fans down. The target now is to win something bigger than Big Brother.
Aside ‘Street Champs’ and JOSTIFIED are there other project that you are working on?
There is ‘Celebrities for Christ’ which is on facebook; I am a Christian and I am creating a community of celebrities on that social networking site. There is also Naija Pikin which is an NGO and it seeks to bring back the pride of Nigerian children. It is a youth based initiative which seeks to fight social vices and it will be launched soon. For every one Mutallab, there are a million great Nigerian youngsters that are peaceful and worth celebrating. I will be inviting other housemates of Big Brother Africa Revolution to be part of it too.
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