When you are stuck in a house with strangers, you are bound to make new friends.
Sandra Essiene says she connected to a lot of people in the house and has her “gang”, that she was particularly close with. This includes Blue Aiva, Jenni O, Yvonne, Ebubu and Mmeli among others.
Her affection for housemate Mmeli had many viewers tongues wagging but Sandra is reluctant to add fuel to that fire. But, she says, while she learnt unfavourable information about him as soon as she left the house, there is no bad blood from her side.
Originally from Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, Sandra was paired with South Africa’s Theo – they were both the first to be evicted and eliminated from the competition.
After her stint in the Big Brother Titans house, Sandra still has her eye on the prize – being an entertainment, fashion and beauty mogul.
“I’m just going to merge everything together and tie them up in a bow and present it to ya’ll so everybody should just keep your fingers crossed,” she says.
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Sandra tells us more about her experience in the Big Brother Titans house:
What was the experience like?
It was great. Being in a close-knit place, a controlled environment and just getting forced to know people that come from different backgrounds and walks of life with different characters – I didn’t think I could do that. I didn’t think I was accommodating like that but as time went on, I found myself gravitating towards some people and I think I really have nice relationships with almost everybody in the house so that was nice.
What there any interesting cultural differences that you found in the house?
I learnt ‘neh’ (laughs). I think the only thing that I learnt was ‘neh’ and the language was awesome. I was trying to learn if ya’ll had given me time! But yes, I like the food – we had one food called ‘several colours’, it was nice. So, the food was great and they loved our food too because we did jollof rice for them – we exchanged, it was beautiful. I learnt Zulu, I learnt everything so I liked it. I liked the cultural integration; I learnt a lot.
Do you have a favourite moment from the house? What did you enjoy the most?
First, that would be the Saturday Night Party. I’m lit, I’m always lit so any avenue that gets me lit I don’t say no to and the Saturday Night Party was just so beautiful, it made us come together as a family. As much as it’s a competition, there was always a real bond there and I felt that.
Did you have a least favourite experience?
No, I don’t think I did. Everything was just… you wing it. I winged everything. If I was given more I would’ve went on with it but this experience is like something you haven’t done before, I haven’t done before … I surprised myself actually, I didn’t think I could do so much under such pressure.
Looking back, is there anything you think you would’ve done differently?
I think I would have tried my best, I mean I don’t know how else I would’ve tried – there’s always more. Maybe because I didn’t have time, I think I would’ve tried my best to actually be that uplifting to my pair, Theo, and try to encourage him daily and tell him ‘you’re doing great’, ‘you’re doing this’. I’m not really that person. I motivate myself, I don’t have anyone who is going to come and tell me ‘oh, you’re doing great’. So, I just feel like every man for himself but since it was a pair I think it was kind of my responsibility to get his spirits up and I didn’t do that and probably that’s why everything happened the way that it happened. So, I think I would’ve tried a little bit more there.
Which housemate would you say you connected with the most and was there a housemate you feel you connected with the least?
That I connected the most with? That would be Blue Aiva, her energy, her vibe, we were just in sync it was crazy. So, yes I connected to her the most. There’s other people I did feel I connected to at some point, there was Jenni O, there was Yvonne – Yvonne is from my place so that was really nice. I liked her, I still like her, we’re going to be friends after this whole thing is over. If I do say so myself, I think I and Mmeli had a little bit of connection here and there but that’s still shaky I don’t know how that’ll go.
And least? I wouldn’t say least I would just put it like there is a 80 percent and there is 20 – there’s the other people. I had a connection with Juicy – we talk – there was Lukay who was my G, the was even Ebu, which he always was complimenting me every single time, there was Jenni O and Olivia and Nana and you know there were nice people but people I connected with the most were those people I mentioned before.
Apart from Blue, who else would you like to connect with outside the Big Brother House?
That would definitely be Yvonne, I would like to connect with Yvonne after the house, I would like to connect with Ebubu – he is so talented. I don’t want to mention Mmeli again because now it’s going to be everywhere. Who else? Probably the whole gang, Olivia, Nana, Jenni O – if they are willing though because it’s a matter of willingness. If you don’t want to be friends with me I got no problem with that baby girl.
So, you have no interest in finding out if things will work out with Mmeli afterwards?
If he’s willing but I’m hearing things now since I came out. I’m a G, that’s what I like to call myself, I’m not ‘that girl’ but if he’s out and he’s willing then definitely because we had a connection. I think he’s the only person I had that kind of connection within the house. So yes if he’s willing then fine I’m open to it.
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With the people left in the house now, who do you think has a good chance of winning? Are you rooting for anyone?
I’m rooting for some people but seeing the clear picture of who’s going to win is so foggy right now I cannot see anything. But I’m rooting for Blue Aiva obviously and I’m kind of rooting for Mmeli and, I mean, my whole gang – Yvonne, Nana, Jenni O – even if some of them put me up for eviction, I get it, it’s okay. No bad blood. So, yes, I’m rooting for the whole gang, I’m rooting for Juicy, I’m rooting for Justin too, Justin is so sweet and Ebubu, I really want him to go far because he has talent.
Since leaving the house. how do you think your life will change after Big Brother?
I’m just going to keep on the grind. I’ve been grinding before I went on Big Brother, I’m still going to keep pushing and there’s a lot now to push because I’m into entertainment. I don’t think at this point there’s nothing I cannot do, from hosting, being a video vixen to acting, to owning three businesses that I need to push out there and my dreams and having a strip club and probably having a pageant of my own that gives girls an opportunity to live their dreams. So, yes, there’s a whole lot and I’m going to accomplish them.
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