By Amin Kef Sesay
Viewers who have watched the audition for Housemates Salone 2 on Facebook have attested that there is a lot of fun in stock when the actual competition commences after the successful applicants would have entered the House on the 14th October 2020. The audition will end today Wednesday 9th September 2020.
As pointed out in our last edition, the fanfare that is conspicuous around the audition, which is taking place at the Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire Office on Wesley Street in Freetown, continues to create a hilarious scene.
The aspirant, who was accompanied by a fleet of Okadas, the other with a brass band as well as others with their support groups with all the pomp and pageantry have all being adding glamour to the ongoing audition.
Although the applicants were asked questions in Krio and expected to respond in the same, however, some deliberately choose to express themselves in the English Language. It was against the backdrop of attempting to please and convince the judges that certain applicants unknowingly were painstakingly murdering the Queen’s Language. Others got viewers laughing out their sides through the performances they were putting up to exhibit what they have inter alia submitted that they can do very well.
Though the audition may appear to be a simple qualifying test, however, some of the questions posed by the judges were really tricky triggering various responses with some giving impressive answers were as others did not even understood the questions and were therefore off target.
Questions like why the decision was taken to apply for the competition, what do they know about Housemates Salone, what is the meaning of the theme, “Quarantine Drama”, what do they think they have that will give them an edge, what would they do with the prize money etc seemed simple but indeed they gave some of the aspirants tough time as they needed thorough thinking to provide the right answers. It was in trying to do so that some faltered and the responses given created a lot of laughter.
Housemates Salone has in store for the lucky winner the whopping sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Leones (Le250M) plus undertaking a round trip to Dubai.
Apart from bagging the Star Prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Leones (Le250M), all other participants will be entitled to their daily allowances of Le100, 000 each, whilst they still remain in the House and accumulatively given to them whenever they are evicted.
Interestingly, during a particular stage of the Show, based on the percentage of votes scored by a particular Housemate such will determine if he or she will be evicted from the House. Evictions will continue until the ultimate winner emerges.
The underlying rationale for the organizers to package this entertainment show goes beyond providing mere entertainment to that of Youth Empowerment. With twenty young Housemates, from different backgrounds,” Quarantined” under one roof for up to about two months, they will be taken through certain mental and physical exercises that will impact their personalities and it is certain that after the competition they will never be the same again.
They stand to benefit from being guided to be motivational speakers, to think critically as well as rationally, how to healthily interact, how to solve problems, to set goals, to cook, how to eat and dress for different occasions, to sing, dance, control emotions and stress. They will have the opportunity to learn from what visiting guests from certain corporate institutions will teach them, learn how to play games and a host of other things that are aligned to coping mechanisms as well as development of strong characters.
However, what the judges will be keenly watching for is originality. The Housemates should do things naturally instead of faking certain performances.
Another good thing about the show is that it will put all the Housemates in the spotlight as the Reality TV Show will be viewed by many in and out of the country via AYV Television Channel 34. People will come to know them, the talents that they possess and what they are capable of doing. The show could be a window of opportunity for the Housemates as some people out there could be interested in tapping the talents that they have seen displayed which could end up in changing their fortunes for life. Indeed something has to start somewhere!
Some people may be having reservations as to whether it is apt to stage the show amidst the coronavirus. To allay such a fear, the organizers have put all the necessary modalities in place to ensure that all the Housemates to enter the House are coronavirus free, that precautionary measures are observed and the House is kept safe.
For now Housemates Salone is the most talked about upcoming social event that continues to dominate conversations in social circles and many are looking forward to be viewing an entertaining and educative programme from which a lot could be learnt.
As the expectations are running high, the organizers are methodologically and meticulously putting finishing touches to once again avail viewers a lively, tantalizing and thought-provoking Reality TV Show.
