A former beauty queen and ex-Big Brother Naija housemate, Chinonso Opara, popularly known as KimOprah, has said that contrary to what some fans think, former contestants of the reality television show are not in competition with one another.

She told UGAMATV, “There is no competition between ex-housemates, especially the ladies, and I feel it’s high time we stopped pitching females against themselves. Why aren’t men pitched against one another? If there is any competition going on, it is between all housemates, both males and females. Everyone is just trying to do better and ‘make it’. There’s no competition between former housemates; rather, it’s a competition between their pasts and where they want to be.

“I went into BBN solely to portray myself as an international brand so that I could attract the market I wanted. I spent only two weeks in the house but (the show) introduced me to the market. My hard work has helped me to achieve what I have so far.

“Since I shot into the limelight, I have been more careful with what I post online and what I say because people are watching me. They are not just watching because they admire me, they’re also trying to find faults so they can judge me. I would rather do things on my own terms than give people the chance to criticise me.

Speaking on how fans have contributed to some of the animosity between ex-housemates, KimOprah said, “Fans fuel enmity between housemates because most housemates actually speak to their fans. So, people tend to perceive that what fans say is what the housemates feel. Sometimes, it could be false alarms and this affects people’s relationships.

On living for public approval she added, “We should live for ourselves, not for other people’s happiness. If people are really your fans, they would accept you the way you are, despite whatever shortcomings you may have. Why live for social media when you can just be yourself and still have genuine love?’’