For Beverley, Scandal is like wine

2013-08-14  As the Big Brother Africa show draws to an end, the chances of one of Nigeria's representatives, Beverly Osu, seem to be getting brighter despite her baggage of controversies, JAYNE AUGOYE writes If controversies are enough to make a star out of anyone, it is then safe to say that Beverly Osu, one of Nigeria's representatives at the ongoing Big Brother Africa competition, is on the way to the top. Within a short period of time, 21-year-old Beverly (as she is called in the house), who is a video and lingerie model, stands out of the pack as a result of her blunt, though arguably licentious, nature. The Babcock University model who has featured in music videos of the likes of the late Goldie, Ice Prince, Djinee and 2shotz - who she once reportedly dated – is famous as the contestant with confessions weird enough to leave a listener in shock. Upon her arrival in the Big Brother House, the Babcock University undergraduate made her presence felt by shocking her fellow housemates with the tales of how she was expelled from the convent. Unknown to them, that was just the tip of the iceberg, as she has since gone ahead to reveal several other sensitive information about herself. Such include the fact that she once terminated a four-month old pregnancy, extorted money from men along with her friends and that her mother was allegedly once deported from the U.S. because of drugs. Just when many were still trying to come to terms with the startling revelations, Beverly, who claims she is currently single, threw caution to the wind by getting under the sheets with her South African love interest, Angelo. That single action, carried out under the cover of darkness but viewed by millions of viewers across Africa and beyond, was like the proverbial last straw that many felt would break the camel's back. Yet,  all the criticisms have not been enough to send Beverly, who started modelling at age 15, packing. The controversies and scandals aside, Beverly, who is the last and only daughter of her parents - she has two older brothers – can best be described as a lucky child for many reasons. Her rating has continued to soar in spite of the many controversies she has courted. On her foray into modelling, she says it was by a stroke of luck. "I brought models for Djinee's Over-Killing video shoot and was helping Bolaji, the stylist, to get set and I was forced to do it. I was shy to my bone marrows but then again, I thank God for the forceful opportunity." Also, amongst the many 'qualified' Nigerian hopeful that were auditioned for a spot in the Big Brother House, the Delta State native was selected alongside fellow model, Melvin. While  Channel O VJ, Denrele Edun, is being rumoured as the person who encouraged her to enter for the competition, the eccentric TV personality has kept mum,  what with the many scandals his protégé, who describes herself as a B.A.D girl (beautiful and different),  has courted. Despite all the criticisms Beverly has been receiving from Nigerians following her actions, she appears to have the blessings of her mother. This is if comments by her best friend, Charity Owoh, in a recent interview, is anything to go by. According to Owoh, her friend's parents are looking forward to her return to Nigeria.   She says, "Bev and her mum are best friends. Her mum just called me now, she's our best friend. She's like the third person in our circle because whatever we do we tell her. If you watch the show, you will see that there are three people she calls every time, Charity, Denrele, and Mummy Suzy.  "Their relationship is very tight. Before Bev dates anybody, she tells her mom. (About Bev and Angelo's relationship/sex) She knows. She has seen everything. "There's the good and bad. Of course,  she's a mother;  so, she would feel the way mothers would feel but she's very proud of her daughter. She is already redecorating her room, so she would welcome her back like any mother would." If she does not get evicted this weekend, Beverly may be on the verge of making history as the first Nigerian Big Brother contestant to make it to the finals amidst a legion of scandals and controversies. Punch News.