‘Young Pappi’ ready to make waves after Big Brother
TWENTY-two-year-old Mothusiemang Bika, dubbed “Young Pappi”, was given a warm welcome at the Kimberley Airport following his eviction from the Big Brother House on Sunday.
Bika made it to the top 10 on the reality TV show Big Brother Mzansi (DStv channel 198), after having kick-started his adventure with 22 other housemates in January.
A jolly Bika arrived in Kimberley on Tuesday and said that he was proud to have reached his goal of making the top 10.
“My goal was to make it to the top 10, that is huge … I wanted to give my Northern Cape Province a top 10. I am grateful to those who kept on voting for me, for granting me that opportunity and that honour,” said Bika.
He was met at the airport by his proud family, jubilant friends from Club 2000, students from Sol Plaatje University, members of the EFF, local content producers and a representative from the mayor’s office.
After addressing his guests at the airport, Bika proceeded straight to Sol Plaatje University to “say thank you”.
He shared his delightful experience of meeting different people from different backgrounds and with unique personalities.
Bika said it allowed him to discover “exactly where I want to go”.
He added that he also achieved his goal of showing Northern Capers that “you can be whatever you want to be regardless of your background”.
The 22-year-old from Galeshewe attended Olympic Primary School before proceeding to Hoërskool Hartswater.
He went on to study information technology at Sol Plaatje University for three years before the institution recommended that he complete his fourth year in the US.
He is expected to graduate next month in April.
Bika, who has been praised for being goal-driven and having a strong belief in himself, said that his next step is to “make waves in the entertainment industry”.
“Whether you are from a small town, a village, or anywhere, never limit yourself, regardless of where you are coming from,” he told his fans.
“Never limit yourself in life just because of where you are coming from. You can become bigger than what you think you are.”
He said his goal was to make it to the top 10 and he did not know what was happening in terms of the votes while he was inside the house.
“At that point of the game (top 10), I knew that chances of me getting evicted were getting higher. Everybody was anticipating someone to leave the house. I had accepted that it is what it is.”
He explained that entering Big Brother was not part of his dream growing up, but he decided to enter in order to expose himself to the world.
He said his next step is to get into commercial modelling and video photography.
Bika also has his eye on content creation, putting his IT degree to good use.
“I just want to show people love,” he said.
As motivation to his peers, Bika said: “If you see yourselves as a superstar, then you are superstar. It starts with you. Before anyone sees you as a superstar, you need to believe that you are one.”
He said the bedrock of his success was the unwavering love and steadfast support he received from his family.
“I love them like crazy … They always supported me 100% whenever I approached them and informed them of what I was working on and what I needed.”
Bika’s father, Lentswe Mpolokeng, expressed nothing but pride in his son.
“I am so happy and so proud of my son. Whatever you have done, until the end, the Northern Cap is proud of you. I don’t even know what to do or what to say further.” said a visibly proud Mpolokeng.
A resident of Club 2000, Joseph Dobola, who went to meet Bika at the airport, said that there was no better way of putting the township’s name on the map than Young Pappi’s appearance on Big Brother.
He said he worked with Bika’s father and thus knew his children.
“He always tells us that ‘daar is my laaitie’. We are proud of how the laaitie, who belongs to the entire Province, has put the Northern Cape on the map. We never thought that a child from Club 2000 would go on to such a platform. We are very excited for him,” said Dobola.
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