The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe —
BIG Brother Africa might have been viewed by many on the African continent as vulgar, but to people like Vimbai Mutinhiri, they saw it as an opportunity to market themselves and launch their careers.
The young Zimbabwean model, actress and television personality, now based in Nigeria, has become a major brand on Africa’s entertainment scene since taking part in BBA Amplified in 2011.
The Sunday Mail Leisure caught up with the busy bee who spoke about how she has settled into her new job as radio show host on Nigeria’s Lagos Talks 91.3 as well as her outlook for 2017, among other things.
“The year 2017 for me is all about embracing new beginnings and allowing people to see a new side of me. I have settled into my radio show on a Nigerian station, Lagos Talks 91.3, on which I have a show called The Dish, a round table of influential females who discuss major issues from the world of entertainment, to empowerment, fashion and beauty,” said Vimbai.
“Maybe a brief background would help. When the station launched, they reached out to me as someone they felt is an influencer and popular personality in Nigerian entertainment and media. I have now been with the station for four months and it has been an amazing journey.
“My biggest challenge has been balancing my hectic travel and shoot diary to ensure that my listeners don’t miss me too much. Balancing my diary is one of the most difficult tasks I have to do – especially because I am required to be in so many different countries in a short period of time. I have settled in by learning to simply say no to some engagements and requests, and prioritising commitments such as radio.”
Twenty sixteen was a pretty eventful year for Mutinhiri who says it was a very important year in her career.
“2016 was a very important year for the growth of my brand as I grew into new places, I hosted major awards in various places in the world. The brand expansion was all about solidifying my name away from home, and I thank God that I was well received.”
Among the numerous events she hosted last year that saw her become a superstar, Mutinhiri says London, Ghana and Uganda were the most memorable.
“I hosted the New African Woman Awards in London, which were created by the global publication New African Woman to celebrate African women around the world who are making a mark for themselves. The highlight of this was definitely having the opportunity to meet and interact with former Malawi President H.E Joyce Banda. That was certainly a career highlight for me.
“In Ghana I hosted the Ghana Movie Awards, which was an event right up my alley as someone who has been engaged in Pan African entertainment media for some years now. I always love catching up with some of my favourite stars from Ghana.
“In Uganda I hosted what is now the biggest fashion award show in Africa called the Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards. I co-hosted this with an old friend and housemate Big Brother winner Idris Sultan from Tanzania. This was an awesome experience because I always love to see Big Brother housemates grow and step into careers after their time in the house. It’s a great source of pride for me.”
Vimbai’s 2016, though filled with a lot of successes, also had its sad moments and one tragic event was the loss of her sister, Belinda Mutinhiri, who died in a car accident. “This past year saw the loss of my only sister. The heartache is still eating me daily, but I thank God for giving me a creative outlet to express myself and channel my energy as I heal. It’s difficult to look past that as the biggest thing that happened to me in 2016, and in my entire life,” lamented Vimbai.
Mutinhiri said 2017 will see her transcend boundaries.
“In 2017 you can definitely look forward to watching me transcend more boundaries and accomplish more firsts for both country and continent.”
