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Tag: contestants

  • Ayade fetes Mother and Daughter Pageant contestants

    Ayade fetes Mother and Daughter Pageant contestants

    The Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, last weekend doled out the sum of one million naira on each of the 11 families that contested at the maiden edition of Silverbird’s Mother and Daughter Pageant.

    According to reports, the pageant, held at the Cross River International Conference Centre, Calabar, involved 11 teams, each made up of a mother and daughter.

    Extolling the qualities of the family, Ayade said that a contest which celebrates family values should have no loser, as it will affect the confidence children have in their mothers. He described the pageant as a ‘life touching’ show.

    He said; “An event like this shows that culture has not departed from us. Anything involving mothers make me very emotional, because I remember the struggles of my mother while I was growing up and how her sickness started when we were becoming successful.

    “This event should have been for the mother and her son, because sons feel very strongly for their mothers more than daughters.

    “If I had one wish in this world, it will be that mothers die no more, and I will give an arm and a leg just to see my mother again and for her to see me as a governor today.”

    Results of the first edition of the Mother and Daughter Pageant were decided exclusively from the online votes of viewers.

    The team of Mrs Angela Nwangwa and her daughter, Gift, emerged winners of the pageant. Apart from the governor’s largesse, they also got N2 million cash and a family trip to Dubai as overall winner of the contest. The duo of Mrs Omo Alake and her daughter, Ife, emerged the first runner-up, while Mrs Thelma Ukpai and her daughter, Mercy, were the second runner-up.

    Apart from emerging winners, the Nwangwa team was also awarded the Most Innovative Mother and Daughter. Team Six was adjudged the Most Creative Mother and Daughter while Team 10 had the Best Outfit.

    Team 11 got the Most Photogenic Mother and Daughter, while Team Four won the prize for Special Relationship and Bond.

    In his remarks, the Vice President, Silverbird Group, Guy Murray-Bruce, said that the theme of the pageant was Circle of Life and it was to celebrate family qualities.

  • MBGN: Contestants storm Calabar

    MBGN: Contestants storm Calabar

    •As State Government hosts Queens

    Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Sunday, was agog as 37 contestants, drawn from the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital, and Abuja, stormed the otherwise sleepy state for this year’s edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Pageant.

    Scheduled to hold at the 5, 000-seat capacity Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), the organisers of the event, Silverbird Group, have promised the best ever.

    In a carnival-like atmosphere, Cross River residents stormed the Margaret Ekpo International Airport to receive the bevy of beauty.

    Speaking to newsmen shortly on arrival at the airport, Manager Entertainment, Silverbird Group, Mr. Alozie Uzoukwu said: “The most beautiful and cleanest state in Nigeria, is hosting this year’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant. I promise you a world-class package that will depict real entertainment.”

    As part of activities to ensure that the queens are fully acclimatized, the Cross River State Government organised a cocktail dinner, in which the girls were serenaded to scintillating mixture of drinks, music and dance.

    The event which took place at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel, Tinapa, Calabar, had in attendance the Cross River State deputy governor, Professor Ivara Esu, who represented Governor Ben Ayade, Vice President of Silverbird Group, Guy Murray-Bruce as well as top government functionaries.

    Governor Ayade, who was represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu, described the MBGN as a worthy venture in which the state was proud to collaborate with.

    Acknowledging the international status of the pageant Governor Ayade said: “The Most Beautiful Girls in Nigeria pageant has come to be a major international and national event which is why the state is collaborating the group to take full advantage of to showcase its enormous tourism offerings.”

  • MBGN contestants storm Calabar

    MBGN contestants storm Calabar

    Calabar, the Cross River State capital was last Saturday agog as 37 contestants drawn from the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital, Abuja stormed the otherwise sleepy state for this year’s edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Pageant.

    Scheduled to hold at the 5, 000 seat capacity Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), the organisers of the event, Silverbird Group, have promised the best ever.

    In a carnival-like atmosphere, Cross River residents stormed the Margaret Ekpo International Airport to receive the bevy of beauties.

    Speaking to newsmen shortly on arrival at the airport, Manager Entertainment, Silverbird Group, Mr. Alozie Uzoukwu said: “The most beautiful and cleanest state in Nigeria, is hosting this year’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant. I promise you a world-class package that will depict real entertainment.”

    In his words, Calabar has always been a unique place and this event cannot be an exception in terms of content. “It will be the best show we have ever organised. Mind you, we are also introducing a unique feature in this year’s show. It is the Mother-Daughter Pageant show which is slated for 17th October before the grand finale of the MBGN on the 24th, he said.

    Offering further insight into this year’s event, Uzuokwu adds; “We are bringing to the stage an exceptional bond that exists between the Silverbird and Cross River with a view to sustaining a peaceful coexistence.”

    With the theme of this year’s pageant centered on Climate Change, producer of the show, Juliet Hagarmen noted: “We are molding a queen that will challenge her counterparts at the global arena during the Miss World and Miss Universe Event. So, we are putting up a show that will be accepted internationally.”

    Special Adviser, Governor’s Office and Event Management, Mr. Ken Akhla, disclosed that the state is collaborating with Silverbird Group to package the event to show to the world its innate features of hospitality, warmth and receptiveness in Nigeria.

    Shortly after assuming office, the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf the state government for a 4-year-hosting right with the pageant organizers, Silverbird.

  • Lafogido Ruling House urges review of contestants’ lineage

    As the selection process of the Ooni starts, the Lafogido Ruling House has faulted the Chieftaincy Declaration of 1976 by the Justice Ademola Commission, claiming it erred in its conclusion on issues regarding the true royal families.

    The declaration, which was a review of the 1957 declaration, was gazetted in 1977 by the government of the old Oyo State.

    In a statement by the Head of the ruling house and Sooko Walomo of Ife, Prince Adeleke Adewoyin, the family faulted the commission’s position, saying its members tried to twist the history of the ancient kingdom.

    The house, Adewoyin said, was marginalised in the chieftaincy reviews since the reign of Ooni Lajamisan.

    According to him, the rotational system was introduced during the reign of Ooni Lajemisan, who, he said, had two children – Lajodogun and Lafigido.

    Adewoyin said: “The Lajodogun Ruling House was further split into Ogbooru, Osinkola and Princess Moropo, who had a son named Giesi. Despite that Lafogido had eight children, the family remains an entity.”

  • Foundation expands scope to accommodate more contestants

    Foundation expands scope to accommodate more contestants

    The trio of Master Olatunde Semiloore, Anyaegbunem Obinna and Ogbu Deborah, have come tops in the fourth edition of the Mathematics is simple contest. The trio were presented with medals, awards textbooks and cash prizes as rewards for their feat.

    However, for the first time since it berthed in 2012, Our Generation Foundation (OGF), organiser of the Mathematics is Simple competition spread its dragnet to more contestants beyond Owode-Yewa axis with more contestants accommodated from Yewa-South Ipokia and Ado-Odo/Ota local government which is one of densely populated in Yewa Awori zone hosting over 100 and 50 private and public schools.

    Mathematics is simple contest sponsored by OGF, tasks pupils knowledge of maths without the use of a calculator.

    Owing to this development, OGF a Christian nongovernmental organisation had to use three centres in conducting the first stage of competition in May 2. This year’s competition began its preliminary stage with over 996 contestants cutting across 100 schools. The second phase which was the knockout stage that held same month saw contestants being pruned down to 672 out of which 86 emerged in the final stage that held at AUD Ota, and which produced the 10 finalists for the ground finale.

    Wife of the convener Mrs Gbonjubola Odumusi, urged participants to see the event as a challenge that would motivate them into acquiring knowledge that would make them spontaneous in their response to maths questions.

    “The peculiarity of OGF’s Mathematics is simple competition which are solving mathematics without the use of calculators and giving out solutions to the questions immediately after the exams, have thrilled lots of our participants including teachers, with subsequent improvement at every turn,” she said.

    Despite limited fund, Odumusi said OGF was left with no choice than to expand the scope owing to growing interest of pupils in the competitions.

    “Although we do not have enough resources, yet we want to be fair enough by accommodating more interested contestants due to growing interest and resounding success in past competitions,” she added.

    Some of the pupils and teachers in this competition shared their interest with The Nation.

    “This is a great challenge to me and my colleagues back in school,” said Akinola Lateef Olanrewaju of Area Community High School Owode.  “We really learned we can study mathematics without lots of stress. Solving math without a calculator has taught me to study hard for external examination without thinking of engaging in malpractices.”

    Another participant Ogundele Qawiyat of Yewa(Egbado) College Ilaro also lent her voice  “The programme is germane in eradicating poor performance in Mathematics in Nigeria.”

    A teacher in one of the participating schools Mr Bamidele Lawal, noted that the initiative would further consolidate their efforts and help pupils who are hitherto scared of the subject.

    “We mathematics teachers have been doing our best and I think with a competition like this, the students are more encouraged to study and are now believing more in themselves seeing their colleagues making it.”

    “This programme is an eye-opener and brain -challenging which I believe will energise our coming generation,” added Mr Idowu Joseph of Tayese Community Secondary School. The event wrapped up with other side attractions such as dance and drama presentation.

  • NIGERIAN IDOL: Top 12 contestants unveiled

    NIGERIAN IDOL: Top 12 contestants unveiled

    Optima Media Group (OMG), franchise owners of Nigerian Idol TV Reality Show, has unveiled the last 12 contestants in the on-going season 5 of the show.

    With the announcement, the top 12 most outstanding acts will be squaring up against one another from the week of April 26 for the N7.5 million top spot cash reward as well as other multi-million naira juicy offers, chief among which include a recording deal with South Africa-based Universal Music label, and a brand new SUV car. They had beaten 20 others to make the cut.

    Those who made the cut are; Ogunmoyero Modoluwamu (Dolu), Oyinkepreye Deborah Toun (Preye), Janet Ebiwari Ayoka (Ayoka), Godson Goodluck (Classic Tunez), Ogunrombi Kunle (K-Peace), Esther Aritheshoma Monday (Sther), Adigwe Brenda Ada (Brenda), Ekeoma Victor Chibuzor (Prime), Paul Manuwa (P.Scholes), Okemiri Uloma Margaret (Uloma), Omodele Diana Fatoki (Modele) and Ese-Amadasun Imuetiyan (Nex2).

    For some, making the top 12 list was rather easy, thanks to their stellar performances and the public voting process. Others had to travel the nervy route of uncertainty, happenstance, and the Judges’s Wild Card to get to this stage.

    In the first eviction show featuring 10 contestants from an initial pool of 30, Prime, Dolu and Preye expectedly got the nod ahead of seven others, after posting outstanding performances to position as the top choices of both the judges and the viewing public.

    The second batch, dubbed the ‘group of Death’, saw Brend, Tama Nisa and Nex2 emerging victorious. The third batch threw up the likes of K-Peace, Ayoka and Uloma while Sther, Modele and P.Scholes were picked to complete the puzzle by the judges through the wild card route.

    The unveiling, which took place at the Dream Studios, Ojodu-Omole over the weekend was in association with Show sponsor, Etisalat Nigeria and partners, Payporte, Cool Fm, Tantalizers, Tom-Tom, Zaron, Dabur Toothpaste, So-Klin, ORS and Ellen Suites.

  • Nigerian Idol 5: evictions for 100 contestants begin

    Nigerian Idol 5: evictions for 100 contestants begin

    After a rigorous audition process in five centers across the country, the stage is set for the scaling down of the 100 most outstanding contestants who have been selected to participate in the theatre auditions of the on-going edition of music reality show, Nigerian Idol 5.

    The contestants include 28 golden tickets awardees and other talents whose performances were rated exceptional by Dede Mabiaku, Yinka Davies and Darey Art Alade, the three judges.

    From the 100, a total of 30 contestants are expected to emerge for the call-back phase of the competition.

    Organisers say to arrive at this figure, they will be grouped into sizeable numbers from which individual members will be required to perform different song lines before the celebrity judges. Group members with best individual performances will qualify for the next round of the 3-stage theatre auditions. This process will be repeated until the final 30 emerge.

    Some of the contestants who shared their views expressed confidence in their abilities to scale the hurdle the theatre auditions present to their dream of progressing to the production stage.

    “I feel happy and privileged because getting to this stage is not easy; it has been a serious task for me. I had concluded that should I get to this stage, I will strive to make it to the top 30,” stated Ogunrombi Olakunle (KPeace), who got a golden ticket to qualify for the top 100.

    The Dream Studios, venue of the theatre auditions has recorded scenarios of mixed emotions of hope, disquiet, uncertainties, disappointment and palpable fear of failure among contestants.

    On his expectations from the top 100 contestants, Mabiaku enjoined the contestants to make the most of the opportunity offered at this stage to advance their cause for places among the top 30 expected to emerge from the current number.

    Meanwhile, the last broadcast of the Nigerian Idol season 5 on both terrestrial and satellite stations aired on Saturday and Sunday.

    The eventual winner goes home with N7.5 million cash reward, a brand new car, a recording deal worth N7.5 million and some high-end devices.

  • ‘APC’ll ensure level-playing ground for contestants’

    ‘APC’ll ensure level-playing ground for contestants’

    Hon. Wasiu Sanni-Eshilokun is the Secretary of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, he speaks on zoning and the preparations for primaries.

    How prepared is the party for the primaries?

    The most important thing is that we are going to conduct our party primaries in accordance with the laid down rules. This will be done according to the directives of the executive of the party. We want to assure everybody that there will be a level-playing ground and everybody will be carried along. At present, we are working on the guidelines for the congresses and the national convention. So, we are going to conduct the primaries according to the directives of the party.

    What is the assurance that your party will sweep the poll next year?

    For us in the APC, we know that the election is about the people. It is about what you have been able to bring to the table. What did you achieve in the education sector? What   are your achievements in  infrastructural development such as  roads, health and what have you? When we look at our score card in Lagos State, I have no doubt that we have met the aspiration of the people.

    There are calls for consensus candidates to foster unity in the party. What is your position?

    In every party, even in developed part of the world, they also use consensus. Even where consensus arrangement is adopted, the primaries will still hold to satisfy those opposed to the arrangement even if they are  in minority.because  . This is allowed because we are in democracy. When majority decides, the minority is still allowed to have their say. It is their right. I want to say they still have to go to the primaries and what we are doing at this level is to make sure that everything works according to the rules of the party. Even where there is a consensus, there would still be need for a convention, where the consensus candidate has to be affirmed. The affirmation must be more than those saying nay. Where there is none, we are going to conduct primaries. How is the party handing the issue of zoning and religion?

    The party in its wisdom has zoned the governorship position to Lagos East. But, what we are saying is that if there is anybody from the Lagos Central and Lagos West that there should be primaries, because they are contesting. Nobody has shut the doors against such aspirants. We are not going to say don’t contest because you are from Lagos Island or Mainland. There will still be primaries. The party has just given a policy directive. We are not going to exclude the person because you are from Lagos Central. We will allow him to go to the primaries. All those who showed interest will be allowed to go through the primaries and basically the decision lies with members of the party. The APC will hold its primaries and there will be a national convention. All those who signify interest in any elective position will be allowed to contest at the primaries.

    People have accused the APC of lacking internal mechanism for crisis resolution…

    It is normal that some people felt aggrieved with the outcome of the recent congresses at the ward and local government levels. In this type of situation, all we should do is to reconcile. The party is not resting on its oars. I can assure you that all our aggrieved party members will be reconciled.

    Do you have confidence that  INEC under Prof. Attahiru Jega will conduct credible elections next year?

    The National Assembly should do what is right; it must remove INEC from appendage of the Federal Government. It must ensure that it has independent revenue to be able to perform its statutory responsibilities without interference. INEC must not wait for the Presidency to be able to function. It must be removed from the appendages of the Federal Government. It must be made financially buoyant and independent to function well. INEC’s finances must be taken from the collective wealth of the nation. That is when you can say that this INEC will be independent or what have you. The mode of appointing people into INEC does not augur well for democracy. The National Assembly must look at all of these. It should look at how people are appointed to the body and ensure that those who are not politically affiliated are the ones who get into the electoral body. Appointment into INEC should be based purely on professional grounds and not by political party affiliation. When you have biased people as members of INEC, you cannot be too sure they will conduct credible election. My appeal as they are considering the amendment of the constitution, they must consider the act that establishes INEC. They must ensure that INEC is truly independent.

    The PDP appears to be on resurgence in the Southwest. Would it constitute a serious threat in next year’s general elections?

    Let me say that the movement is not based on popular will. It is based on imagination. In Ekiti, what they did prior to the election by arresting some leaders of the APC is bad. They created fear in the minds of the people. They used the police and soldiers to intimidate the people who would have voted for the APC. The same thing was repeated in Osun, but the APC was wiser; we were able to re-orientate our members, to ensure there is no power vacuum. It is something like, if Mr. A was arrested Mr. B should take over and continue the mobilisation and if B is arrested Mr. C should take over and must not be cowed. The Nigeria police and army must not begin to subvert the will of the Nigerian people. It cannot continue this way.

    In Ekiti, the local governments created by your party were scrapped by the new government. How do you see this?

    That is a gross misconduct. What he should have done was to create another law or send a bill to the Ekiti State House of Assembly to abrogate the law that created the local government. In democracy, you must obey the laws of the land. If you don’t send another bill to the House to abrogate it, your action would be null and void. It is only the House that can do that. Otherwise you wait till the time when you have control of the assembly before you do that.  

  • Gulder Ultimate Search: Contestants recount arduous life in jungle

    Gulder Ultimate Search: Contestants recount arduous life in jungle

    A contestant in the ongoing Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) reality show, Chinedu  Ubachukwu, has advised friends and family members to think deeply before applying for GUS in the future.

    According to the University of Port Harcourt graduate, would-be contestants must brace up for tough times, as staying in the jungle could be very harsh and unpleasant.

    Ubachukwu, who is a member of the Orange team in the 11th season of the show, stressed that he would discourage loved ones from competing on the show.

     

    He said: “To be sincere, if I should leave here, I won’t advise a loved one to come here. But the loved one may think I don’t want him to progress in life. Because he or she may think that I’ve come and I’ve made it and I don’t want him or her to make it. But here in the jungle, it is really tough.”

    Ironically, the graduate of Petroleum and Gas Engineering had dreamt of being in the jungle for the show, ever since he was young. It would be recalled that prior to entering the Aguleri forest, he said, “Gulder Ultimate Search is the first reality show I grew up watching and I have always admired the participants and I have always imagined myself in the jungle. I’m so happy and feel so fortunate to have made the last 14 this year.”

    Otto Canon is another contestant who only got on the show after four unsuccessful attempts. He too, admits that competing on the programme is very tough. “There’s so much difference between watching Gulder Ultimate Search on TV and experiencing it in reality. When you watch the show on TV, you really can’t tell what the feelings are like.”

    On his experience this far, Canon said: “I’ve come to appreciate food so much that the least piece of rice or gari means so much to me right now. At home, I don’t eat left over gari, but right now, I don’t care. At home, I’m very conscious of the water I drink. I will rinse the tumbler which I want to use to drink water, because I am particular about the tumbler being clean. Right now, I am very comfortable drinking water from the stream. The jungle is a place that humbles you and kills your pride.”

    Sharon Robinson, who finally got in after failing twice challenged anyone who thinks that GUS is easy to fill in the form and try next year.

    Evidently, life in the jungle has been a stark contrast to the luxuries of city life which the contestants are used to. The 14 contestants have had to depend on rain and stream water to quench their thirst, even after competing in grueling games. Their sleep has been cut short when it rains, because the palm fronds which serve as the roof of their huts sometimes fails to provide them the needed cover.

    The contestants have had to depend on palm kernels and ‘baby’ sugarcane which sprout from the grounds not too far from their jungle abode.

    Dr. Ikenna Emedike, one of the contestants, incurred the wrath of the Council of Elders and was almost evicted for taking cassava without authorisation. His action was considered as stealing. He gave the excuse of hunger and the desperate need to survive in the jungle.

    “When I was walking to the stream, I saw a heavily weeded farm looking like it had been abandoned for years. So I looked at it carefully and when I saw there was a cassava sprout, I felt it was abandoned. If it had been properly weeded, I wouldn’t have touched it. However, I admit stealing it, because it wasn’t my farm. It was just about survival,” he said.

    Notwithstanding, the show anchor man, Chidi Mokeme, described his act as shameful. Ikenna, alongside Otto Canon, his partner in the Indigo team, however appealed for forgiveness from the rest of the clan. Even though they were forgiven, the team lost three points.

    For the first time on the show, contestants were paired into groups of two members each. They were asked to pick up circular objects from a calabash and the two that picked the same colour formed a clan. There were seven colours in all – representing the colours of the rainbow. They were also instructed to wear colour-matching bandanas provided for them at all times.

    While the Indigo Team is made up of Otto Canon and Ikenna Emedike, the Blue team has Addoh Evi and Iroh Noella. Blessing Eriata and Loretta Erijakpor formed the Green team; Sandra Nwagbagiro and Chinedu Ubachukwu made up the Orange team; Samantha Appi and Sharon Robinson are the Red team; Emmanuel Afolabi and Joshua Nwagboso are the Yellow team, while Iwuoha Ikenna and Cosy Joe formed the purple team.

    The teams would garner points from various tasks, with the winning team getting seven points while the losing team would be awarded one point.

    After four games, Team Blue currently leads with an overall score of 22 points, followed by Indigo which has 19 points. Teams Purple, Orange and Yellow currently occupy the third, fourth and fifth positions with 17, 15 and 11 points respectively. The Red team is in sixth position with 10 points while the Green team is the lowest ranked with six points.

    The show airs daily on African Magic World (DSTV), Real -Stars (Star Times), Minaj TV Obosi (Terrestrial), Ebony Life TV (DSTV), Galaxy TV (Lagos, Ibadan and Ondo), Hip TV (DSTV & GoTV), Nigezie (Star Times) and WapTV (Star Times) from 10pm to 11pm, and on the AIT Network (Terrestrial) from 10:30pm to 11:30pm.

     

  • GUS 11: 14 contestants hit Aguleri jungle in canoes

    GUS 11: 14 contestants hit Aguleri jungle in canoes

    I’m very happy to receive all of you here in Anambra and I commend your wisdom in choosing Anambra for the Gulder Ultimate Search. The choice of Aguleri is commendable. You are going to find very interesting places in our state.

    Gov. Willie Obiano

    Both Aguleri and Umueri, the one-time warring ‘twin’ communities in Anambra State, came alive last Wednesday when the indigenes turned out in large number to welcome the 14 youngsters enlisted in this year’s edition of Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) reality show.

    Merely divided by a narrow but tarred road, the indigenes lined up on their side of town, waving and cheering the contestants, who made their way towards two waiting canoes at the bank of River Niger, from where they paddled their way to the Aguleri forest, venue of the contest, for 28 days.

    As it was with the past 10 editions of the show, the lucky 14, who emerged from a series of rigorous screening exercises for the 11th season, are expected to search for a hidden treasure (The Cube) in the adventure aptly tagged The Mission.

    The contestants, made up of seven males and seven females, include Iwuoha Ikenna, Nwagboso, Joshua, Emedike Ikenna, Nne Cosy Joe, Ubachukwu, Chinedu, Otto, Canon Chimenem, Afolabi Emmanuel Olusegun, Iroh Noela, Appi Samantha, Erijakpor Loretta, Robinson Sharon, Eriata Blessing Ese, Addoh Evi and Nwagbagiro Sandra.

    Dressed in Igbo traditional attires, they all moved to the jungle after receiving royal blessing from the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Augustine Chukwuemeka Eri, Eze Aka ji Ofor Igbo of Enugu Aguleri, who prayed for the success of the show.

    The previous day, the contestants and officials of Nigerian Breweries Plc., manufacturers of the Gulder brand, had been received by the state governor, Mr. Willie Obiano. They included Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser; Emmanuel Agu, Marketing Manager, Gulder, Legend and Life; Onyeka Okoli, Senior Brand Manager, Gulder and Seun Lawal, Brand Manager, Gulder.

    In his remarks, Gov. Willie Obiano expressed satisfaction that the Gulder brand deemed the Aguleri jungle of Anambra State fit enough to host the 11th edition of Gulder Ultimate Search.

    “I’m very happy to receive all of you here in Anambra and I commend your wisdom in choosing Anambra for the Gulder Ultimate Search. The choice of Aguleri is commendable. You are going to find very interesting places in our state,” said Obiano who urged the delegation to visit some of the sites in Anambra State.

    He further said: “If you take time out to visit Anambra, you will see where Gad was buried. If you are familiar with the story of the missing tribe in Israel, from the lineage of Jacob, Gad led the team through this side of the world. And he was believed to be the progenitor of the Igbo race with Aguleri as the first son. You can also visit the St. Joseph Catholic Church, where you will find out more about the Blessed Father Iwene Tansi. We are leaders in many areas. That is why we are the light of the nation.”

    Explaining how the Nigerian Breweries team arrived at the choice of Aguleri for the show to Governor Obiano, Ekanem revealed that although three states lobbied for the hosting, the compass rested on Anambra without any form of influence.”Without any push from Anambra or any lobbying from Anambra, just by putting the yardsticks, the mechanisms and the criteria on the table, it was clear to us that we would come to Anambra State for the Gulder Ultimate Search 11,” he said.

    He also revealed that the team narrowed the choice of the location down to Aguleri from a list of three Anambra locations.

    As suggested by the governor, an indigene of Aguleri, the contestants also visited St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where Reverend Father Christopher Odina shed more light on the history of the church and the late Father Iwene Tansi.

    One of the contestants on this season, Noella Iroh, described her experience as refreshing, educating and entertaining. She said: “I’ve been able to learn about Eri, the son of Gad and the seventh son of Jacob. I’ve also learnt about the three trees that grew independently with their roots joined. It is amazing. I’m grateful to Nigerian Breweries Plc., I’m grateful to the Igwe and I’m grateful to the entire Aguleri Kingdom.”

    On her expectations while in the jungle, she said: “I’m excited about going to the jungle. I am having mixed feelings. I am happy; I am excited and my blood is pumping. I don’t know what to expect, but I have an open mind and whatever comes, I take it.”

    While the ultimate winner will go home with N10 million and a brand new SUV, the second, third and fourth placed winners will earn N3 million, N2.5 million and N1.5 million respectively. When evicted, the remaining contestants will win various sums, ranging from N1.5 million to N1 million.

    The daily highlights of the show are expected to start airing on national terrestrial and satellite TV stations from October 3, to October 30.