Tag: Gulder Ultimate Search

By 11:00pm today, when the final episode of this year’s edition of Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) will air, a new winner will be known.

The would-be winner would have beaten three other finalists, to discover the mythical General’s Helmet, a symbol of this year’s search, aptly tagged The Mission.

The contest has been keen for the 14 contestants selected from over 40,000 applicants to enter the Aguleri jungle, located in Anambra State. With 10 already shown the door, the final battle is among Otto Canon, a 25-year-old undergraduate; Nne Cosy Joe, a 28-year-old graduate of Agric Science; Emmanuel Afolabi, a 29-year-old undergraduate and 24-year-old Chinedu Ubachukwu, also an undergraduate.

No doubt, for these four, the journey to the final stage of the show has been long and tortuous, having scaled several phases, including what organisers called the precision, survivor and innovation stages.

Although the finalists now hold significant positions in the history of the eleventh edition of GUS, having been inducted into what organisers call ‘Elite Squad of the great General’s Army’, the big question is, who becomes the Ultimate Man or Woman, as the last intrigue is launched tonight; who will take home the grand prize of a brand new SUV in addition to N10 million prize money?

Airing their thoughts in a previous broadcast, Chinedu said Otto is strong in solving riddles but weak in solving puzzles. Chinedu also pointed out that Emmanuel is not too good with puzzles. He further revealed that Cosy is better at solving puzzles and not very good with riddles.

Emmanuel said he never thought he could get to the final stage in the competition. He also confessed that he was not good with puzzles. Emmanuel however said he is working on improving his puzzle-solving skill. He said: “Over time, I have learnt to stay calm, paint a mental picture before I start working, and while I am working with my hands, my head is thinking ahead.”

Emmanuel described Chinedu as a proud and arrogant person. He hinted that these attributes may lead to his downfall. Cosy corroborated Emmanuel’s claims. He said: “Chinedu is erratic and the type of confidence he has may also be suicidal.”

In Cosy’s assessment, Emmanuel is good with riddles but not with puzzles. He however described himself as someone who can be easily beaten in riddles. “They can beat me in riddles. It’s always funny when someone uses his own knowledge to set a question for me and you expect me to get the answer,” he said.

Otto also confessed that he was not too good with solving puzzles. His fate of continuing in Gulder Ultimate Search 11 hangs in the balance as he failed Episode 25’s Code Box task.

For the first time in three years, no female contestant made it to the finals, as Samantha Appi, who became the last woman standing was evicted in Episode 25, for failing the ‘Infinity task’.

However, her performance in the reality TV programme has been described as courageous by fellow contestants, being the ‘smallest’ of the seven female contestants.

As the last woman standing, Samatha said she felt very good, adding that she thoroughly enjoyed her stay as a contestant.

She said: “It’s not really about my size but about my thinking capabilities. And most of the time, my size was my motivation. People thought I will not be able to do some things because they think I am fragile. But I look at myself and I tell myself; I know I can do this even though people think I can’t do it.”

Also for the first time in the history of GUS, the last woman standing gets a brand new Ford Eco sport. This is in addition to the amount that will accrue to her as the fifth placed contestant.

Interestingly, there is a third opportunity for a car prize, as the contestant who emerges as winner of the on-going Viewers’ Choice award also gets a brand new Ford Focus car.

The show is broadcast on Africa 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 from 10:30pm to 11:30pm.

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.

Leeway has come the way of 30 aspirants, out of thousands that applied for this year’s edition of the popular Gulder Ultimate Search reality show.

As part of the prerequisites for selecting the finalists, a swimming fest is expected to confirm the applicants’ eligibility for the tough terrains of the show, which may contain waters, hills and rocks.

Organisers say those shortlisted for the next stage had passed the rigorous physical and swimming exercises, as well as interviews and medical examinations, and have been invited to Lagos to undergo further screening at the Lagos Leadership and Training School, otherwise called Sea School.

The show, which enters its 11th edition this year, draws the 30 contestants from regional auditions which took place in Lagos, Benin, Awka and Port Harcourt.

The build-up to Gulder Ultimate Search 11, has witnessed many changes; which Onyeka Okoli, Senior Brand Manager, Gulder – Nigerian Breweries Plc., said is geared towards giving TV audiences a great viewing experience.

Interestingly, a new element in Gulder Ultimate Search 11 is the return of the Sea School exercise regimen, as there are indications that Aguleri, the choice site for the next show, is a riverine community in Anambra State.

Priding itself as Nigeria’s first and longest running reality TV programme, the Sea School exercise regimen is expected to run from August 27 to 29.

Okoli said: “We promised the ardent viewers and fans of Gulder Ultimate Search that this year’s edition would be different from that of previous seasons. We have managed to spring quite a few surprises such as the new rigorous exercise regimes at the regional selections with the latest being the re-introduction of the Sea School training. Our viewers and the contestants should prepare for a life time experience. GUS will still spring a few more surprises. I can only urge the viewing public to stay tuned and expect the unexpected.”

AS the registration into the Gulder Ultimate Search winds down, young men and women, who may have missed the opportunity of going in for the competition, have been afforded a chance of beating the July 31deadline.

The Gulder brand has opened registration points at popular malls to ensure that all eligible Nigerians are given a chance to participate in the search this year. While interested individuals are required to register online, the brand has also made it possible for interested participants to register with the assistance of specially trained personnel.

On Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27, the brand will hold special activations at the Ikeja City Mall, Lagos. This will afford interested members of the public the opportunity of physically registering for Gulder Ultimate Search 11, thereby bringing them an inch closer to winning the ultimate prize of N10 million and a brand new SUV.

Booths will be set up, fully equipped with Internet access to aid young men and women in the registration process. This activation is coming on the heels of similar exercises held in Enugu and Port Harcourt on July 19 and 20, respectively.

Explaining the rationale behind the mall activations, Mr Emmanuel Agu, Marketing Manager, Gulder, Legend and Life -Nigerian Breweries Plc. said: “This year, we have decided to continue with the tradition of giving Nigerians who are interested in registering for Gulder Ultimate Search 11 the opportunity to do so. We recognise that Internet access may be a challenge for some people who are willing to participate, which is why we have literally brought the registration to their doorsteps.”