How 18 Nigerians Scaled Through To Become Gulder Ultimate Search Contestants
The biggest survival reality TV show, Gulder Ultimate Search, is back, and Season 12 kicked off with a bang.
As with previous seasons, Gulder Ultimate Search seeks the strongest and fittest Nigerian who will spend weeks in the jungle to prove themselves the ultimate winner. With over 20,000 applications in the space of eleven days, regional screenings in Lagos, Enugu and Abuja were tough to eliminate those who wouldn’t survive the realities of the jungle.
Forty participants made it through to the next stage and had to face the rigours of boot camp to prove their strength. Remember the Man O’ War training from NYSC? This was ten times more grilling. The forty ran through several training courses that challenged their speed, endurance, eye to hand coordination and ability to swim.
Some dropped off immediately, while others seemed to shine amidst the complex tasks as the day progressed. We saw some faces stand out during the challenges. Gerald Odeka was one of them as he breezed through the tasks with the ease of a ranger.
Eighteen contestants were chosen as the combatants who will face each other in the jungle. With the new season themed ‘Age of Craftsmanship’, we can’t wait to see how they will conquer the challenging quests to become the ultimate champion.
Who will it be? Find out as Gulder Ultimate Search airs Every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv channel 151), Africa Magic Urban (DStv channel 153) and Africa Magic Family (DStv channel 154 & GOtv channel 2).
Gulder Ultimate Search Season 12 began on Saturday, October 16, and 18 adventurers have made their way back to the Age of Craftsmanship to start their search for the hidden treasure.
The 18 contestants will compete for the over ₦50 million prize, the secret to the craftsman’s special brew and the glory of being the ultimate champion.
Initially, sixteen of them made the final selection, while four wildcards were selected for the public to secure their spots. Nigerians chose the last two to join the others in the jungle.
Here are the contestants:
1. Adedamola Adewale Johnson
Damola is a 26-year-old film director and writer. He studied Zoology at the University of Lagos but didn’t practice it and chased his passion for art. For Damola, what drives him is the need to become a better person and pursue his dreams. And he believes that is what Gulder Ultimate Search is all about.
Damola also works as a business developer within the tech industry. He considers himself to be unique with his combination of brains and precision. He owns a motion picture company and hopes his movie will be on the big screen one day.
2. Chidimma Veronica Okeibe
Chidimma is a 29-year-old Human Resources manager and a project assistant. She hails from the Umuonyeukwu autonomous community in Ikeduru LGA in Imo State. Having participated in student politics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Chidimma believes she has the leadership qualities to win the ultimate prize. She’s a teacher and has a passion for teaching the younger generation how to make the right career choice.
Gulder Ultimate Search gives her a platform to vocalise her passions and has already given her some training experience that has changed her outlook on life. She says she is on the show for the adventure and to achieve a better life.
3. Damilola Opeoluwa Odedina
Damilola is a 25-year-old cinematographer and a video editor who hails from Ogun State. He has a first degree in Economics and a postgraduate degree in Journalism. He values honesty and accountability and is a firm believer in God. His passion for sports and activities led him to audition for Gulder Ultimate Search.
He also has a passion for sports development and hopes to be a catalyst to transform the Nigerian sports sector. He believes that “service to humanity is the best work of life” and that every gift and talent one possesses should be for the good of people around them.
4. Emmanuel Ifeanyi Nnebe
Emmanuel is a 29-year-old paralegal and a model hailing from Anambra State. He was the face of Sapphire 2020. Emmanuel has always wanted to be a part of something bigger and step out of his comfort zone, and part of that was applying for Gulder Ultimate Search. According to him, he’s on the show because of the money and his love for adventure.
He is self-motivated with a desire to be a lawyer someday. He plans to start a fashion school if he wins Gulder Ultimate Search. He is writing a book and looks forward to publishing it soon.
5. Esitima Francis Edem
Esitima Edem is a 24-year-old graduate of accounting from the University of Port Harcourt. She is also a model and a caterer. The aspiring model hopes to become the first female winner of Gulder Ultimate Search.
She runs an NGO which takes care of the needy by providing their basic needs (clothes, food, etc.) and hopes to use the prize money to enlarge her efforts and grow her catering business. She plans to model for a major brand. She thinks she has all it takes to beat the world and come out tops.
6. Gerald Oghenemeka Odeka
Gerald Odeka, known as Speedstar, is a 35-year-old professional athlete. He won Gold, Silver and Bronze at the 2012 edition of the National Sports Festival and was at the World Athletics Championship in Russia in 2013. He also works with the paramilitary.
As a father of five, Gerald has a soft heart towards children and works with an orphanage which he hopes to expand if he wins the prize money. He plans to run a sporting bar, return to school and set up a business for his wife if he wins the ₦50 million prize. He also hopes to bring good content to the show and create a platform for himself that he plans to build on after the show.
7. Iniabasi Eme Umoren
Iniabasi is a 26-year old computer technology graduate. Following his passion for music, he is a singer and a music producer. He won the ‘Kill Ma Beat’ competition in 2018 and goes by the stage name “Saint Bond”. According to him, he has a production credit on DJ Cuppy’s album.
Ini has a black belt (Shotokan karate), and he plans to entertain the viewers and says he will be the “life of the party” during the show. If he wins the ₦50 million prize, Iniabasi plans to give back to his community through charity and promote his music career.
8. Jennifer Goodness Okorie
Jennifer is a 22-year-old student of philosophy at Delta State University. Knowing she wanted to compete on Gulder Ultimate Search, Jennifer learnt how to swim ahead of the competition as that would have been her major hurdle.
She is an athlete, runs a small fashion business, and loves listening to different genres of music. She plans to be a broadcaster at graduation. In its 11-season run, no lady has won the reality show, but the 22-year-old athlete wants to be the first ultimate woman.
9. Mfon Mikel Esin
Mfon Esin is a 27-year-old freelance writer, model. He’s passionate about entertainment, enjoys the game of soccer and is an ardent supporter of Arsenal FC. He likes adventure, writing and reading. In 2013, he made it to the final selection stage of GUS but was not selected as a contestant, and now he is determined to make the most of it.
He says he is a Casanova and considers himself uniquely charming. He dislikes injustice and would go to any length to ensure people are treated right. He aims to be the Ultimate man and wants to rewrite the history of Gulder Ultimate Search with his story.
10. Odudu Ime Otu
Odudu is a 22-year-old student of business and an athlete. He enjoys playing basketball and sees Lebron James as his role model. Odudu decided to go for Gulder Ultimate Search to help his mom take care of the family.
He wants to be a model and owns his Not-For-Profit Organisation. His dream is to play basketball at a professional level and also be a business consultant.
11. Olayinka Gabriel Omoya
Olayinka is a 26-year-old graduate of Bowen University who is an artiste, a writer and a content creator. He considers himself to be pleasant and down to earth and has a great sense of humour. He hopes to be an A-list musician and redefine the afro-pop genre.
He is very determined to win the Gulder Ultimate Search Season 12. He hopes to be an A-list musician, redefine pop music, and use the prize money to boost his music career.
12. Omokhafe Racheal Bello
Omokhafe is a 34-year-old realtor and entrepreneur from Edo State. She is a microbiology graduate from Ahmadu Bello University and owns a soap brand.
Racheal is a good cook and likes to sing. In her spare time, she indulges in her part-time passion for tie-dye. She hopes to establish her cosmetic business and poultry farm if she emerges as the Ultimate Woman.
13. Opeyemi Samuel Ishmael
Samuel is a 35-year-old IT expert with a multinational company in Nigeria. He is working towards becoming a Scrum Master in the next year. He plays basketball for leisure and also loves mountain climbing. Already, he has climbed three mountains and has a target to climb four mountains before the middle of 2022.
He had made five attempts in the past to be on the GUS show but failed. Now that he is here after several years of trial, Samuel hopes to be a brand ambassador for Gulder, and he believes we should ‘never give up on things you find achievable.’
14. Orevaoghene Godswill Oboh
Oreva is a 25-year-old businessman and a graduate of Electrical Electronics. He is an MC and runs his own event lighting company, which he founded in 2019.
He plays the bass guitar and is also a model. His dream is to grow his business and offer unique services. Oreva plans to set up a standard fitness centre and standardise his event lighting business if he wins the GUS ₦50 million prize.
15. Osasere Agbonile JNR
Osas is a 32-year-old fitness instructor, a model who plays football in his State amateur league. He is the third child in a family of five. He grew up in a military family, seeing his dad give back to the country, which inspired the same selflessness. He applied for the Nigerian Defense Academy 11 times but couldn’t get in.
Osas dreams of owning his own NGO to cater to the less privileged, with a desire to give them hope for a better future. He likes to enjoy life behind the camera as a part-time actor. He is a personal fitness trainer and also has an online fitness platform. He hopes to use the prize money to help the community.
16. Solomon Yankari
Solomon is a 26-year-old fitness instructor, a personal trainer and owns a gym in Bauchi. He loves to explore and is the reason why he hikes and organises boot camps for fitness enthusiasts. He is working towards building a fitness and music community. He aspires to be successful in the fitness industry and to build a gym franchise. He also sees fitness as a way of helping people build a healthier life and to be better versions of themselves.
17. Tobechukwu Okoye
Tobechukwu is a 26-year-old technician, car tracker installer and part-time student. He enjoys watching football and is a fan of Real Madrid. He’s intelligent, creative and wouldn’t shy away from any challenge that comes his way. He plans to change his career and family’s current situation if he wins the GUS Season 12.
18. Tosin Michael Emiola
Tosin is 33-year-old and works as an air traffic control simulator officer at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Kaduna. He has mastered the art of multitasking and can read, write, speak, and talk simultaneously without losing concentration, and he has a flair for MCing and being a talk show host.
He is married and has a daughter. Tosin is a good cook and has a fresh, organic and undiluted tomato paste business which he hopes to turn into one of the biggest brands in the country. This is Tosin’s 5th attempt, and he has finally made it to the Jungle. Tosin doesn’t plan to play second fiddle, but be the Ultimate man.
Which of these men and women will become the ultimate champion? We’ll watch to find out.
Gulder Ultimate Search airs every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv channel 151), Africa Magic Urban (DStv channel 153) and Africa Magic Family (DStv channel 154 & GOtv channel 2).
on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 pm till 9 pm.
