Gulder Ultimate Search Season 9: Episode 1

Chidi Mokeme returns as Anchorman for Gulder Ultimate Search 9! As the search began showing on terrestrial and national TV yesterday, Chidi took viewers through the regional screening exercises held in Benin, Owerri, Makurdi and Lagos.

As it is customary in the Gulder Ultimate Search, every intending contestant must go through specified physical, mental and clinical exercises to qualify for the show. This year, more than 35,000 people applied to take part in the reality TV programme.

In the same vein, every individual hoping to qualify for Gulder Ultimate Search has to run a 400 metres race, squat for a couple of minutes and make a dash to pick up a ball out of several balls.

Many of the contestants crashed like pack of cards as they could not muster the strength to complete the race. Some contestants completely lost their breath and stopped in their tracks. Others ran at snail-speed and simply could not catch up with fellow contestants.
The stamina and endurance of many of the contestants failed them during the squatting exercise. Many wobbled and fell, marking the end to their dream of competing in Gulder Ultimate Search 8.

All contestants also have to go through swimming. As the Gulder Ultimate Search contestants are led to the pool, officials ask those who have passed the earlier mentioned physical exercises, if they can swim. The contestants all claim they can swim – until they all get into the pool. Evidently unskilled in the art of wading their way through the waters, many are rescued by floaters and divers. Some later confessed on camera that they are clueless about what swimming entails. Some others blame it on lack of practice, ailments and many other funny excuses.

If sympathy could qualify contestants for Gulder Ultimate Search, Blessing Obatimehin would have been among the 12 selected for this year’s Search. According to her, she arrived the venue of the regional screening very late into the night.

She narrated her ordeal: “When I came here yesterday, I suffered. The road was so bad. I got to this stadium around 9:30pm. I met two good Samaritans. I explained my situation to them and they decided to help me.” But for the two complete strangers who accommodated her that night, she may have slept out in the cold that night. Sadly, she was dropped at the interview stage.

Simon Ishagba, another hopeful based in Kaduna, arrived Benue State late because the roads were bad. Speaking of his experience, he said: “On our way, it rained cats and dogs and almost all the vehicles that took the road had accidents, but our vehicle was not affected. But when we arrived Makurdi, I could not locate anywhere to sleep because I did not know anywhere in that town” He had to pass the night at a motor car park. Despite surmounting these hurdles, he was also dropped.

Another individual who also claimed to be a student of a tertiary institution was confronted with two choices: Either to sit for his exams or give Gulder Ultimate Search 9 a shot. He was torn between passing and getting better grades and N9.5 million and a brand new SUV. He ended up losing on both sides. He missed his exams and was also dropped for this year’s Gulder Ultimate Search. Was it a risk worth taking? Well what’s life devoid of risks?

We however promise more as the show continues tonight on the following stations: AIT, AfricanMagic World (DStv) and Real Star (StarTimes) by 10pm WAT.