Gulder Ultimate Search: Episode 18 (Michael’s Misfortune Ends His GUS Quest)

Just a day earlier, the warriors learnt lessons in cohesion and team-spiritedness. But for the particular day’s challenge, they were to abide by the age-long jungle mantra: take out a fellow contender or be taken out. It was going to be the survival of the fittest. It was every warrior for him or herself.

The appearance of Dominic Mudabai, the third and final gatekeeper meant a sure eviction. The game was the ‘Pot of Life’. Each of the remaining eight warriors had three pots with their names inscribed on them, hanging from a beam. Warriors were to aim axes at fellow warriors’ pots. The first warrior to have three of his pots smashed was the loser. The warrior whose pot remained hanging would emerge winner.

The warriors appeared in painted faces and shouted war chants before aiming their axes at fellow warriors’ pots. In the first round, Priscillia Ezeh smashed Ogbuefi Michael’s pot while Ifet Iniobong struck Nuhu Zigwayi’s pot. Micheal appeared to dig his own grave when he successfully aimed and smashed his own pot. As of the end of the first round, Michael had two pots down.

The stakes were raised when Chidi Mokeme, the Anchor, directed that warriors should call out the name of the person whose pot they aimed to smash. No pots were smashed in the second round. In the third round of axe-swinging, Ifet ‘buried’ Michael when he called out his name and successfully smashed his pot. It was a death knell to Michael’s dream of becoming the Ultimate Champion. He was asked to hand over his Golden Key to Dominic the Gatekeeper and he was evicted on the spot.

Adah James heaved a sigh of relief as Michael’s Gulder Ultimate Search 9 journey came to an end. James’s pots were the most targeted as warrior after warrior called out his name as the contender whose pot they wanted to smash. It was either that the urge to smash his pots was too tempting or a majority wanted him out of the competition.

Chidi soon observed that majority of the warriors deliberately missed targets when they swung their axes. He directed Dominic the Gatekeeper to break the pot of warriors that miss their targets on three consecutive throws. The warriors later lost a pot each after missing their target.

In the end, Paschal’s pot remained hanging as the others lay shattered on the task ground. He was not only made Head Warrior, he was presented the only surviving pot to hang at their camp as a memorabilia of victory. Chidi chided the remaining warriors for their poor performance.

Chidi also directed that the warriors should properly paint their faces so that they would bear real semblance to warriors. He also asked them to make totems which would reflect their personalities and their ethnic origins and present to him at their next meeting.

James became the second contender to bear the burden of the Stump of Shame.

For more exciting episodes of Gulder Ultimate Search 9, the Gatekeeper’s Fortune, stay tuned to the following stations: AIT, AfricaMagic World (DStv), Real Star (StarTimes), Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) and ITV (Benin) at 10pm WAT.