Gulder Ultimate Search: Episode 27 (Warriors Evoke Past Jungle Memories; Prepare For Final Showdown)

Chidi Mokeme, the Anchor man, paid an early morning visit to the Gulder Ultimate Search 9 warriors’ camp. He ordered the four remaining warriors to pack all their belongings and bare necessities and exit their camp for the third time. They were directed to meet him at the look-out point.

What the remaining warriors assumed may be an eviction task turned out to be a tête-à-tête with the Anchor man. He took them down memory lane as they reminisced over their aspirations and experiences on Gulder Ultimate Search 9. All remaining warriors made no pretensions about their desires to become the Ultimate Hero.

James Adah said he grossly underestimated the level of discomfort the GUS 9 contestants had to bear while in the jungle. James thought they would be starved for a day or maybe two. They had to go three days without food and two days without water. They were also not allowed the luxury of their toothbrushes. They resorted to chewing sticks for mouth hygiene.

Nuhu Zigwayi said the fact that they had to embark on tasks in the night, changing camps on several occasions and rationing the little food made available to them, beat his imagination.

Onyinye Udodi, the last female contestant standing said she wants to make history as the first ever heroine to find the fortune. She was bent on going through all the tasks, adding that the journey has been strenuous. She stated: “I have bruises all over my body, I have pains. The rainy days were nothing to write home about. They were cold days and they made my bones very stiff. The bamboo bed is not comfortable at all. It is not my choice of comfort. It’s terrible.” Well, Gulder Ultimate Search is designed to stretch contestants to the very limit of their endurance.

For Paschal Eronmose, the competition started on a ‘smooth and cosy note’ until the tasks gradually became strenuous, gruelling and sometimes almost unbearable. He remarked that all remaining warriors should look back with pride at their achievements on the show.

James did not believe that Onyinye, Paschal and Nuhu would make it to the final stages of the competition. Instead, he pictured Ogbuefi Michael, Ifet Iniobong and Ujam Emmanuel – all fallen warriors in various stages of Gulder Ultimate Search 9 – trying to wrest the Gulder Ultimate Search 9 crown out of his grip. “But they have shocked my imagination” he confessed.

Nuhu did not underestimate any of his fellow warriors. He was however amazed at the vigour, fervour and strength with which they tackled the most strenuous of their challenges, despite not eating for days.

Onyinye visualised both James and Nuhu among the final four warriors because of the former’s strength and the latter’s aggressiveness. Paschal was not on her initial list of finalists because she perceived him to be quiet, slow and steady.

Paschal’s first impression of James was that of a talkative and an argumentative person who imposes his views on others. He however said James turned out to be the listening type. He also admitted he was wrong about Nuhu whom he initially thought was picked as part of the daring dozen because of the geo-political zone he came from. He concurred with Onyinye’s description of Nuhu as aggressive.

Chidi soon left after the ‘heart talk’ while warriors took a nap at the look-out point. By sunset, they made their way to an abandoned mill which one of their clues led them to. They also tried to make sense of the pieces of clues which they had received from the inception of the competition.

They soon laid their head to rest in preparation for the final showdown of Gulder Ultimate Search 9.

The final episode of Gulder Ultimate Search 9, the Gatekeeper’s Fortune, will be broadcast on the following stations: Africa Independent Television (AIT), AfricaMagic World (DStv), Real Star (StarTimes), Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) and ITV (Benin) at 10pm WAT.