...And Michael Won

Michael Nwachukwu

Twenty-one days after, Michael Nwachukwu emerges the 2008 “Ultimate Man” of the fifth edition of the annual television reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS)
By Osamudiamen Ogbonmwan
As almost everyone who followed the just- concluded Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) V would agree, if the race had been for the swift and strong alone, 26-year-old Adamu Frank, the most preferred and admired of the 10 contenders who participated in this year’s search would have emerged the 2008 Ultimate Man of the Nigerian Breweries Plc- sponsored programme. But the more calculating and easy-going 26-year-old Forestry graduate of the University of Ibadan, Michael Nwachukwu a.k.a. The Gentle Giant, proved everybody wrong as he went ahead to clinch the mouth-watery star prize of seven million naira, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) worth N10million and N500,000 worth of wardrobe allowance, after finding the Lost Chronicle upon which the search is based.
For 21 days, the 10 anxious contestants who were selected from more than 25,000 applicants nationwide sluged it out in their quest to find the “Lost Chronicle”. Along the various stages, any contender who as much as fell short of expectations in his or her task was shown the way out.
Twenty-two-year-old Rita Uloko was the first to leave, after landing a bad fall which twisted her ankle. Brian Mokelu, Abiola Olanrewaju, Fredrick Dutman, Abigail Opuogulaya, J.J Okop and Kelechi Ohakwe followed in that order as they were evicted from the camp.
But the high point of the search did not quite begin until the final day in Awgu Hills, Enugu State, site of this year’s search when only three contestants, Frank Adamu, Lynda Iweka and Michael Nwachukwu were left in the search party. The trio were strong, confident, determined, ambitious and had luck on their side, until Iweka was evicted after she fell behind the two guys who obviously had more concern for the top prize than show sympathy to a fellow searcher.
Adamu (the favourite of the last two), had remarkably gotten to the area where it was believed the “Chronicle” was buried first, leaving Michael behind. He frantically commenced a search and even went further into the jungle, while Nwachukwu only made a few steps, paused, to think, then looked at the ground upon which he was standing. Behold, it was the “Last Chronicle” that he dug out as he frantically scratched the grounds with his bare hands. A few seconds later, the anchor of the reality show, Nollywood top actor, Bob-Manuel-Udokwu, pronounced him the “ultimate man.”
“That moment, I was disappointed that I didn’t find it but I later thought that who the cap fits let him wear it. The cap fitted Michael and so, he must wear it,” Adamu later told The Source.
The 10 “heros” were later rewarded according to the duration of their stay in the jungle.
While Uloko got N450,000, Brian, Olanrewaju Fredrick, Dutman and Abigail got N500,000, N550,000, N600,000 and N650,000 respectively.
Okop got N700,000 while Ohakwe went away with N750,000. Iweka who earned N1.500,000 was also given a million naira for being the last woman standing, while N2,500,000 went to Adamu for his efforts.
The ultimate prize of seven million naira and an SUV worth N10million went to Nwachukwu.
Nwachukwu, the only child of his parents, boasted to The Source that he knew that he was going to clinch the prize since he was under pressure from close relations to bring it back.
“Even right from Planet One in Lagos where the 10 of us were nominated, my family members told me that I must win the prize. I am so glad that I didn’t let them down,” he said.
Though he admits that he still doesn’t know what he’ll do with the prize, one thing paramount to him now is to pay his tithe.
“I am very grateful to God for his mercies. Michael is a very good and wise boy and I am sure he will use the money wisely,” his father enthused.