GUS Jungle Struggle Ends

As Chinedu Ubachukwu Carts home Grand Price

Uzo Chikere

The last week of Africa’s longest running reality TV programme elicited questions, doubts and agitations as to who the winner among the remaining four contestants in the Aguleri jungle will be. After roaming and wandering through the thick forest in search of the general’s helmet in “The Mission”, one of the fortune hunters, Chinedu Ubachukwu found the find and has emerged the Ultimate Man, winner of the 11^th edition of the Gulder Ultimate Search for 2014.

Twenty-four year old Chinedu Ubachukwu who is the latest last man standing in this year’s edition of Gulder Ultimate Search. Hails from Anambra state.

Of the 14 contestants who were selected from over 40,000 applicants to enter the Aguleri jungle, only four remained as at last Tuesday. They were Otto Canon, a 25- year old undergraduate, Nne Cosy Joe, a 28- year graduate of Agric Science, Emmanuel Afolabi, a 29- year old undergraduate and 24- year old Chinedu Ubachukwu, also an undergraduate. 

For the millions of viewers of Gulder Ultimate Search 11, the anxiety and excitement over who is crowned the new ultimate champion assumed fever pitch towards the end as every viewer became anxious as to who will carry the shield. However, for the remaining contestants, the journey to the final stage of the show was long and tortuous.

They progressed through several phases on this year’s edition; including the precision phase, the survivor phase and the innovation phase. They were also inducted into the Elite Squad of the great General’s Army.

The remaining contestants werre also not leaving anything to chance as they kept assessing their fellow contestants’ strengths and weaknesses ahead of an epic battle to locate the helmet.

Chinedu said Otto is strong in solving riddles but weak in solving puzzles. Chinedu also pointed out that Emmanuel is not too good with puzzles. He further revealed that Cosy is better at solving puzzles and not very good with riddles.

Emmanuel said he never expected he would be among the four finalists for Gulder Ultimate Search 11. He also confessed that he was not good with puzzles. Emmanuel however said he was working on improving his puzzle solving skill. He said: “Over time, I’ve learnt to stay calm, paint a mental picture before I start working, and while I am working with my hands, my head is thinking ahead.”

Emmanuel described Chinedu as a proud and arrogant person. He hinted that these attributes might lead to his downfall. Cosy corroborated Emmanuel’s claims. He said: “Chinedu is erratic and the type of confidence he has may also be suicidal.”

Cosy assessed Emmanuel as a contestant who is good with riddles but not with puzzles. Cosy confessed that he could be easily beaten in riddles. He noted: “They can beat me in riddles. It’s always funny when someone uses his own knowledge to set a question for me and you expect me to get the answer.”

Otto also confessed that he was not too good with solving puzzles. Otto’s fate of continuing in Gulder Ultimate Search 11 hung in the balance as he failed Episode 25’s Code Box task.

The winner of Gulder Ultimate Search 11 will drive home a brand new SUV in addition to the N10 million grand prize money.

For the first time in three years, no female contestant was part of the final search. Samantha Appi, who emerged as the Last Woman Standing was evicted in Episode 25 after failing the Infinity task.

Her performance in the reality TV programme has been described as marvellous and even earned her respect from both her male and female contestants. Being the smallest of the seven female contestants did not deter her.

After emerging the Last Woman Standing, Samatha said she felt very good, adding that she thoroughly enjoyed her stay as a contestant. Speaking on her achievements despite her small frame, Samatha noted: “It’s not really about my size but about my thinking capabilities. And most of the time, my size was my motivation. People thought I would not be able to do some things because they thought I was fragile due to my small frame. But I look at myself and I tell myself, I know I can do this even though people think I can’t do it.”

For the first time in the history of Gulder Ultimate Search, the Last Woman Standing will drive home a brand new Ford Eco sport. This is in addition to the amount that will accrue to her as the fifth placed contestant.

Gulder has recorded another first as the beer brand will also give the contestant who emerges as the winner of the on-going Viewers’ Choice a brand new Ford Focus car.

Chinedu Ubachukwu who emerged the winner of this year’s edition of Gulder Ultimate Search edged out 28-year old Emmanuel Afolabi and 29 year-old Nne Cosy Joe. After more than three weeks in the jungle, only the three contestants survived the harsh weather conditions and the arduous tasks they were subjected to . The Anambra state indigene thus became the 11^th winner of Africa’s first and longest running reality TV show.

Incidentally, on the morning of the final search, both Emmanuel and Cosy Joe gave Chinedu their lanterns. They told him “this will light your path”, oblivious of the fact that that his light would shine the brightest at the end of the day. Both Emmanuel and Cosy talked about reducing their load.     

Their final task was to retrieve the great General’s War helmet which according to folklore, had been hidden in the belly of the Aguleri Forest of Anambra State

Ironically, when the contestants commenced their journey from Boat Landing, where they camped the previous night, Chinedu appeared the weakest of them. He even stated that he was not 100 per cent fit; adding that if the final search for the helmet became a purely physical task, it may be to his disadvantage.

Chinedu was the last to climb over a very high wall and the remaining contestants insisted that he should be the first to cross another rope ladder which was suspended between two trees because he appeared weak.

As the search neared its end, Chinedu appeared to regain his strength and the trio raced across a river which was at their waist-level, towards their work stations situated at the belly of the Aguleri forest. There they met an emissary of the Council of Elders who adorned a red cloak. His duty was to grant them right of passage only after correctly pieced together the tiles which they found during their very long trek.

Cosy was the first to solve the riddle, followed by Chinedu and then Emmanuel. They raced towards three canoes and paddled away in different directions. Both Emmanuel and Cosy Joe appeared to paddle their canoes aimlessly while Chinedu paddled towards a particular direction. It turned out Chinedu rowed his canoe towards a clay pot which was emitting fire.

At this point, Cosy Joe appeared frustrated and angrily hit the water with his bare hands. He had no paddle. As Cosy paddled his boat to shore and alighted on land, Emmanuel attempted to row his canoe in Chinedu’s direction.

Chinedu raced on land and retrieved the great General’s Helmet surrounded by three fire pots. Hence, he joins the Order of Heroes as the 11^th winner of Gulder Ultimate Search.

Chidi Mokeme, the Anchor man, soon arrived on canoe and congratulated Chinedu on his great feat. He said: “After 26 murderous days in the Aguleri jungle, after days and nights of pain and sorrow; thinking about the unknown, nursing your wounds with sweat, with blood, it is you Chinedu who made it here. It is you who has carved your name in history. It is you who has earned the bragging rights. It is you who has made it into the elite league of extra ordinary warriors. By the powers conferred on me by the Council of Elders, I now pronounce you Last Man Standing!”

Incidentally, when the relatives of the final four contestants paid them a visit in the jungle two days earlier, it was only Chinedu’s mother that urged him to return home as champion. Amidst tears, Mrs. Ubachukwu told her son “I know you will make me proud. Come home with the crown.”

For his feat, Chinedu will be rewarded with N10 million and a brand new SUV at a party fit only for royalty. Two other contestants will also receive brand new vehicles. They are Samantha Appi, who will drive home a brand new Ford Eco sport for emerging as the Last Woman Standing and the winner of the Viewers’ Choice, who will go home with a Ford Focus.

The contestants that were evicted earlier in the show were: Otto Canon, Ikenna Emedike, Addoh Evi, Iroh Noella, Blessing Eriata, Loretta Erijakpor, Sandra Nwagbagiro, Samantha Appi, Sharon Robinson, Joshua Nwagboso and Iwuoha Ikenna.

               

CPP Names Ovienmhada As Presidential Candidate

Uzo Chikere

The Citizens Popular Party (CPP) last Sunday in Lagos presented to the public Mr. Michael Ovienmhada as its presidential candidate for the 2015 elections.

Speaking at the event which witnessed a modest gathering of supporters, Ovienmhada pledged that his emergence on the political scene in pursuit of the presidency was a promise of hope for Nigerians as his administration if in place come 2015, would ensure that qualitative education from kindergarten to SS3 in every community across the land.

According to him, education being the fulcrum of human development, no child should go to school without a computer, shoes, nor travel more than half a mile to attend school, adding that the past glory of teacher training institutes to guarantee the availability of well trained teachers would be restored.

Turning to the youths of this country, Ovienmhada promised that an education bank would be established with a view to offering loans to students to pursue their education right from the time they pass the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination to graduation. The loan he said, will be in 20 years after graduation.

Unemployment will be vigorously addressed through investment in agriculture under his adminstrtion. Said he: “We will stem this tide by making the right investment in agriculture which has the longest value chain for job creation. We will make agriculture youth-friendly by building agricultural cities complete with modern amenities and internet in collaboration with telecommunications companies.

“We will move all the amenities you enjoy in the city to these new communities and we will give agriculture a swagger. Agriculture has a very long value chain and it is the most suitable for mass job creation.”

Earlier in his address, the National Chairman of CPP, Chief Sam Eke, noted that the motive of the party was to bring about change in the polity, pointing out that does not believe in what he described as money bags to cause the much needed change.

Chief Eke who described the party’s flag bearer as a humble and intelligent person stated that CPP is gender considerate, explaining that the place of women in the scheme of things in the party was guaranteed.   

I Do Projects That Will Out Live Me

… Gov. Orji

Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji recently commissioned some projects in the state after which he bared his mind to news men including Uzo Chikere on some sensitive issues ranging from his projects, the national award and successor among other issues. Excerpt:   You dedicated last week in commissioning one project or the other, ranging from roads, heath, education etc. despite that your adminstration is gradually coming to end. What exactly is the driving force? It is the convenant I have with Abians to be committed until my last day in office as the governor. The focus is simply to continue to positively impact on my people who have at any occasion given me massive support. They deserve all the democracy dividends that I can afford and will stop at nothing to continue to provide it for them. We want our people to know that these projects are for them and when you commission them, they will know about them. Some of them don’t know about the facilities so by commissioning them you make them to be aware as the commissioning will create awareness on the existence of such facilities. Like in the health sector, as we were going round and commissioning the projects they were following me, and they were witnessing the facilities we are putting on ground. The projects I commissioned were many, ranging from internal roads, schools, transportation parks, bus terminal and our up-graded Amachara Specialist Hospital where we have added well equipped emergency section, 100-bed ward, laboratories and administrative block. Very soon we will invite journalists for other ground breaking commissioning. We are sensitizing transporters that very soon they will move to the bus terminal so that we can decongest the urban area. Why we are doing all this is to make our people realise that these facilities are on ground for them to use. What are some other issues you would want to tackle before leaving office? There are some projects on ground that we are tackling and will want to finish before leaving office, like the international centre, we will complete it before we leave, the secretariat is completed the other wing is for the civil servants to move in now from the ministry of Works, the e-library is completed it has to be commissioned, the JAC building is almost completed and it has to be commissioned, and the roads that we are constructing, many of them, the government house, the shoprite etc these are projects we need to complete, they are foundational projects. The Golden Guineas Industry, we are working hard to bring back the place. I promised my people that I will continue working until I leave office and I am keeping to my promise and they know that. My dream of Abia seaport and Airport are still on, people are appreciating it. We have all the facilities for the seaport, the Airport and the environment to build all that we want to do is conducive. It’s sad that those before me did not have such vision because most of these projects are foundation ones to kick start development in the state. Look at the Government House, people have been occupying the seat of power here and none has said he would deliver a Government House to Abia state. Even the land one of the administrations took, they could not pay compensation, and it’s not only in acquiring the land. Now we are acquiring the land, we are utilising the land and we are paying compensations and the communities are happy. We are building things that you can see and people are appreciating it. Ours is not cheap propaganda but things you can see and express joy at our efforts. Despite that the federal allocation is on the decline we have continued to soldier on and ensuring we improve on our IGR. For us, the magic is prudent expenditure of public funds. It’s not all about what you get from the federation account but how prudently you use it because if you depend on the allocation alone things that you will achieve will be minimal. We have tried so hard to increase our IGR to help us build some of the things that we are doing. We use our funds with diligence and for the welfare of the people. Most of the projects I have mentioned to you are capital intensive, there are many projects we have executed, and we don’t make noise about some of them. Do you know how much it costs to sink an ordinary borehole but for me those things are not achievements and we do them with no noise made about it. I talk more about projects that are befitting for the people. I should be talking about reticulation of water everywhere not to talk of sinking of borehole. These things require funds but as far as I am concerned, I am satisfied in my mind that I have used the resources of Abia State prudently for the people and Abia people can attest to it. When you remember how your first tenure was run, do you feel sad? Of course I feel very sad, extremely sad because if I had not experienced such sad period from the onset, the achievement that we have recorded at this second tenure would have been the achievement we would have made in our first tenure and then those that we could have made in this second tenure would have been an added achievement, but because of godfatherism, meddlesomeness and crude politics development was retarded. But we still thank God for where we are today because He has taken control. There is no doubt that some people are intimidated by or jealous of our record of achievements and they are doing all within their reach to pull us down but I am happy because Abians are happy for what we have been able to do given the funds at our disposal. I am sure that if the template that I will leave behind for anybody who is coming if he follows it will make Abia better. Which of your projects are more passionate to you? All my projects are passionate to me because they are important projects, one is as important as the other. Each compliments the other. You can’t do only health and leave education or education or other sectors. The state secretariat is good just as the Government House is equally important. The infrastructures serve different very important purposes and I try to carry all of them as priority projects to the best of my ability. I don’t embark on projects that I will do to be praised, I do projects that positively impact on the people, projects that are legacy projects, projects that will outlive me, projects that will endure and when you check out projects that we do you will have no option but commend us. For me one project is as good as the other and as important to Abians . Your critics say you are neglecting Aba and concentrating on Umuahia, the state capital. Is it true? That is what our critics will say and they will always find something to say to bring you down. The criticism is not correct, it’s false. You know Abia State has two important towns, Umuahia is the state capital and Aba is the commercial capital. There are some projects that you must site in Umuahia, like the Government House, state secretariat etc . Aba also will need projects that will be peculiar or beneficial to the town. The most important things in Aba are the roads, power, environment etc and we are not neglecting any of them. When there was kidnapping, it was in Aba that it was severe more than in any other place and then we concentrated our efforts in Aba and we fought kidnapping to a standstill. We gave Aba a conducive environment and people are no longer running away from the town. We have more resources that have gone to Aba given the nature of the town but what many failed to understand is that the money we put in Aba does not show out, it’s difficult to notice like the one spent on Umuahia. The problems of Aba are many and we are dealing with them in the best possible way.  Little money you spend in Umuahia is noticed. In Aba for instance there was a road we did 1.8 billion but if I use such amount in Umuahia I will construct many more roads that will stand out because of the topography of the area. You will be surprised at the road of one hundred million naira you construct in Umuahia when you compare it to the road of even 500 hundred million you put up in Aba. Look, this Umuahia must look like a state capital in all ramifications. Most visitors that come to the state the first point of call is mostly Umuahia, they may come and go without going to Aba, so the impression they carry away will permanently be in their minds. So you have to make Umuahia look like a state capital. You see, the truth is that we have invested more money in Aba than in Umuahia or in any other town in the state, in terms of power, in terms of construction of roads, in terms of opening up the drains, erosion control, in terms of refuse disposal. Aba generates over 5000 cubic metres of refuse on daily basis and you may not know how much it costs us to cart away the refuse. No other town even Umuahia the state capital generates such waste. If you leave the refuse just one day, there may be an epidemic there. It’s not easy to do some of these things but we are not relenting in our efforts. Our critics are talking and saying that we have neglected Aba just because of roads; of course you cannot do all the roads in Aba the same time. It’s one after the other but we are not relenting.  Are roads everything? If you have the best roads but with insecurity will you still walk on such roads without fear? I have provided a conducive environment for people in the state to do their businesses and we are not resting on our oars. Some of them that were here what did they do to address the security problem in Aba? There were times banks were not opening in Aba but such things have become history now because we pressed the right buttons. Before now many people in Aba were hiding their expensive vehicles for fear of being kidnapped or fear of armed robbers but is that still the case now? If those that claim they did a lot of roads in Aba are telling the truth, then why should the people complain just after few years, where are the roads they claim they constructed? Abians know their propaganda antics and are not taking them serious. I am a man that came and restored security which is very important; I came and restored the health sector to keep them healthy. Security is first and foremost which I have provided and I have improved the health services tremendously so that they will be alive and healthy to do their business. It is sad that some distractors are somewhere leaving the main issue and merely talking of roads forgetting that roads without other sectors in place will still amount to nothing. You have to be alive to walk on the road; you have to be alive to carry out your work or business. We are not neglecting any sector and until I leave office, I will not neglect any sector. You have to be alive to the roads because construction of roads is something that is continuous. You construct, it gets bad tomorrow and you maintain it. It is something that every governor who comes here will do but in the case of insecurity, it does not come every time and when it comes you tackle it head-on and still put surveillance on ground. I know how much we spent when there was insecurity here but now it is history and I am happy with what we were able to do. What does the recent National Award, CON mean to you? It means a lot to me. It shows I am recognized by my country, that my efforts towards uplifting my state and the country have been recognized by the federal government. So it gives me joy that my efforts to play my little part for humanity are appreciated. It is not a dash; It is not an honour for every person. Many people desire it but they don’t get it but I got it after a thorough assessment by a group of intelligent, eminent and worthy committee members of well-respected citizens. You have to be qualified to merit it. The committee put you on a scale of test including integrity test and if you pass, they will mark good for you and if you fail they will put you aside. Look, it is not all the names sent that survive the committee’s screening. That I got the award after the screening shows that I am doing well and for me, it is a challenge to do more. I thank God and the federal government for giving me the award. Some of your critics say you have an anointed candidate as your successor. Is it true? The only process I know is through the primaries. Any anointed candidate if there is anything like that must come through the primaries, nothing more, nothing less because it is both the party and Abians that must be involved in the process of electing the person. I cannot impose any person on Abians, the person that will emerge as my successor must be the choice of the majority of Abians. He who passes the primaries is my anointed person. There is still this persistent call for you to represent your senatorial zone at the Upper House. Have you decided? The urge has been tremendous and I have seen that if you don’t answer the clarion call you are going tofall out with your people. The urge is not only from Abia Central, it’s also from Abia North and South urging governor to go to the Senate and this is the first time it is happening in this state that people are calling on a sitting governor to go to the senate. The form was bought for me not with my money but stakeholders in the state went to buy the form for me to show how serious they are. Well at the appropriate time, I will speak on the issue and I will invite the press on my position.      Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form     Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form

Local Government Autonomy And Matters Arising

Uzo Chikere

The local government financial and political administration in Nigeria has obviously been problematic. But the latest development which has spelt out autonomy for the third tier of government sound like good music to almost every ear that has heard it. This will not erase the years of burden which the local government system has borne in the country despite series of reforms embarked upon by various past governments.

One leading reason for the establishment of the local government as the third tier of government if to bring governance and development closer to the citizenry at the rural level. However, the total essence of that premise was lost on the entire polity for as long as anybody can remember.

Events over the years exhibit a clear disconnect between the governed and local government at the grassroots level on the one hand, and between the local government and the state cum federal governments on the other. Majorly, this has been a function of the lack of autonomy for this important stratum of government as well as inability to properly situate the manner of such autonomy should it be extended at all to the system. Consequently, there is no grand theory of local government autonomy that states can adopt and make amenable to their politics.

This according to experts in local government administration is the reason suffocation and subversion of the autonomy of the system has all along had more expression in financial and leadership recruitment.  This explains why members of the political elite engage each other in a-tug-of-war over whose apron-string the local government should be tied to, rather than allow local governments operate autonomously.

This much is the position of the Yaba Local Council Development Area chairman, Hon. Jide Jimo who is opposed to what he described as amounting to Federal Government interference in the affairs of local government administration to the detriment of fiscal federalism that a lot of Nigerians have been clamouring for. He contends that with the autonomy as structured, the Federal government will be dictating to the local government, adding that it should be left in the hands of the states. He is convinced that it will only create a fertile ground for the Federal Government to take over the local governments from the states, which he says he cannot subscribe to.

But in his reaction, Lagos lawyer, and human rights activist, Justice Uhuagbu, posits that autonomy does not mean that local governments should be going to queue for money in Abuja, Explaining that it will still go through the same process of allocating the dues to the third tier of government from the Federation Account. Uhuegbu argues that by this exercise, local governments in the country will be more productive and accountable to the people because it will no longer be possible for the state governors to hijack the monies meant for the local government councils only to give them peanuts thereby rendering ineffective as it is presently. He believes that if the autonomy fails through, it will have constitutional backing that will make difficult for the Federal government to lord it over any local government. The issue of the federal government coming to monitor the local government, does not occur, says Justice.

Hon. Oyebolu, one-time Chairman of Surulere Local Government Concil, also agrees that autonomy to the local government will not attract any form of monitoring of the level of administration by the federal government. Oyebolu rather described it as a welcome development, pointing out that it will engender a situation where the local government allocation will flow directly to the third tier of government and also prevent the state government from tampering with local government funds.

With this development, he posits, the local government will become more alive to their statutory responsibilities as the closest level of administration to the people.

On his part, Hon. Benjamin Omole, former Chairman of Esan West Local Government of Edo State, it is a right step in the right direction. It will stop the states government act of pilfering the funds of the local governments which had hitherto hindered the local governments’ development projects for the rural people. Omole deposes that autonomy for local governments will enhance the closeness of the grassroots people to the government with a better prospect for rural development.

Whichever way, a full ratification of the amendment will be at the instance of the State Houses of Assemblies’ consensus decision. Two-third of the states’ houses of assembly will vote in favour of the motion for it to become law. But will that happen?

Hon. Jide Jimo holds that it will not fly, maintaining that they will vote against it as no state according to him will be prepared to lose their authority over their local governments to the federal government.

Observers of the polity are agreed that autonomy for local government will certainly bring good tidings to both financial and political administration of that tier of government in so far as the officials are alive to their responsibilities. If for instance that level of government should take control of collecting tenement rate in their domains rather than leaving it to the state governments, it will boost their revenue, they say postulating that it will further enable them to discharge their responsibilities to the grassroots people.

With good leadership at the local government level in place, according to Bar. Uhuagbu, they will be functional and effective in the areas of maintaining roads in the hinterland, clearing of drainages and attend to many other matters which they had been unable to as a result of the states hijacking their funds.

All in all, the reality of the recommendation will depend on how the states’ houses of assembly will vote, and only time will tell.