By Ogbonna Amadi
Having found some potential searchers in Jos and Owerri last week, the search for men and women with potentials to be the 2009 Ultimate Man or Woman last Tuesday moved to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and Enugu, the coal city, which hosted the Gulder Ultimate Search last year.

As expected, those who scaled through pre-qualification hurdles had more than they bargained for as the task masters put them through some fitness tests. The over one thousand young male and female adults were made to run long distance races, press up and swimming and the few, who made it through these hurdles, were engaged in final interview sessions.

Just like at the other regional selection zones, the turn out was overwhelming as everyone was desperate to prove that they were capable of making it to the last ten and eventually winning the prize.

The regional selections moves to Lagos and Benin from June 20th to 22nd.
It’s the search for the horn of valour and the venue is Omodo forest in Agba, near Adah in Osun State. The Horn of Valour is believed to be hidden in the hands of the beautiful guardian of the forest.

Everyone eyes appears set on the big prize: N7million cash prize, N500, 000 wardrobe allowance and a brand new Sports Utility Vehicle worth about N10million.

Those selected from regional selections would have a final hurdle to cross as all regional qualifiers meet at the leadership and Training, School (Sea School) Apapa in Lagos later to decide the final 10 that would embark on the search for the horn of valour.

This years Gulder Ultimate Search is expected to stretch man to his limit and television viewers and indeed the international audience will for 21 days be treated to the best in Entertainment, an original Nigerian Adventure programme with international standards.

The search begins July 18th to last till August 7th. It will parade ten strong and intelligent young men and women chosen from applicants across the nation. The man or woman who finds the treasure would exchange it on August 7th for the prize. Every contestant stands the chance to win something.

For example, the first contestant to be evicted is expected to go home with N450, 000. As in the previous searches, in an event where a woman does not win, the last woman standing would win an additional N1million. Gulder Ultimate Search, Nigeria’s first reality television programme is arguably, the most watched reality programme to hit television screens with more and more viewers getting involved.