It was a day of joy and endless celebration, penultimate week, when hundreds of subscribers converged at the Indoor Hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu for the Etisalat’s “One9ja Million Dollar Game Show” Enugu Region promotional draw.

Vanguard’s Tony Edike was there and besides many people that won big prizes at the show, he spotted two ambitious youths, Oyidiya Torti, a Law Student of Abia State University Uturu and Aniah Edward, a 27-year-old, Health Education student of University of Port Harcourt, whose desires to go higher was raging like a wild fire. He decided to chat them up and truly unearthed that these young lads were even thinking beyond the N2.050m they won respectively, but was aiming at the grand prize of $1m promised by the service provider.
We serve you the excerpts:

Oyidiya TORTI

You just won a little over N2m in this Etisalat promo now. How did you feel when your code number was called out to participate in the game show?

I was happy; I screamed from where I was; my friends didn’t even know it was the number. Another group close to us, I think they had 115 A; so when they heard it they screamed I said no, I heard 115 B, so I just screamed and it was confirmed it was 115 B.
Did you have an inkling you were going to win today and why?

Yes of course. Let me tell you the story. Before I came here, I had actually spoken with my president of NIFEST ABSU over the conference we have, coming up by the end of this month. I told him I was not coming to the conference again because I did not have money to register and do other things at the conference. Besides my mum was not feeling fine and I have to take care of her.

After my explanation, he said, do you have faith on where you are going on Saturday? And I said yes. Then he said, go, when you come back, promise you are going to sponsor atleast  five of your destiny friends to the conference. I was like wow! Five is just too small; because if I have a million and the conference fee is N25, 000 I can sponsor more than five of my destiny friends. So when I got to the venue, there were a lot of people, but I knew I was going to be the difference maker.

Now you have won will you still sponsor them?
Yes. I am going to sponsor about six or seven of them. But that’s not all I will do with the money. It will help me to further my education; and there are still three of us in our family that are still in  school so it will help us out, the three of us and then the rest.
Have you ever dreamt of being a millionaire?

Yes I have. I have. I just keep on saying God I know you have a plan for me and you gave me your word that this year is my year; I said, this is just August; there is still September, October, and the rest. Today, the dream has come through, I want to say a big thank you to Etisalat for being the vessel. God would expand the network and its coast. I can’t bless them enough, but I want to assure them that I will keep talking.
With this, are you also thinking you have bright  chances  of winning the one million dollars?

Yes of course. I have very bright chances of clinching that because when we entered here my sister’s phone just got a message; ‘recharge up to N1000, just send your name and your state to 5123; there and then I did it immediately; I felt like, once we are through with here we go that way.
What will you do if you actually win the one million dollars?

Oh Jesus Christ! One million dollars? Ah-ah; complete my dads house; because it’s not funny that when we come back to the village we stay without light so for now; tar the road via Ohafia; small person doing it for them under God; then complete the house, lightening up everything.

Edward Aniah

With your over N2m won today, you are a millionaire already. But lets get to know how you knew about this promo in the first place?
I got a message one day telling me to get three of my friends to get Etisalat sim, recharge N200 and send to 5000 in order to text my unique code to that very number. I called my friend but he travelled to his state, Ebonyi, and I told him there was something on, that he should return immediately. I also linked my brother as well as a neighbour in the compound. We bought the sim, sent the text and they all got the welcome message. After that we started and were very serious praying to God that one day we shall be part of the celebrations. Few days back we got a message requesting us to send the type of phones we are using and the pins were given to us to come over to Enugu for the game show.

What went through your mind when you got to the venue of the game show with other people in attendance?
So many things went through my mind; but one that readily comes to mind was that when I stepped into the hall I said God; you brought me all the way down here; because we slept on the road at Umuahia on our way to Enugu due to hold-up at Aba; we slept in the bus. So I said God all these things I have passed through, I know it’s not in vain. So when I stepped in here I knew something was going to happen.

How did you feel when your code number was called out to participate in the game show?
First of all, a number that was so close to mine was called; that was 38 B, I almost shouted but it wasn’t mine; mine is 39 B; later on 39 A was called and I screamed and everybody was looking at me, like what is wrong with this person? Again it wasn’t mine and I waited; finally mine was called.When you were leaving home for the game show did you believe you will win?

I believed I would win; I had this belief that God wanted to use Etisalat to give me something; and somehow, I felt I deserve something because I have been involved in campaigning to people about the promotions and why they should be involved.
What do you plan to do with the money?

I will first of all go into investment; my education will somehow stay; because I do teach sometime. I had to take to teaching to be able to finance my education. But unfortunately, my mum took ill and was operated upon two times and I had to use the money for my school in taking care of her hospital bill. I was just down and I said God you know why these things are happening like this.
Have you ever dreamt of being a millionaire?

First of all I want to say that if you are educated you have a chance of becoming what you want to be. So I told myself that if I have taken the bold step towards being educated that if I could get myself engaged in something meaningful I could be counted among millionaires.
What do you have to say to Etisalat for making this dream come true?

I will say to Etisalat and all the persons working with them; God bless you; God take good care of you; God replace in a thousand fold wherever you brought this money to sponsor this promotion. Etisalat should be the network that will make my education continue; Etisalat will be given the credit for whatever I may be tomorrow. I give all credit to Etisalat and God who brought me here.

What do you think your chances are of winning the one million dollars?
Stepping further no stopping; keep praying, believing in God and believing that someday the situation will change; I have started it no stopping. I believe I stand a better chance to win it. My late dad, I don’t think he will be sleeping in his grave; he must have woken; he should be awake roaming around here; in-fact I am sure his spirit is here. I think my late dad is working seriously and God almighty and the rest of my friends who have been praying relentlessly.

What will you do if you actually win the one million dollars?
Wow! That one is a bomb; that is the kind of money that ones it comes the owner will fall to the ground. If I happen to win it I will definitely turn things around. So many people I have seen in the society who really needs help like I needed before today; I will reach out to such people and as well change lives.