Odudu Otu, a sports enthusiast from Akwa Ibom, has won the 2021 Gulder Ultimate Search 2021 edition. He beat three other contestants to emerge as the ultimate man in a keenly contested finale yesterday evening.
Viewers who have been following this season’s Gulder Ultimate Search: Age of Craftsmanship would likely say Odudu cut an unassuming figure at the beginning until the later part of the show. He did not have the puzzle-solving skills of Damola or the tact of Damilola. In fact, he seemed to just always do enough not to be evicted while staying in the shadow. It wasn’t until he won the 14th task that many began to notice him.
But Odudu’s story in Gulder Ultimate Search did not begin from there. Some would say he got in on a stroke of luck as he came into the jungle as a wild card.
But, that wild card has emerged as the Gulder Ultimate Search winner for 2021. More than 20,000 Nigerians applied for this season’s Gulder Ultimate Search regional selection process before those who made the longlist were sent to the Sea School.
Ultimately, 20 names were shortlisted with 16 of them confirmed. Odudu was one of the last four and was only confirmed to join the rest on the unveiling day.
He was a member of the Iroko clan which also had members like Damola, Yankari, Esitima, Tobechukwu, and Gerald which was considered the strongest clan in Amorokin camp. Thus, it seemed difficult for Ododu to have been noticed. Gerald was predicted as a possible winner due to his performance in the early period of the show but was one of the first to be evicted. Esitima found three boomerangs and was one of those who made it to the top seven. Damola who was also in the same clan as Odudu also made it to the final.
It was during the individual tasks that Odudu began to show why he was a worthy winner. It seemed all the energy, strategy, and endurance in him were let out in full bloom. While it seemed other contestants were beginning to tire, he was just beginning and he maintained this level of performance till the end.
In the final episode of the show broadcast on DSTV on Boxing Day, Odudu emerged winner of the 2021 edition of the Gulder Ultimate Search after finding the Chest which contains the secret of the proverbial Akolo’s secret brew.
Odudu goes home with N50 million worth of prizes including an SUV as well as a return ticket to Dubai.