Onyinye and I are still friends. I think there is definitely something, we do not know whether to explore it or ignore it……..Paschal, the Ultimate Man.

Ojezele Eronmose Paschal, the winner of the Gulder Ultimate Search season 9, recently had an interview with Cindy Amos. In the interview, Paschal shared his tough experiences at the jungle, the strategy that made him the ultimate man and offcourse his relationship with Onyinye, his favourite girl in the jungle.

What motivated you to join the Gulder Ultimate Search GUS?
When I watched some past episodes, I knew the reality show was all about adventure, it looked like fun to me and I like the fact that it was the only reality show in Nigeria where your fate is totally in your hands, nobody is going to either vote you in or vote you out. Then the money too, but sincerely that was a very small factor, it was the adventure that drew me to it.

Is this your first attempt into the GUS?

No, I registered once in 2009 but I didn’t go for the auditioning because I didn’t have the time; besides, the passion was not really there. Also, I rarely knew what the show was all about then. So I just decided to take my time to know more about it and re-apply again later and that was exactly what I did.

You said you got into the show mainly because of the fun and adventure in it, how did you feel when you suddenly emerged winner?

 I think if I had entered for something else and not for the fun in it, I would have been discouraged somewhere along the line. I was happy I won. Actually I had a strategy that paid off.

What strategy?

I laid low for a long time; a lot of people did not notice me from the beginning of the show until much later. That was because I didn’t enter the show to be noticed, my plan was to lie low as much as possible until it was impossible to lie low. That was the strategy I used and thank God it worked perfectly.

How do you find the tasks?

Challenging, intriguing, confusing, drilling, enduring………I can’t actually find an exact word to describe it. Some tasks were meant to test our team work, some our stamina, some our fitness level, some our mental level, some speed. Every task was a test on us.

Was there any time you were punished, not as a group but as an individual?

Yes

When?

There was a task we were divided into two groups, my group won and the losing team were punished. They were asked to build a lookout post before sleeping. Along the line, it started raining, as the head warrior then, I told them to come into the tent because one of them had fever.  In the next task, I was punished for leniency. I was given a delay of 4minutes, everyone started before me and it was an eviction task, but thank God I finished on time.

How did you cope in camp?

 It was not easy at all. After the first day, none of us ate anything, the second day was just ok, although we didn’t eat anything except the bite we had from the sharwarma given to the person who won a task.  On the fourth day we were divided into two groups, my group lost and as the losing team, we were asked to roast a chicken for the winning team without eating from it.  It was really painful because we were terribly hungry and we saw food but we could not eat. So approximately, my team stayed without food for five days, at a point, we went to the stream and started drinking stream water. Another thing is that before we go for a high energy task, we seldom eat that day or a day before. But there was one funny thing I noticed, no matter how weak and how hurt we were because we had injuries and bruises, the moment the anchor explains the task and says GO, everything changes, we do not feel the fatigue or the pain until we are done.

                                                                                                What was between you and Onyinye in camp?

Onyinye and I were very close in camp.  We connected easily because she was someone I could talk to, she understood me very well and she told me some secrets about herself and that brought us close just as the saying goes, people are brought together by the secrets they share. Also, right from when we got to the camp, situations have been bringing us together. I won my first task with her; she won her first task with me, in the second task, ladder of pin, the same thing happened. Thus, the series of tasks that we won together created intimacy between us. In fact, Chidi, the anchor, had to commend the both of us, he said whenever we are paired, we never lose. That was how it went on until towards the final stage where we were performing our tasks almost individually. 

When it was just you, James Adah and Onyinye Udodi who were you thinking was going to win?

I envisaged everyone as a potential winner. Even when the camp was full,

I always think anybody could win.

Who was your best guy in camp?

Ujam Emmanuel but he left very early. I like Ujam because of the strength of his words, he talks wisely. Ujam is one person that doesn’t talk just because he wants to be heard, when he talks, there is always a reason behind it.  Everybody liked him because he always had a word for everyone. Most importantly, he had a good character, he was never aggressive.

Did anyone step on your toes while in camp?

Well….. (Laughs), Uzor Osimpka,was always on my toes. But we never had a confrontation because I avoided it. I knew if I get angry or confront anyone, it would sap both my mental and physical energy and I didn’t have that to waste.

How did you find Chidi Mokeme, the host of the show?

Chidi was an unpredictable personality. He gave us the scariest and toughest of time in the jungle. He also had a way of teasing someone painfully. Initially, he called me the weakest in the camp until I started winning task. But as soon as we came out of the jungle, he apologized to everyone and became a very different person entirely. He was very nice, he visited us, advised us on how to manage our newly acquired fame, how to spend our money prudently and our career choices in life.

When you told your parents you were going for the GUS, how was their reaction?

 Initially, I didn’t tell my parents I was going for GUS until they had called us for the final screening in Lagos. When I told them, they were curious to know what the show was all about and when I explained to them, they gave their blessings. My mum specifically advised me not to do involve myself in any act that will stain the family name.

And when you emerged winner, how did they feel? 

They were ecstatic and very proud of me.                                                                                   

How much did you win?

Nine million naira cash prize, brand new 2012 SUV and five hundred thousand naira swagger/wardrobe allowance.

What do you intend to do with the cash prize?

After paying my tithe, I plan to invest it, different form of investments.

What about other contestants, were they given a cash prize?

Everyone that entered for the GUS came back as a millionaire, the least person was given one million naira.  Onyinye got 3million naira plus one million naira extra as the last girl standing, making 4miilion, James got 2.5million, Nuhu got 1.8million naira…..the list goes on. The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, gave us some money too.

Now that you are out of camp, what’s between you and Onyinye?

Onyinye and I are still friends. Well…. (Smiles) I think there is definitely something, we do not know whether to explore it or ignore it. Actually, we are taking it as it comes; she’s in Portharcourt while I am in Lagos. So when she comes to Lagos, I will know the next step to take (smiles).

So who is Paschal?

I am a 24 year old undergraduate of the University Of Benin (UNIBEN), studying applied mathematics, I will be graduating next year. I am from Edo State, from a family of four, i am the second. I love swimming, music, dancing and partying. I also love video games because it challenges the mind; my best food is beans and plantain. I like honest people.