AS the search for the secret buried by a mysterious craftsman named Akolo who once lived in a small town called Ijuka, which existed many centuries ago continues, it was end of road for Solomon IlliyaYankari and Esitima Francis Edem, as they became the 12th and 13th contestant to be evicted from the 2021 Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) season 12.
The fitness instructor cum personal trainer was sent packing from the survival reality show on Saturday night, while the model and caterer cum non-governmental organisation (NGO) operator was shut out on Sunday night.
Their exits from the survival reality show come after Osasere Agbonile, Jennifer Okorie, and Tosin Emiola were send packing from the jungle. It also follows after the eviction of Tobechukwu Okoye and Opeyemi Ishmael on November 21 and 22 respectively.
Prior to being locked out of the jungle and in the early stages of the ongoing show, members of his Iroko clan were asked to identify the weakest link in their team after they failed a task, and all of them chorused Yankari. However, he was not evicted as the guardians of the forest still want him to continue with his early morning physical drills of other contestants.
When asked by the host of the show, Toke Makinwa, why he was selected as the weakest link, he replied in his usual manner, “I don’t know as I always give my best to every task.”
The Bauchi-born contestant promised to step up his game and he indeed stepped up his game as he survived eviction during all the group tasks. When the clans were dissolved and individual tasks began, he handled each with focus and dexterity.
Although he never came first in any of the tasks, he always did well enough to qualify to the next stage which were no easy feats as he had to battle other warriors.
A true craftsman, Yankari confessed that he has become a better person since he came into the jungle, learning to listen and comprehend before acting. Though not as muscular as Odudu and Damola or very good at solving puzzles; he, however, always capitalises on his strengths and builds on his weaknesses to complete each task put before him.
Before sending him back to camp Amorokin to pack his bag and belongings, Makinwa noted his rise and commended him for pulling himself up after a rough start.
Expressing satisfaction at his outing in the jungle, Yankari said that he was proud of his performance and probably the highest-ranked northern in the history of the show, as he said he has taken a lot of lessons from the show that he would use for years to come.
From being touted as the weakest link, Yankari rose to the top seven. With the latest eviction, there are six contestants left in the race for the show’s N50 million grand prize.
Estima was evicted after failing to hit the bull’s eyes in the ‘Game of Arrows’. She was not the only one who didn’t hit the target, as Rachael Omokhafe also didn’t but scored a 60 mark target ahead of Esitima whose highest target point was 40.
In the task, Chidinma was the first to hit the bull’s eyes; she was followed by Odudu, then Damilola and Damola, leaving Rachael and Esitima in the final round 5.
Knowing the consequence of a dismal performance, Esitima expressed worry as she said, “I kind of felt disappointed in myself because other people like Odudu, Chidinma, Damilola, and Damola got it; why was I the person that couldn’t get it. It’s kind of like what’s wrong with you. I tried putting effort but I couldn’t get it.”
Meanwhile, in what seems a new twist to the show, the organisers introduced the ‘Boomerang Effect’, a development that will allow viewers to vote their favourite contestants back into the jungle.
This chance is however limited to contestants who were lucky enough to secure a boomerang before being evicted from the show. Osasere Agbonile, Tosin Emiola, Esitima Edem, and Damola Johnson are the contestants who have the possible grace of being saved by the boomerang effect.
Two out of the boomerang four may have been evicted from the jungle but according to the organisers they’re not yet out of the show, as one or two of them would make a return to the forest as viewers’ favourite when voting is activated.
The two evicted contestants are Tosin Emiola and Esitima Edem, who was able to find three boomerangs. The question begging answer is “will more boomerangs be found by others for the opportunity to be part of the boomerang gang as the drama unfolds?”
The top five contestants for the ‘Gulder Ultimate Search: Age Of Craftsmanship’ are Odedina Damilola, Rachael Omokhafe Bello, Odudu Ime Otu, Chidinma Okeibe and Damola Johnson.
Hosted by Toke Makinwa with GUS alumnus Kunle Remi as the Task Master, the season began on October 16 with 18 contestants grouped into Clan Irin, Clan Amo and Clan Iroko, to compete against themselves and nature in quest of a secret treasure that would offer immediate fame and wealth to the last person standing.
