Nigerian Breweries Plc has selected 12 contestants out of 35,000 applicants for the 2012 Gulder Ultimate Search competition, the Information office of Akwa Ibom Government, has said.
A statement issued on Thursday in Uyo said that Mr Tony Agenmonmen, the Marketing Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc disclosed this when the management of the company and the 12 contestants visited Gov. Godswill Akpabio.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition, which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 20, is being hosted in Usaka Annang in Obot Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
Agenmonmen said that the star prize winner of the 2012 Gulder Ultimate Search would go home with N20 million.
The marketing manager, who represented the company's Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr Yussuf Ageni, commended the Akwa Ibom Government for hosting the project.
He expressed delight that the state governor was on hand to receive the delegation.
The Marketing Manager recalled that the Nigerian Breweries Plc was established in 1946 and commenced production in 1949 with Gulder introduced as a second brand in 1970.
He recalled that the Gulder Ultimate Search was introduced in 2004 to promote the brand to create avenue for young people to express themselves particularly their talents.
The Marketing Manager further recalled that the competition started from Snake Island in Lagos and moved subsequently to Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River, Benin, Jos, Agwu Hill in Enugu, Osun and Kokori Hills in Edo.
Responding, Gov. Akapbio advised youths in the country to exploit their potential by engaging in positive ventures to brighten their future.
Akpabio described youthful age as a crucial period in one's life and urged the contestants to love the country, be moderate in their lifestyles, believe in themselves and acknowledge God in their daily activities.
He commended Nigerian Breweries for bringing this year's competition to Akwa Ibom and urged the company to do a follow-up of past winners of the competition right from 2004 to ensure their talents were not lost.
?“Consider the past winners. Do an evaluation of all the contestants and invite and integrate the winners into the system,’’ Akpabio said.
The governor congratulated the contestants on their emergence out of thousands of applicants, saying that their etiquette, discipline, strength and character saw them through the selection process.
The governor advised contestants, who would be later evicted from the house to take consolation that they actually participated in the competition.