By Dipo Olowookere
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, has begun.
To comb the jungle for the lost secret kept in an iron chest of the late wise craftsman are 18 Nigerians who auditioned for the Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) Season 12 recently across the key regions of the country.
These brave contestants are already facing challenges as they make their way to the jungle for this treasure hunt.
One question that may be brewing in the minds of readers at the moment could be; why are these GUS contestants after Akolo’s secret and what is its importance?
Every season, GUS takes viewers on a journey through time to seek out a treasure that many say are mere tales of legends. This season, The Age of Craftsmanship goes to Ijuka, where Akolo settled down amongst the blacksmiths and woodcarvers. He soon began to teach the best among the people because his skills were superior to theirs. His name spread beyond the town, but what drew the attention of many was his special brew.
Akolo’s brew was nothing like any that existed in the town. He used ingredients which no one had ever seen before that he got from trading his great works with European merchants. The king soon heard of his fame and appointed Akolo to be a member of his advisory council.
Although Akolo formed a close bond with the king, he never revealed the recipe of his brew. That was a secret Akolo guarded jealously. As the fame of his brew grew, trading routes began to pass through Ijuka, and many sought to taste his brew. Ijuka became a prosperous town, and soon enemies began to gather.
They were jealous of Akolo’s wisdom and his close bond with the king and wanted the secret of his brew for themselves. They tried several times to kill him but to no avail.
Fearing for his life, Akolo left the town for the mangrove forest with his secret brew recipe and all his knowledge, never to be seen again. Ijuka, a once prosperous town, suffered Akolo’s absence and was soon laid to waste by foreign invaders.
Now, the council of elders has chosen 18 brave warriors to go back in time to The Age of Craftsmanship to search for the iron chest containing Akolo’s secret. These 18 warriors have endured several challenges to prove they are worthy of retrieving the iron chest of the wise craftsman Akolo.
Which of them would find the chest and open it to reveal the secret of the craftsman?
To find out, viewers have to watch the show every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv channel 151), Africa Magic Urban (DStv channel 153) and Africa Magic Family (DStv channel 154 & GOtv channel 2).
