8-year-old Amarachi wins Airtel’s NGT N10m grand prize

Dancing sensation Amarachi Uyanne, on Sunday, December 9, 2012 emerged the winner of the N10 million grand prize of the Nigeria’s Got Talent Season One reality show, sponsored by leading telecomunication operator, Airtel Nigeria. She won through a public voting process independently managed by Forbes Limited.

Amarachi, who was unveiled at the weekend, at the grand finale of the reality show in Lagos, shrugged off a fierce challenge from top contenders, Violinist Godwin Ogechukwu and eight other finalists and went home with the winner-takes-it-all prize.

The eight-year-old primary five pupil who hails from Igbodo in Delta State, is now the youngest non-inheritor millionaire in Nigeria, having broken the previous record set by Solomon Ebuka Nwanke Ubani, who became a millionaire at age 20.

Amarachi emerged from a cast of 10 finalists, reduced to six, then four and finally three, based on votes cast by viewers. Voting ended on Friday, December 7, 2012.

Rapper Chuka, DJ Nath, the Expendables and Dr. Bariyu, a ventriloquist and puppeteer became the first casualties in what was the beginning of a series of evictions.

Impulse, the acapella group from Port Harcourt, dancer extraordinaire, Boniface Ukeme and Toke saw their hope of winning the coveted prize dashed, after they formed the successive sets of evictees.

The palpable tension that had built up over the identity of the eventual winner, finally gave way to a rapturous ovation, dancing and celebration when NGT presenter, Andre Blaize announced Amarachi the winner.

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop ably assisted by the CEO of Rapid Blue Format and Optima Media Group, Mr Rotimi Pedro, presented the winning cheque of N10million to Amarachi, with her mother in tow.

Source: Tribune