A seaman with an oil servicing company, Mr John Pouba, has emerged winner of the N10 million grand prize in the Fidelity Bank’s Get Alert In Million (GAIM) Promo Season 3.
Pouba, who was announced the winner at the grand prize presentation ceremony in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, collected his cash prize at the occasion.
Alongside Pouba were four other winners of millions of Naira, namely; Mr Kingsley Ibenegbu, N3 million; Mr Nasiru Dokpesi, N2 million; Mr Oliver Okoye, N2 million and Nwodo Edeh, N1 million.
Ibenegbu, who is a technologist at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, described his prize as a miracle of God.
He said that he was billed for an eye surgery but due to lack of fund, he could not go.
He said that he was involved in a road traffic accident in November and his left lense (black eye) fell off the eye to the ground.
“I picked it up and took it to a hospital, the doctors immediately referred me to UNTH (University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital) which said I have retina detachment but unfortunately, the hospital did not have the equipment to help my case.”
Ibenegbu said that he got to a private hospital in Enugu and was told that the surgery would cost him N1.1 million which he did not have.
He said that further enquires got him to a private hospital in Ibadan where he was charged 350,000 but because he did not have such an amount, he pleaded to pay by instalments.
He said that the doctors refused but advised him to go and scout for money fast, adding that by that time, the remaining right eye had started paining him.
“I went round my relations and friends but I couldn’t get any money, so one of my friends advised me to pray to God for a destiny help.
“I went home that night and prayed earnestly to God, asking for the forgiveness of my sins and to bless me with a miracle; the following day, I got a call that I have won N3 million,” he said.
Ibenegbu, however, commended Fidelity Bank for the gesture and described it as a destiny help, adding that he would be going for the surgery in June.
The grand prize winner, Pouba, said he would invest the money in Fidelity but before that, he would consult with his account officer for advice.
Pouba and other winners thanked the bank for the gesture and urged it to continue making its customers millionaires.
In her opening address, Mrs Aku Odinkemere, Executive Director, South, said the essence of the promo was to encourage customers and their families to imbibe the saving culture.
Odinkemere, who represented the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, said that the importance of saving for a rainy day could not be over-emphasised.
She said that in 2017, a man won a house in Port Harcourt through the promo, adding that N110 million and 108 consolation prizes have been given out in the promo.
Past prize winners of the season’s promo, who were present at the occasion, recounted their joys when they received the calls announcing them winners and commended the bank for bettering their lives.
Refrigerator and power generating set were given out as consolation prizes to Nkem Isichei and Ejirooghene Ekeuwei, respectively.
