Romanus Ugwu
Newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Eyare Nola Okwa are still in dreamland. They are apparently still trying to come to terms with their transformation from tenants to owners of a fully furnished two-bedroom bungalow in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
For the young couple, it was an unexpected change in their status, graduating to landlord and landlady after spending just N15,000 in lottery raffle to own a N25 million fully-furnished house in Abuja.
Mrs Eyare Nola, a Computer Engineering graduate and beverage commodity petty trader, said that though her husband did not support or discourage her from participating in the maiden edition of ‘Win A Home Lottery’ powered by Rising Sun Lottery Ltd, she only played 15 times, spending N1,000 during each try to emerge winner during the transparent raffle draw.
Describing how she broke the news to her husband, who was in transit from Lagos to Abuja, as dramatic, Eyare said that the lottery victory was a divine gift and a dream come true, stressing that she had always nursed the ambition of owning a home in any part of Abuja.
Winner goes down memory lane
Narrating how fortune smiled on her, Eyare, an indigene of Cross River, married to an Ugheli, Delta State-born accountant, admitted that she did not initially believe but decided to just give it a try:
“I am currently living in a rented apartment in Lugbe, I am lucky to be the winner of a lottery home.
“I saw when the whole thing started with launching in November this year. I got hooked to it after watching the video of the launching. I doubted it initially and I went as far as visiting their site on www.winahomelottery.com to satisfy my curiosity.
“I registered, filled in my wallet and started playing randomly on different days. On the whole, I played 15 times, which cost me a total sum of N15,000. What I will say worked in my favour was
majorly luck and divine kindness. I was not even there when they conducted the draws.
“I only watched the video of the draw with Nedu Wazobia anchoring. They called me repeatedly but could not get across to me until they finally got me. As God would have it, I was not happy that day
because my debtor client refused to pay me, but the telephone call after the draw lightened my day. I had to rush to Gwarimpa where it was held,” she narrated.
Asked if she nursed any fear that the telephone call could be from fraudsters, she replied: “That did not even cross my mind because I know that they have link with EFAB Property known all over Abuja. If it were other real estates, I would not have played the lottery, but for the fact that EFAB is involved gave me more courage.”
“This is a dream come true because my greatest desire was to own a home in Abuja. Everything worked out for me faster than the way I expected it. It is a typical example of what you prayed for that worked for you.”
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Asked if she informed her husband before playing, she said: “My husband was aware when I registered. He did not particularly encourage me then, but did not discourage me either. He told me to just do my thing.”
On how she broke the news to her husband, she radiantly recalled: “It was very dramatic and my husband can act movie. He was so happy that he could not even eat that day. The news filled his stomach. He was actually traveling back from Lagos.
“On arrival, he lifted me up, knelt down and thanked God endlessly. The whole episode was so dramatic but there was more drama from my parents. My dad could not believe it and my mum told me, ‘hold the news,’ because she was not at home then. My siblings were very happy.
“On my own, I could not believe it until I saw the building. The most surprising was the tasteful furnishing. I want to think that specifying that the house is furnished may have created doubt in some people. Many saw it as a scam, but I am a living testimony to the authenticity of the lottery
game,” she said.
Husband reacts
For Fredrick, his wife Eyare has been a bundle of joy and blessing since the day he met her through his family friend at a public function. The accountant turned ICT expert said that though the home is a worthwhile divine wedding gift, however, house or no house, he has no regret marrying her.
Responding on how everything played out, he said; “With or without this house, I don’t have any regret getting married to her. The truth is that she has been a blessing to my life. I would not have discouraged her from playing, not because the money involved is very small.
“She actually told me but I reluctantly encouraged her to try. Not because she played with her
own money because, for us, there is nothing like her and my own money. We are one, united front,”
he said.
On what the house will add to the marriage, he said: “God has always been on our side and adding this to our marriage is actually a blessing. There is nothing we do that we don’t pray about it and God has continued to bless us.”
Asked whether the house will motivate him, he said: “I am not really a fan of any lottery thing. I have already tapped from the blessing. I may or may not play.
“My marriage to her is a divine connection. I met her during her friend’s wedding who happens to be a close family relation. We started chatting to keep in touch through Facebook and other social media.
“However, after some time, I told her enough of those chatting, let us meet. We got married and wedded in May this year. This will more or less be a wedding blessing and gift to us,” he said. \
Lottery company promises more
Speaking on the sidelines during the presentation ceremony, the deputy managing director of Rising Sun Lottery, Abdul Ibrahim, said the event was for the handover of the two-bedroom apartment to their first winner, adding that the company’s goal was to complement government efforts at meet the housing deficit in the country.
“This is a ceremony to officially present a two-bedroom, fully-furnished apartment to the winner of the maiden edition of the raffle draw we conducted on November 30, 2018. We don’t know the winner from anywhere but she is a proud owner of the house courtesy of the fact she participated in our promo and won after playing with N1,000.
“It is our own little way of giving back to the society. We try to complement government efforts
of meeting the housing deficit in Nigeria. This is our first winner and every month we would be giving out one house.”
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