Winners have emerged in the “win-a-home-today”, an initiative of the Home Lottery Limited.
In a well-attended event at De Santos Hotels in Lagos, the audience comprising bettors and would-be bettors, organisers, regulators – Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Lottery Commission, and Lagos State Lottery Board – and members of the press, witnessed a live electronic raffle draw which saw six winners emerging.
The grand prize of a three-bedroom bungalow was won by Ticket Number 1529564392946 and Phone Number 0806758****. Two Category A prizes of a 32-inch TV went to Ticket Number 1528378751686 with Phone Number 0806026**** and Ticket Number 1533624661389 with Phone Number 0803384****. Three Category B prizes of a 1.2KV generator went to Ticket Number 152880223234 with Phone Number 0903202**** and Ticket Number 1528126343860.
A bettor with Ticket Number 1534243547513 with Phone Number 0703683**** completed the list. None of the winners were in the audience, however, they were called and placed on a speaker to the hearing of all present.
In an April Fool season, it wasn’t a surprise that skepticism got the better of the winners.
“Are you sure that this is not a prank?” Joy***, the star prize winner said when informed of her winning entry.
However, Oladayo Oyelaja, the project lead of Dreamview Enterprises a partner of Home Lottery Limited, doused her fears.
“You are on phone with a live audience and they are interested in knowing you are real and the winner of the house,” he said.
“It is not a Fool’s Day prank. Congratulations.
”Now in a joyous mood, albeit with a little doubt, the lucky winner continued: “I bought the ticket last year and have even forgotten about it. You have to send me a mail and until the key of the house is handed over to me I won’t believe you.” But Nkiru Onusili, a deputy director and coordinator of National Lottery Regulatory Commission, was full of conviction.
“You know that anything lottery requires transparency so the commission went for inspection to ensure everything was in place. And today we came to witness the event and so far, so good. We are quite impressed. The process was free and fair,” she said.
“But our work wont end here. We shall go further to ensure that the winners get their prizes. After that, we have what we call winners’ verification. It is a follow-up exercise. After presenting the house and other gift items to the winners, we make sure the organisers don’t go and take back from them.”
Home Lottery Limited offers Lagosians the opportunity to own a home in a most accessible and affordable way by providing hundreds of homes annually through a credible, sustainable and trusted lottery scheme properties in Lagos developing to all over Nigeria. The next draw comes up in July 2019. To participate, send an SMS ‘home’ to 718 on an MTN network.
