Okpala Mark, a businessman and 1,044 Nigerians across the country, emerged winners at the quarterly, Senior citizens and women’s draws of the DiamondXtra Season 11 reward scheme held yesterday in Lagos.

 Speaking shortly after receiving his Education allowance prize cheque for five years, Okpala told newsmen that he has been a customer of Access Bank for years, adding that he never knew he would emerge winner someday.

“I feel so super happy and excited; I never saw this coming. All I kept doing all these years was to top my DiamondXtra Savings account which I started with N5000 few years ago.  I constantly topped it with bigger amounts which as a result made me richer today. I want to say a big thank you to Access Bank, I also want to encourage other Nigerians, especially my fellow businessmen to partake in this initiative because this bank ends up making their customers happy. I can assure you that with this funds, my childrens’ education will progress to a whole new level”

Some of the winner who were presented with their cash prizes were Mr. Gabriel Nwakwe, who won N1 million rent for a year; Mr, Ahmed Abimbola, who won N1 million while Mrs. Amaka Patience Ajuluchu, Dr. Yinsua Ahmed, Oladeinde Sule and Mrs. Vivian Oyebukwa and Jidai John, all won N500,000 respectively.

Under the cluster category of senior citizens, Mrs. Adewale Wilfred Abosede, Mrs. Rosemary Udo, Mr. Patrick Ogamune, Mr. Godfrey Tosin, Mrs. Obiesie Ekwotosi, Mr. Chimara Charles Uzodinma and Alero Otimeyin, were winners.

And on the women cluster draw, Mrs. Clara Ibiwiele, Mrs. Alero Oyimenyi and Mrs. Effimwen Eyo, won N300,000

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the Head Retail Products, Access Bank Mr. Robert Giles said: “DiamondXtra has been running for 11 years and in that 11 years, we have grown every year. The prize fund and the number of prizes has grown every year. And at the last decade, we have given out over N5 billion in prizes to over 20,000 beneficiaries and last year over 4000 beneficiaries.

“The salary for life is great and that is the prize the customers wanted and every year we have added more prizes such as the educational allowance for five years, senior citizens prizes, rent for a year as well as other ad hoc draws throughout the year to make it more accessible and to create more stories for our customers.”

Speaking on the Season 12, he said: “It is a tight lip secret, but we would stay true to our promise of keeping DiamondXtra going and we would stay true to our promise for salary for life and everything our customers loved last year, we would keep and our customers have asked for a few more things and we would feature it. So, more prizes more winner and a few exciting features we would keep secret.”

Also, the Group Head Consumer Banking Access Bank, Mrs. Adaeze Umeh, said: “Season 12 is even going to be much bigger because we have gotten feedbacks from our customers to know what they want to see in season 12 and Diamondxtra is a product that has been here for 11 years meaning we have strong followership. And each season we try to build in what customers loved in season 11 and would want in season 12 because it is a product for our customers and we are touching lives.”