Chidinma Okeke. PHOTO: missintercontinental.com
As the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) gears up for this year’s Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant billed for October 25, 2016, the reigning Queen, Chidinma Okeke, who has been enjoying the limelight since her emergence, is now preparing to officially handover the crown to a new queen.
Already, the production team has since commenced work for this year’s show, while the judges are battling with hundreds of entries from where the finalists would emerge.
Speaking on the event, the Managing Director and CEO of ABS, Uche Nworah assured that the pageant this year will eclipse previous editions, as the winner will walk away with fantastic prizes, empowerment and skill development opportunities courtesy of the organisers and partners.
He also confirmed that the winner of the 2016 contest would have the opportunity of representing Nigeria at the Miss Intercontinental Beauty Pageant, which Iyom Bianca Onoh won in 1989.
“Anambra continues to excel in all the sectors since Chief Willie Obiano became the governor two years ago. The state is now the safest in Nigeria hence social life has since returned. This is our own way of leveraging on the peace and security which exists in the state by providing world class entertainment and beauty pageant that meets international standard for Ndi Anambra and visitors to enjoy,” Nworah said.
While stating that the pageant has grown in stature, as reputable brands such as Kia Motors, Air Peace, Rockland Real Estate, Rise Clincs, M-P Infrastructure Ltd, New Crystal Communications Ltd, Let’s Partner With You Ltd etc have partnered with the project, Nworah said, “this is part of our commitment to the development of Anambra women; Miss Anambra in a beauty pageant aimed at showcasing beauty and brains. The pageant would usher in a new experience in the world of pageantry in Anambra, as well as honour outstanding women. Organising this event and other similar events is in line with the mandate of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and its objectives of informing, educating and entertaining our audience. It is also a manifestation of our repositioning from being a broadcast organisation to a media and entertainment brand.”
Past winners include Miss Chizoba Ejike, who won in 2014 and is the current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Tourism and Chidinma Okeke, the current Miss Anambra, who represented Nigeria at the Miss Intercontinental Pageant held in Frankfurt in 2015.
The resident judges of the pageant include Miss Nwando Okwuosa (Miss Nigeria 2003 and Creative Director of Miss Anambra pageant), Olisa Adibua of Beat FM and Ifeanyi Okonkwo of Message Boutique, while event planner Rita Idehen and former national beauty queens such as Ene Lawani and Omotu Bissong have featured as guest judges on the pageant.