Preparations are in top gear for the hosting of this year’s edition of Miss Apex Queen Nigeria 2019. The beauty pageant, whose maiden edition was held last year, is set for its grand finale and award night on May 11 at the Gracepoint Hotel, Wuse, Abuja. The pageant is the pet project of former Queen of Tourism Nigeria 2017, Miss Favour Amarachi Uzochukwu, who hails from Anambra State, a final year student of History and Diplomatic Studies of the University of Abuja.
The beauty pageant is being promoted under the Apex-White Empire brand, an outfit set up by Uzochukwu to groom the girl-child and give meaning to their existence by offering them a platform to realise their lifetime ambition.
As the queen of tourism, she is also dedicated to the development and promotion of tourism-related activities, hence the twin events, Miss Apex Queen Nigeria beauty pageant and Apex Achievers’ Award, to draw attention to the challenges facing the girl-child in the country.
The achievers award, according to her, is devoted to honouring and celebrating leaders, businesses, personalities and celebrities who have contributed immensely to the development of the country and the youth, especially the girl-child through their various humanitarian activities. Aside from tourism activities, the former beauty queen disclosed that the strength of her outfit lies in its girl-child advocacy, which has become a big issue in the country following the ill treatments meted to them by society.
‘‘The organisation supports more opportunities for the girl-child and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by them worldwide,’’ she said, adding that, ‘these inequalities include areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, and protection from discrimination, violence against women and child marriage.’’
According to her, the event this year will be very colourful and enriching, with a lot of entertainment, as well as informative and educative line-ups. Some of the activities include dance drama, fashion show, and musical performance by notable and upcoming Nigerian musical acts. Participants’ age for the beauty pageant is put between 18 and 27, with no height or statistical restrictions. While prizes to be won include official car, vacation trip, cash prize, movie and modelling contracts as well as lots of sponsored projects because the winner is expected to be a girl-child and tourism advocate.
Uzochukwu also disclosed that, at last year’s edition, which was staged at Maranatha Suites, Owerri, Imo State, five beauty queens were crowned as ambassadors with Queen Cynthia Ocheze Opara as Miss Apex Queen Nigeria 2018, representing Imo State; Queen Precious Ogwumike as Miss Apex Queen Nigeria Tourism; Queen Jessica Charles as Miss Apex Queen Nigeria Culture; Queen Ellah Mbah as Miss Apex Queen South East; and Queen Christopher Juliana as the Photogenic Queen and face of the company.
Some of the personalities bestowed with the achievers’ award include: Miss Chinyere Ogidi (Publisher and editor-in-chief, Waka About Afrika) as the most supportive media of the year; and the CEO of Inside Nollywood Production, Obinna Muomah, as the next-rated production outfit of the year.