Bianca Iboma
After a hectic screening process, 17 finalists have made it to the house for the maiden edition of QueenVarsity Afrika Reality TV Show, a non-bikini beauty pageant dedicated to fresh graduates across Africa which hits the airwaves on February 11, and which would be aired on NTA 2 Channel 5, Lagos, and also on Startimes.
Speaking, Jasmine Ofoegbu, the Executive Director, Pride & Pillars Nigeria Limited, a modelling firm said that the pageant is designed to empower the African girl child.
Ofoegbu said 10 years ago she got the inspiration for the pageant while she was thinking about the girl child and the challenges she faces in the African society. This experience ignited in her a desire to empower the African girl child. She added that she could have started earlier but for funding constraints.
She said: “Today, thank God, the pageant has come to reality and that is because the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) bought into my idea and sponsored this edition. The lucky winner gets a cash prize of N1million along with the necessary support system which would help her in advancing the course of social justice for the woman and the girl child.
“It is a contest that is based on factors such as physical beauty, success and career progression. The end goal is to significantly promote the drive to educate the girl child,” Nguma added.
Contestants were camped for two weeks at FUNAAB where they had seminars, ICT trainings and other academic empowerment programmes in order to prepare them for the pageant. She also added that proceeds from the pageant would be channelled towards promoting girl-child education.