30 Queens To Storm Calabar For Miss Africa 2016

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

As preparations for this year’s edition of the Calabar Festival and Carnival hots up, 30 stunning beauties from different African countries will be in Calabar, Cross River State to vie for the maiden edition of the Miss Africa 2016 crown.

Thomas Ikpeme, Senior Special Assistant, Events and Tourism to Governor Ben Ayade, announced this at a media briefing in Lagos recently.

Ikpeme said the Miss Africa 2016 Calabar beauty pageant is one of the many dynamic inclusions by Governor Ayade to the Christmas Festival and Carnival.

According to him, the 2016 edition is blowing full steam as the state government is focused on fulfilling its promise of promoting, showcasing and developing Cross River State, as well as Nigeria’s environmental and eco-friendly lifestyle with the amalgamation of beauty, fashion, nature and charity.

He noted that Climate Change is reshaping human civilisation and response from global communities will determine the future of the human race. It is with that resolve and conviction that gave birth to the pageant with the theme, “Green Economy, a tool for Sustainable Development”.

As part of the 32-day Christmas Carnival (From every 1 -31 December with daily events that climax on 28 December with the Carnival Calabar), on 15 November, 30 beauty and brainy ladies between the ages of 18 to 25 years across five regions of the continent will arrive the beautiful city of Calabar for a 12-day boot camp where they will be properly groomed on merging beauty with nature, and understand a tenacious cause centered around creating the much needed awareness on human’s direct and indirect impact on their environment.

On 26 November, they will all converge inside the prestigious Calabar International Convention Centre for the main gala night to vie for the crown.

The eventual winner will be the African Ambassador on Climate Change, and the face and voice in creating awareness in the fight against the global challenge.

The Queen will also earn a cash prize of $20,000 and a trip to the United Kingdom. The first and the second runners-up will also have $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Ikpeme told P.M.EXPRESS that the pageant night will be a night of glamour and style showcasing the true sense of African culture and heritage with the climate change theme in perspective.

The pageant has the support of many African countries as well as that of Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, HE Mrs. Uche Ajulu Okeke and the Head of the Nelson Mandela family, Ndaba Mandela, who expressed her elation with the collaboration as Africa needs to share their stories and use them to inspire young people.

At the event to be attended by top government functionaries, captains of industry, and celebrities across Africa, the line up of performing artistes include Tekno, Kiss Daniel, Victoria Kimani, D’ija, Yemi Sax, Big Daddy, and Real P.

Nigeria’s celebrity clothier Deola Sagoe; South Africa’s David Twale; Afifimma Couture and Tiva Bespoke will handle the contestants’ wardrobe.

Popular On-Air-Personality IK Osakioduwa and Ghana screen sweetheart Juliet Ibrahim will host the show.