Entry for Miss Nigeria Pageant now free
…As sponsors alert public against imposters
For the first time in history, participants in Miss Nigeria pageant will now enter the contest free of charge.
Organisers of beauty pageants all over the world usually charge specific fees from participants as condition prerequisite for entry. In the past years, those that contested for Miss Nigeria crown had to pay N5,000 each to participate.
Folio Communications Plc, organisers of Miss Nigeria made the disclosure of the free entry from the 2018 edition in a statement on Tuesday.
The company also alerted the public to beware of imposters who may want to take advantage of the successes recorded in the past to swindle unsuspecting young women in the name of organising Miss Nigeria, adding that official announcement for the commencement of the 2018 entry will soon be communicated appropriately.
According to the statement signed by Bonaventure Melah, Managing Editor of Daily Times newspaper who also doubles as Media Adviser to Folio, the Chairman, Mr. Fidelis Anosike and the management of the company approved the entry free participation for Miss Nigeria beginning from the 2018 edition as a practical demonstration of the ‘Beyond Beauty’ concept which was introduced this year to encourage and empower more women to pursue their dreams on a larger scope rather than just on physical beauty.
“There are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of young women out there that are blessed with both beauty and intellectual capacities to participate in the contest, win and become sources of pride to their families, Nigeria and Africa.
Most of these young women, especially from rural communities may not be able to pay even N500 to participate in the contest.
The management therefore decided to abolish payment of entry fees from this year’s edition so that many more doors and window of opportunities are opened for everyone that has confidence in their selves to dare.
“To that end, Folio therefore encourages all young women in Nigeria to wait for the announcement of the 2018 Miss Nigeria registration which will be made soon.
Once announcement is made and registration portal opened, any qualified young Nigerian woman is free to take advantage of our new policies and register through the appropriate platforms,” the statement said, promising that the 2018 edition of Miss Nigeria will be unique in many ways.”
“The winner of 2018 contest will receive lots of juicy packages that would be announced soon.
For others, apart from free entry and participation, the first top 50 participants will receive a minimum of N100,000 each to empower and support them in their education, entrepreneurship or any other positive endeavour of their choice,” the statement said, adding that over half of the 2017 beneficiaries have been given N50,000 each while arrangements have been concluded to give the others soon.
The company however alerted the public to be wary of imposters who may want to capitalise on the successes recorded in the Miss Nigeria pageant so far to swindle unsuspecting members of the public, especially young women in the name of organising Miss Nigeria contest.
The statement said that Miss Nigeria is the exclusive right of Folio Communications Plc owners of Daily Times of Nigeria which is part of the assets and liabilities Folio inherited following its successful acquisition of Daily Times in 2014.
“Folio has successfully hosted Miss Nigeria over the years with Heritage Bank as official sponsor in partnership with NAPTIP and GAC Motors, the three of which have existing 5-year partnership agreement while Barrister Ezinne Akudo Anyaoha, the 2013 Miss Nigeria is the publicly announced Creative Director of the pageant,” the statement added.
