Hilton, AOE sign MOU on Centenary pageant

AOE boss and creator of the initiative, Chief Nike Oshinowo said the pageant was organised to celebrate a true Nigerian woman. “It is not a global event, but a truly Nigerian one celebrating us at a hundred years. Unlike most pageants where the starting age is 18, we need someone who is more mature and […]

AOE boss and creator of the initiative, Chief Nike Oshinowo said the pageant was organised to celebrate a true Nigerian woman. “It is not a global event, but a truly Nigerian one celebrating us at a hundred years. Unlike most pageants where the starting age is 18, we need someone who is more mature and between 20  and 25 since she’ll be working for life. It is a Nigerian celebration not a global one. We are therefore looking for Nigerian girls in all shapes and sizes.”
Oshinowo said “a woman being beautiful doesn’t mean stripping her to bikinis.  We want ladies who are vast in their cultures and Nigeria, because these are the criteria to scale through the screening. She must be a well-rounded young lady.”
She stressed that if the message is righ,t the people will embrace it.
Still keeping the budget for the pageant tightly wrapped, Oshinowo said, “it is a phenomenal amount which is mind burgling even to me, bBut what we’ve done is partner first class brands in Nigeria that will work with us.”
On how sustainable the initiative will be, Business Development Manager of the Hotel, Vikram Jamwal said someone needs to take the initiative to do something different and see that it succeeds. “It is necessary to showcase Nigeria’s strong elements and from the Hilton worldwide perspective we have ‘Travel with purpose’ where we promote culture which is what we are doing in this case.”
Transcorp Hilton’s Public Relations Manager, Shola Adeyemo, said the Hotel is the official hospitality hotel and associate sponsor for hospitality for the pageant scheduled for November and will be hosted by Bayelsa State.
So far 48 entries have been received with 26 of them from northern Nigeria including Kano and Zamfara.
The winner who will be a queen for life will receive a monthly salary of N250, 000, have her car changed every five years, with a scholarship to study any course in any university of her choice in the world.