2014/2015 Miss Akwa Ibom Crowned

As NUJ Chairman Preaches Against Nudity

The chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council has called for concerted moral education to stem the rate of nudity by girls and ladies in the tertiary institutions and the society.

Elder Patrick Albert who bared his mind recently at the official crowning of Miss Akwa Ibom 2014/2015, Miss Blessing Usen, by the Akwa Ibom State Hotels and Tourism Board, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, observed that the rate of nudity in the society was becoming worrisome.

Albert, who is a patron, Association of Beauty Queens and Kings in Akwa Ibom State pointed out that daily on the social media platforms – internet, face book, etc, indecent dressing  has become a style and must be discouraged, urging the new crowned Queen, Miss Usen, to campaign against nudity during her reign.

He encouraged her to take the message to girls and ladies that Akwa Ibom admires beauty in decency and not in nudity.

NUJ Chairman, Elder Patrick Albert with Miss Akwa Ibom
Beauty Queen, Miss Blessing Usen soon after her crowning
Monday February 23, 2015

According to the chairman, it is a thing of concern that universities and colleges are filled with half-naked girls and ladies, urging the queen to join in the campaign against indecent dressing and to ensure that the State has responsible children.

He noted that as leaders of tomorrow, the society would not appreciate a half-naked man or woman as senator or governor, appealing to the Queen to take this issue as one of her programmes, while also stressing the need for parents, especially mothers to do a lot on their young girls.

Albert challenged the beauty Queen to see the task before her as more than the beauty it conjures, expressing belief that the Akwa Ibom State Hotels and Tourism Board would assist her implement her programmes so that she would not just promote the tourism aspect of Akwa Ibom State, but would reach out to many persons, especially the less privileged and young persons in order to give them hope as well.

The NUJ chairman who congratulated the Queen for her successful crowning, recalled that Akwa Ibom has been known worldwide as home of hospitality, and with the uncommon nature the state has assumed in the last 15 years of democracy in Nigeria, the people needed to bring other areas that would complement the hospitality known of the state.

He appreciated the board for partnering Samykleff Entertainment to produce a Queen to keep that flag flying.

Albert consoled those who lost out at the competition and reminded them that in any competition there is bound to be a winner and a loser, noting that though it was unfortunate that the process started with defects and errors, sometimes, such mistakes were needful to avoid re-occurrence.

Earlier, presenting the Queen for crowning, the acting chairman, Akwa Ibom State Hotels and Tourism Board, Mr. Atta Atta recalled that Samykleff Entertainment was last year given a franchise to organize a beauty pageant which they did, but lamented that the process nearly rocked the board in crises following deceits in identity of the Queen that was initially crowned in December 2014.

Atta furthered that the earlier crowned Queen, Miss Redah Okoi, a native of Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State had claimed to come from Eket, Mkpat Enin and later Etinan local government areas of Akwa Ibom State until her identity was discovered after the crowning.

According to him, when the truth was known, Miss Okoi who claimed to bear Miss Redah Okon was invited to appear before the board alongside her sponsor, but refused, which warranted the board to dethrone her and enthrone the First Runner Up in the contest, in the person of Miss Blessing Usen, a native of Ikot Akpan Obong, Ididep, in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom as the new Miss Akwa Ibom 2014/2015.

He made known that a Beauty Queen of any place carries the face of such a place, and as such a non-indigene of Akwa Ibom has no right to be crowned as Queen, congratulating the new and the real Miss Akwa Ibom 2014/2015 for finally carrying the face of the state.

Atta challenged her as the incumbent Miss Ibiono Ibom, to strive to win Miss Nigeria in future and carry the face of the country, pledging the resolve and preparedness of the board to assist her.

The director of tourism, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Regina Udo-Ntia Bassey, said the crowning of the new Queen has mark the end of the controversy, and that they were witnesses that an indigenous Queen has been crowned, urging Samykleff Entertainment to give her all her entitlements, and those of the First and Second Runners Up.

The President, Ibom Tourism Association, Pastor Emmanuel Inyang, said having been crowned Queen, Miss Usen was carrying the face of Akwa Ibom, and when she sleeps and wakes up, she does that as Akwa Ibom, pledging the readiness of the association to bring out the talent of the Queen and to also partner her.

The National President, Ibiono Ibom Youth for Development and Democracy (IBIYODED), Mr. Moses Essien expressed happiness for being a witness to the crowning of their own daughter, and attributed it to the prayers of the people of Ibiono Ibom.

Essien said youths of Ibiono Ibom were happy to identify with her, pledging to support her to achieve her goals.

Responding, the Queen, Miss Usen, appreciated all for supporting the brand, noting that the error that was committed has been corrected as everybody were lovers of truth.

Usen, who is the current Miss Ibiono Ibom said she was ready to protect and promote the brand, and solicited for the total love and support of all to keep this brand, adding, that as a creative person that she is, it is not the face of Akwa Ibom which she carries that matter most, but what is in her.

The Queen pointed out that when one is from an uncommon environment, he is bound to do uncommon things, appealing that since she has been given a place to stand, she should also be supported to move the brand to another level.

She promised to promote tourist sites in the State during her reign as Queen, use her office to promote the State, attend to the young people which she said she was passionate about, turn talents to realities and ensure that everything turn out well.