The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria – Miss Bayelsa/Nigeria 2013

Posted by admin Arts/Culture & Entertainment, Bayelsa, Headlines, State News Wednesday, July 24th, 2013

Anna Banner - Miss Nigeria 2013 (Bayelsa)

Anna Banner – Miss Nigeria 2013 (Bayelsa)

Anna-Ebiere-Banner-Miss-Nigeria-World-2013

Eighteen-year-old Anna Banner beats 31 other beautiful dreamers at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, writes AKEEM LASISI

Biblically speaking, many roundly beautiful girls were called. But only one was chosen. That lucky bird is 18-year-old Anna Banner, who was, on Saturday night, crowned the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria for 2013.

She emerged from a haven of 31 other delicately pretty contestants that had, in the preceding two weeks, been camped in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where they went through different forms of training and related with natives as they toured various parts of the state.

With the victory, soft-spoken Banner, who was, interestingly, introduced to the competition by a friend, will be in Indonesia later in the year, where her beauty resources will face a global test, as she will represent Nigeria at the Miss World pageant. This is apart from the ovation that greeted her victory as she was declared the winner, at the peak of a finale that set Yenagoa ablaze with music, dance and inspirational banters from celebrities that trooped in from different parts of the country and beyond.

Among the celebrities were Nollywood star, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, who Bayelsa State Governor, Serieke Dickson, saluted in a dramatic way when the organisers gave her a recognition award.

He said, “Seeing you closely, I can now understand why you are called Omo Sexy.”

But the day primarily belonged to Banner, whose star prize is a brand new car. Sheer beauty also won her some other accompanying prizes that include an appointment as a honorary special assistant to Dickson – on culture and tourism.

Awed by the elevation, the crowned teenager could not say much immediately.

“This is awesome,” she eventually said. “I am very glad. I feel overwhelmed with joy. Initially, I did not hear very clearly when the judges announced my name as the winner. I don’t really know what to say, I can only thank the almighty God for making this a reality.”

Now as a cultural ambassador for the Niger Delta state, Banner, who was Miss Bayelsa in the 26th edition at the MGBN, organised by Silverbird Group, intends to inspire youths into noble ideals which, she says, are what the entire country and African continent should pursue.

“I will do my best not to disappoint anyone. I have a passion for helping people, and this is the time for me to actualise this dream. I want to help people in the area of education and in creating inspiring youths to pursue their dreams without allowing any kind of distractions. One thing I am taking away from this pageant is that you will never know where you will be tomorrow,” she notes.

Other winners at the pageant are Miss Kano (Blessing Obi), who was named Miss Photogenic; Miss Akwa Ibom (Fontanne Bassey), as Miss Amity and Miss Ogun (Aderonke Tiamiyu) as Miss Charismatic. Banner was also named the best in traditional costume.

Miss Imo, a queen in waiting

Before the show reached the elimination stage, the audience that filled the Banquet Hall in the Government House were united in spirit and flesh as they enjoyed the spectacles spurred by the musical performances, the contestants’ dance steps and their costumes. For some guys, the treat became a sweet burden when the girls filed out in swimwear, revealing some 60 per cent of their sacred zones.

But the contestants were pruned down to five, the excitement had been tinged with anxiety for many. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some members of the audience had already picked who they believed the winners should be, with some shouting the names of representatives of their states.

And although some people felt home advantage might also have worked for her, many people believe her natural endowments support the judges’ decision.

Of the short listed Miss Adamawa, Miss Imo Miss Kaduna, Miss Bayelsa and Miss Abuja, Banner ruled the night.

But whoever has a eye for beauty would give kudos to Miss Imo, Stephanie Okwu, too, though she came second, which qualifies her to compete for Miss Universe. A 100-level student at the University of Lagos, the young model seems to have a future in the beauty industry. She has a charming carriage and she did not disappoint anyone during the conversation segment of the pageant.

Miss Abuja: What a slip of the tongue!

Poor Miss Abuja. Some people believed that she stood the chance of stealing the judges’ hearts. But that was until she had more than a slip of the tongue during the intellectual aspect of the show. The question she could not conveniently answer is simple: When was oil first explored at Oloibiri in Bayelsa State?

First she said 1956; she realised she had made a mistake and said, ‘Sorry’. Although the host gave her time to gather her act together, she never recovered from the slip. The way she intermittently placed her tender palm on her ‘oil rich’ chest showed that she was a victim of stage fright.

Bayelsa’s escape into tourism

Hitherto, Bayelsa State had become synonymous with the African Movie Academy Awards that it hosts annually. But based on what the Governor, Seriake Dickson, said at the MBGN carnival, it is ready to expand its stake in the culture and entertainment industry in Nigeria.

Apart from honouring Banner with the cultural ambassadorship and the special assistant portfolio, it will, in September, host another edition of the pageant, which will mark Nigeria’s centenary. It will also henceforth host the MGBN annually, while it also rolled out a number of other similar events that will come up in the next few years.

Saluting the organisers and the contestants and the Silverbird family for their commitment to the growth of the entertainment in the country, Dickson said the investment in culture and tourism is a way of showcasing the readiness of Bayelsa to accommodate investors and tourists from all over the world.

He said, “We are doing this to demonstrate our commitment to tourism development as another avenue for generating revenue outside oil. We look forward to hosting the MGBN annually and winners will be cultural ambassadors of our state.”

Also at the event were the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke and other celebrities that included a former coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia.

While the judges for the pageant were recording artiste Mohammed Jammal; Hollywood Actor Jason Newsome; Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency DG Ebizi Brown; Lufthansa (Abuja) General Manager Ini Okorie; Omotola and Executive Director, Two Glowing Funset, SA Thandeka Sibis, it was a good night for Kcee and Timi Dakolo who spiced the show with music.

-Punchwp_posts