The madness of beauty pageants in Benue State

Story by..... Naomi Oboyi

Once upon a time in Benue and indeed Nigeria, beauty pageants were strongly regarded as platforms that showcased the true beauty and intelligence of the Nigerian girl.

We miss the good old days when our beauty queens walked around with so much pride and dignity.
I remember way back, as a fresh pre-degree student of the Benue State University, Makurdi, my roommates told me so many beautiful stories about the Official Miss Benue Beauty Pageant and how they looked forward to it every year.
Sadly, it’s a different story today, as disrepute has taken the place of the prestige that comes with the crown and office of a beauty queen in Benue State.
“If asked to choose role models out of the ‘thousands’ of Benue beauty queens, for young Benue girls, I will not come back with a handful of true beauty queens,” these were the words of a public affairs analyst.

I once eavesdropped on a conversation and I heard some folks saying, “every girl for Makurdi now na kwin. Small time now, we go start to dey see Miss Wadata and Miss Gyado Villa.”

I laughed it off at that point, but shortly afterwards, I saw a flyer promoting a ‘Miss Judges Quarters’ beauty pageant, as though that wasn’t enough, I stumbled on another ‘Miss PDP’ pageant. At that point, I knew that the business had taken a quantum leap in Benue.

Being a major compere at most of the beauty pageant shows in the state, I prepared my mind for the day that I just might be invited to be a Master of Ceremonies at a ‘Miss Gyado Villa’ pageant.

The truth is, beauty pageants have contributed a great deal in keeping lots of Nigerian and even Benue youths busy and productive with monetary gains for both the winners and organisers through sponsorship from individuals and corporate organisations.

There’s no point doubting the fact that beauty contests have contributed in the creation of employments for youths in the state, but on the other hand, the upsurge of beauty pageants in Benue is alarming, to say the least.

They keep springing up everyday like mushrooms, such that almost every local government area in the state now has a crowned beauty queen.
For some people, this is regarded as a good development, for others, most Benue beauty pageants have lost value.
Our girls now fall over themselves just to become beauty queens, they desperately want to be addressed as ‘Her Royal Majesty’, they’re willing to do just about anything to achieve this.
The show organisers on the other hand have discovered this and they have turned our young future mothers into pawns that they use to get what they want.

My question is: what exactly is the point of these pageants? What morals are they teaching our young girls?
Another pertinent question begging for answer is: what exactly is the motivation on the part of our future mothers? Why are they so desperate about about winning a beauty contest?

Is it the car, the crown, the fame, the connection, the courtesy calls, or the platform to give back to the society? These and more questions are still begging for answers.

Ladies, I honestly do not know why some of us are so eager to become “beauty queens” though, but if the end goal is to make quick money or to oppress other ‘queenless’ girls with your crown, then it is quite unfortunate.

The new style is to advertise a beauty contest, even when there’s no car at hand, the organisers still put up a picture of a car on the flyer and wait for the girls to buy the forms. The eventual winner ends up buying the car for herself after embarking on thousands of ‘courtesy visits’.

Little wonder we hear of queens fighting their organisers and being decrowned in the process.
How did we get to this point? How did it become so bad? Can we still restore the pride and and dignity of beauty pageant shows and that of the crowned queen?

***For the record, Benue State has the highest number of beauty queens in Nigeria (according to the Association Of Beauty Pageants and Fashion Exhibition Organisers Of Nigeria, ABPFEON).

Tinubu may impose a candidate on the APC, 2019. Says Abayomi.

A democracy rights activist and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, has described APC "National Leader," Bola Tinubu, as a man who frustrates the democratic aspirations of Nigerians through his dictatorial tendencies.

Abayomi, who admitted he has great admiration for Tinubu’s contributions to the return of civil rule and his political sagacity, dropped the bombshell in a letter to the APC chieftain titled “The Tonic Of Democracy Is The Right Of The People To Choose Their Leaders,” the letter traced the history of the duo through the days of struggle for democracy under the military to the return of self-rule and Abayomi’s decision to join the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the political platform under which Tinubu became the governor of Lagos state in 1999.

The lawyer said there are hints that Tinubu is about imposing a candidate on the APC.

The Rise of X-bizzy

X-bizzy music breaking ground in makurdi

The Orokam born multi – talented high rising musical Ejeh Emmanuel Excellent popularly known as X-bizzy is a talented artist under de management of incredible starz entertainment. An undergraduate student of the prestigious Benue state university department of mass communication. He is controlling a large fan base after his first hit single title "Gbosa". He just released his most anticipated song KWENU....He is indeed a young talented.

. X-bizzy had featured Terry G In one of his debut single year’s back.

ORTOM PROMISED TO STEP UP PAYMENT OF SALARIES AS FEDERAL ALLOCATION IMPROVES.

ORTOM PROMISED TO STEP UP PAYMENT OF SALARIES AS FEDERAL ALLOCATION IMPROVES. story by Rose Ameh.

Civil servants in Benue have been assured of prompt payment of salaries now that a considerable improvement has been effected in the Federal allocation. The governor who made the assertion in a thanksgiving service at Yaikyor, Makurdi yesterday also announced a cancellation of his planned foreign trip to Europe and America which he attributed to paucity of funds in the states' treasury and has also assured of a refund of the N21 million already paid to him for the said trip. Governor Ortom particularly disclosed that those owed February and March salaries will be paid shortly and reiterated his resolve to maintain a style of leadership hinged on transparency and accountability.

Nigeria: Boko Haram Split in Leadership Crisis

Culled from allafrica

chief Abubakar Shekau has resurfaced for the first time in months, rejecting reports that the west African jihadi group has a new leader and insisting he's still in charge. Analysts say the group is divided. A interview published Wednesday in an Arabic-language magazine said to be linked to IS introduced Nigerian militant Abu Musab al-Barnawi as BOKO HARAM leader This prompted the group's elusive long time chief, Abubakar Shekau, to break his silence for the first time in months. He released an audio message on Thursday insisting he was still in charge. "We are still in the cause of Allah and will never depart in the struggle to establish an Islamic caliphate," Shekau said in the 10 minute recording. Experts have confirmed the voice is Shekau's. Sahara Reporters published a full translation of the message. Different loyalties A split within the group has been developing for the past few months, says DW's northern Nigeria correspondent Muhammad Al Amin. But the interview with al-Banarwi and Shekau's audio message have brought the division out in the open. Unconfirmed local reports suggest that fighting has already broken out between militants loyal to al-Banarwi and those allied to Shekau, says Al Amin. Shehu Umar, a security analyst from northern Nigeria, told DW that the leadership crisis could be a chance for the Nigerian government to further curtail the terrorist group. "This is a golden opportunity for Nigerian intelligence," he said. Counterterrorism operations, set in motion by President Muhamadu Buhari, have succeded in reducing the number of Boko Haram attacks in the country. Pledge of allegiance Shekau, who has led Boko Haram since 2009, declared the Nigerian militant group's allegiance to IS in March 2015. At that time, Shekau announced that Boko Haram should be known as the Islamic State's West Africa Province. South African security analyst Ryan Cummings told DW that co-operation between the jihadi groups could be purely nominal. "We have no evidence that Islamic State has been providing any form of logistical or operational patronage to Boko Haram," he said. Shekau led the group in an insurgency that has left 20,000 people dead and forced 2.6 million people to flee their homes. A Nigerian security analyst told the news agency AFP on Wednesday that Shekau was seen as disorganised and unreliable, and that IS's announcement of a new leader may be an attempt to clean up Boko Haram's reputation among jihadists. Conflicting ideologies The group's barbaric actions under Shekau's leadership sparked a breakaway faction, Ansaru. Al-Barnawi is said to be allied to Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram in 2012 because it disagrees with the indiscriminate killing of civilians, especially Muslims. In Wednesday's interview, Al Barnawi said he would end attacks on mosques and markets used by ordinary Muslims, instead threatening to kill Christians and bomb churches. Varying concern That's no reassurance to people living in the areas affected by Boko Haram's insurgency, which has spread from Northern Nigeria to parts of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. "Even if they say they will not be attacking mosques, people are not going to believe it, because they know how dangerous this group is," says DW correspondent Al-Amin. But for many Nigerians, Boko Haram's leadership battle is not hugely worrying. The crackdown by the Nigerian government and military has made significant progress in weakening the group. Most citizens believe the group no longer has the power to attack on the same scale as it has in the past. Weaker than ever The Nigerian military, which has retaken most of the land captured by Boko Haram in 2014, told the Nigerian news agency that the news of the group's new leader was just a cry for attention from a severely weakened organization. "We are seeing a group that has lost a lot of territory, they have seen a number of their key figures arrested, they are also facing a more coordinated war effort against their positions," said analyst Cummings. Unpredictable evolution Still, the current developments are a reminder of the unpredictability of the jihadist group which has spread terror across West Africa in recent years. "With Boko Haram, even when the group appears to be on the decline, they have often just evolved in terms of the prevailing circumstances and shown that they are still able to provide quite a significant threat in the theatre in which they operate," Cummings said.

MEND insists Jonathan responsible for Avengers.

Culled from Sahara reporter.

– MEND has stand by its allegation that Goodluck Jonathan is responsible for the Avengers – The group accused the former president of failing to act when necessary – It exonerated President Buhari of any wrong-doing. The Movement for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has replied Goodluck Jonathan and insisted he is responsible for the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. The Avengers has claimed responsibility for series of bombing of oil and gas pipelines in the region but during the weekend, a splinter group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers released a list of its alleged sponsors and named the former president as one of them. According to Sahara Reporters MEND in a reply to Jonathan insisted that he was responsible for the formation of the infamous group by failing to deal with them when he had the opportunity. MEND exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari of any wrong doing. The attention of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has been drawn to a statement issued by one Ikechukwu Eze, on behalf of former President Goodluck Jonathan purporting to dissociate the former President from the allegation leveled against him by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) that, the former President was the Grand Patron of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). With all due respect, the entire statement was deeply provocative and embarrassingly misconceived as it woefully failed to address the core the issue of whether or not; the former President was indeed, the Grand Patron of the NDA. Rather, the statement employed diversionary Tactics which dwelt extensively on sour grapes! Any follower of events in Nigeria and the Niger Delta who was privileged to read the statement released by Mr. Jonathan would immediately observe that the former President had a score to settle with the Okah brothers as well as with MEND who have since May 30, 2014, stopped attacks on Nigeria’s oil and gas assets; and are currently engaged in dialogue with the Federal Government to find sustainable ways and means of ending the festering Niger Delta crises which were exacerbated by the former President’s ineptitude, incompetence and corruption during the 6years he governed the country.: Niger Delta group confirms Jonathan’s meeting with militants Indeed, the problem in the Niger Delta today has nothing to do with the current Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Far from it! The problem is simply, the failure of Mr. Jonathan to address the root issues confronting the region when he was at the helm. Even though he was from the impoverished region; and had, by his own admission in numerous electioneering campaigns, experienced the utter poverty and abject neglect of the region foisted by successive Nigerian Governments and the International Oil Companies since the discovery of oil in 1958 at Oloibiri (a few meters away from his native Otuoke) in Bayelsa state, Mr. Jonathan disappointingly frittered away the opportunity to rescue his people when the Nigerian Presidency fortuitously landed on his laps, virtually on a platter of gold. For 6 whole years, Mr. Jonathan was busy drinking, making merry and generally chasing shadows at the State House. Such a fellow deserves to be ostracized from the assembly of reasonable men; because the Nigerian Presidency might never come back to the Niger Delta region as cheap as it came to Mr. Jonathan; perhaps, in the next 100 years. Lest we forget, MEND was at the forefront of the armed struggle back in 2006/2007 which forced the then Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to consider the option of drafting an Ijaw into the mainstream of Nigerian politics. That was how the perpetually timid and naïve Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became Vice President and later, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When he assumed the reins as President, he did the unthinkable; he tracked down perceived MEND leaders and promptly got them imprisoned on a trumped-up charge of attempt to assassinate him. Up until today, Mr. Jonathan is still suffering from an assassination paranoia complex (APC). Secondly, a substantial portion of Mr. Jonathan’s statement, unfortunately, dwelt on judicial matters which are pending in various courts in Nigeria and South Africa. For instance ,Mr. Henry Okah’s Appeal in South Africa’s Supreme Court is due for Hearing this August; while his brother, Charles’ ongoing trial in Nigeria is pending before Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The former President’s statement was therefore, most highly contemptuous, injurious to the credit of MEND and the Okah brothers; and, above all, prejudicial to the eventual outcome of the ongoing trials in South African and Nigerian courts, respectively. Consequently, both brothers shall, on account of the former President’s prejudicial statement, institute legal action against him in South Africa and Nigeria within 60 days, commencing from today, August 9, 2016. Accordingly, they have briefed their respective Solicitors to formally engage the former President in litigation. READ ALSO: Jonathan denies sponsoring Niger Delta Avengers Back to the core issue. MEND cannot hold brief for the RNDA who pointedly accused Mr. Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger Delta crisis ;and patronizing the NDA, apparently for political reasons. We are however ,quick to point out the fact that, the RNDA has merely vindicated MEND’s belief and conviction that, the former President and his cronies who lost the 2015 Presidential election were using the illegal and treasonable NDA platform to destabilize President Buhari’s Government. 9. Finally, MEND is committed to working with the current Administration to bring peace, stability and development to the Niger Delta region. The process has since commenced with the constitution of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-MEND AARON TEAM 2, Dialogue, Peace and Development Initiative. Between August 22, 2016 and October 7, 2016 the AaronTeam shall embark on a tour of the Niger Delta region. The proposed tour is code-named “OPERATION MOSES.” The key focus of the tour is to persuade militants to ceasefire and support President Muhammadu Buhari in his determined and sincere effort to develop the region. The tour shall also help to boost Nigeria’s oil production capacity as well as improve host community relations with oil and gas companies in the country. Meanwhile, Chief Ayiri Emami has urged President Buhari to critically investigate Goodluck Jonathan and other persons named as sponsors of Niger Delta Avengers. He said: “The revelation by the splinter group of Niger Delta Avengers about the sponsors of Niger Delta Avengers has vindicated my earlier position that some corrupt politicians running away from justice are the brains behind the criminal group.” “Nigerians should not take the report by Sahara reporters with a pinch of salt and President Muhammadu Buhari should ensure that the fresh revelation is properly investigated with a view to bringing all those behind the economic and political sabotage to book. “I say so emphatically because these failed and corrupt politicians are determined to bring down the economy of Nigeria and rubbish the President Buhari’s administration before gullible Nigerians.”

LAGOS INVASION

Militants regroup, engage soldiers, police in gun battle On July 28, Sounds of sporadic shots by gunmen suspected to be Niger Delta militants, continued yesterday at the Ewedogbon end of Totowu. Police confirmed that they were said to have fired for several hours without coming out of the creeks. But no life was lost. Unconfirmed report had it that the militants engaged a joint military and police team in another gun battle at the riverine community in Ishuti, Igando, old Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State for a second day running. However, police sources claimed there was no confrontation. Rather, a joint military and police team, according to sources, were stationed at the river banks to confront the militants who were said to have remained inside the canal, from where they fired continuously. Reports of attack OUR sources was reliably informed that the gunmen staged a comeback shortly after the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, who visited the scene, left. Rumours went round that the command’s boss had been attacked with some of the policemen shot. It was learned that leader of the gunmen, who attacked the community, lives within the Ewedogbon/Akesan axis. Sources said that the home of the kingpin had been razed by the residents to avoid its use as attack base. The militants, in its latest onslaught, invaded Ewedogbon community, early Tuesday, shooting sporadically, an action that set the entire community into pandemonium. It took the efforts of the the security team to repel the aggression of the militants, though some people from both sides were said to have sustained injuries. Retreat, regroup Men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of Lagos State Command, had to deploy and place two Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, and combat helicopter, on patrol to finally repel the gunmen from advancing. The militants were said to have retreated into the creeks only to return yesterday evening. According to an eyewitness, Mr. Seyi Aiyetoro, there was confusion again at about 4p.m., as the militants engaged the joint military/police team in a gun battle, sending residents scampering for safety. RRS source confirms attack An official of the RRS, who confirmed the report on condition of anonymity, said: “We received a distress call that the militants regrouped in an attempt to seize the community again. “They were said to have engaged the joint military/police team stationed there in a gun battle. “As I speak, (at about 6p.m. yesterday), the gun battle is still on, but report said the militants had started retreating into the creeks again.” The suspected Niger Delta militants stormed the riverine community attacking and harassing the residents, who are mainly Aworis, inhabitants of Ogun suburb. The community was said to have been deserted. The militants, who came in two speed boats, were said to be the same group that likely kidnapped the traditional ruler, Oniba of Iba, Oba Yushau Oseni. At press time, police helicopters were sighted hovering above the waterways, apparently with a view to ascertain the militants location. Police assurance Meanwhile, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, visited Ewedogbon/Akesan commu-nity yesterday, assuring residents that the command would do everything within its reach to ensure their safety. In an interview with Vanguard, the Police Public Relation Officer, SP Dolapo Badmus, explained that the CP’s visit was aimed at getting a firsthand information about developments in the area. Her words: “Police have dominated the area. We are going to sustain that for a long time, while the Marine Police Command is stepping up its operations. We are not leaving anything to chance.