For a conglomerate which tentacle does not extend to
tourism, entertainment and fashion, it was arguably a big business risk for the
Ekulo group to venture into beauty pageantry. But then, risk is an integral
part of every business venture and this hugely explained the conglomerate’s
plunge into beauty pageantry in the mould of the just concluded Most Beautiful
Girl in Nigeria, MBGN pageant.
Ekulo’s sponsorship of the 2017 MBGN was the group’s first
ever interest in the beauty/tourism sector of the economy. Stakeholders agree
that the overwhelming success of the 2017 MBGN contest which produced Ugochi
Ihezue, Miss Kebbi, as winner and new MBGN Queen, bears commendable testimony
to dexterity, hard work and careful planning on the part of the Ekulo team
saddled with the task.
The buildup to the competition for the MBGN crown started
with sell of the forms for interested young ladies across the country. Those
who indicated interest were later screened and 36 of them were then selected.
The finalists then started camping. As part of the camping activities, the
finalist paid courtesy call on Evan Industries Limited, a member of the Ekulo
group. Meditol Medicated Antiseptic range of soap which was the sponsoring brand
in the MBGN pageant is manufactured by Evans Industries Ltd.
Essentially, Meditol
Medicated and Antiseptic range of soap protects heals and beautifies. It’s a
family soap with five variants namely Meditol Original with Avacadoextracts,Meditol
Classic with Shea ButterExtracts, Meditol
Gentle with Olive Oil , Meditol Cool
with Menthol, Meditol Herbal with Aloe Vera Extracts. Apart from Meditol,
Evans industries also manufacture other household items, including the popular
Eva range of soaps and Hawaii range of Papaya & Carrot Whitening soaps.
Evans Industries Limited is a 100% Nigerian Company with
absolute belief in Nigeria with a proud maxim. ‘We are proud of Nigeria’ Evans enthuses.
The company says it want Nigeria to be proud of it too. According to Evans, “in
making the Meditol soap range, Evans Industries limited, is on a mission to
prove that Nigerians can produce skin care soaps that are at par with
international standards. The Meditol range is the next level in antiseptic and
medicated soaps making waves in the country”
The contestants had a busy day as they were taken on a
guided tour of the company’s factory and production line. On hand to perform
this task was Evans’ General Manager, Daniel Nwaiwu. Apart from Meditol, girls
were introduced to the company’s different products, including Hawaii range of
Whitening soap consisting Hawaii Papaya and Hawaii Carrot and the Eva range of
Complexion Care soap-Eva Herbal, Eva Romantic, Eva Gold, Eva Classic, Eva
Forever and Eva Ivory.
Quality Control Manager, Gbenga Adepoju, told the awe-struck
MBGN finalists that the company was constantly conducting research to come up
with new products for the satisfaction of its teeming consumers. Nwaiwu on his
part said the wide acceptability of Evans’ product across different strata of
consumers, stemmed from the quality nature of the products which he affirmed
compete favorably with international brands of the same genre as the company
and its operation are ISO 9001/2008 certified.
The girls beamed with smiles as General Manager of the Ekulo
Group, Joseph Okonkwo eulogized them, describing them as epitome of complete woman,
characterized by elegance, grace, decency, intelligence and role model for
other women. He told them that Evans
industries Limited was poised to enhance their God-given African beauty by
producing and make available to them and other consumers, total body care
products.
Apart, Okonkwo, Nwaiwu and Adepoju, EmakaOramadike, Ekulo
Group’s Marketing Manager and Media adviser to the Group, Ingram Adichie Osigwe,
were also on hand to ensure the MBGN finalists had a memorable visit. Brimming
with joy, the girls received various products of the company as gifts and later
posed for group photograph with Ekulo officials.
Icing on the cake came on the night of Friday September 15,
2015 when Ugochi Mitchell Ihezue emerged. Pomp, glamour and splendor were on
parade as panel of judges comprising First Lady of Ogun state, Mrs.OlufunshoAmosun,
Nollywood actress, Stephanie Okere-Linus, Senator LanreTejuosho among others
meticulously sift through the 36 MBGN contestants to crown Ugochi as winner and
Nigeria’s new and foremost beauty queen. MBGN pageant is Nigeria and Africa’s
biggest beauty pageantry.
The ambience of Eko
Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, venue of the MBGN contest was
electrifying and the night classy. The hall was brimming with the La de crème of
Nigeria fashion, beauty, tourism and entertainment industry stakeholders that
thronged there to witness history made. A touch of elegance was further added
to the enchanting evening with the red carpet beautifully embossed with colours
of Meditol Medicated Antiseptic soap, the sponsoring brand.
Though from Akokwa, in Imo state, Ugochi, a Fine and Applied
Arts graduate of University of Benin, represented Kebbi state in the MBGN
pageant. Closely following Ugochi in the keen contest was the first runner up,
Miss Sokoto, Stephanie Agbasi. Miss Oyo, EmmanuellaYaboh was the second runner
up and Miss Plateau, Winfrey Okolo the third runner up.
Some of the MBGN finalists also won consolatory crowns.
These are Miss Amity won by Miss Yobe, NdaliEno, Miss Photogenic/Congeniality
went to Miss Anambra, Maristella Okpala. It was a double crown for Ugochi as
she was also bestowed with Model of the year.
Double portion also was the lot of Miss Sokoto, Stephanie Agbasi
as she grabbed Best Costume and MBGN universe while Miss Bayelsa, Rebecca
Hampson got Best Evening Wear.Miss Oyo, EmmanuellaYaboh went home with MBGN
ECOWAS while his Plateau counterpart, Winfrey Okolo got MBGN Tourism. Over 350
gift packs branded in Meditol colours were shared at the event with all the contestants getting special packs.
Before the final selection of the new MBGN Queen and winners
of other categories of the pageant, the girls dazzled the gathering with
breathe-taking night and beach wears. Selection process for the winner of the
exalted MBGN crown saw the panel of judges trim the finalists from 36 to 15 through
a very transparent elimination mechanism. From 15, the list was pruned down to
5. It was from the 5 that Ugochi came tops and the runner ups emerged. Moments
after she was pronounced winner, Ugochi was crowned by the outgoing queen,
UnoakuAnyadike.
Among dignitaries that graced the 2017 MBGN contest included
fashion enthusiast and socialite, Senator Florence ItaGiwa, Publisher of Daily
Times newspaper, Fidelis Anosike, Marketing Manager, EmekaOramadike, General
Manager of Evans Industries, Engineer Daniel Nwaiwu,Nnamdi Okonkwo, Joseph
Agada, TochukwuAralu, ChibuzorNnaebue,Mediaadviser to the Ekulo group, Ingram
Adichie Osigwe.
Others were Vice President of the Silverbird group, Guy Ben
Bruce, former Executive Vice Chairman of National Communication Commission NCC,
Ernest Ndukwe and Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Advertising
Practitioners of Nigeria, APCON, Alhaji Bello GarubaKankarofi, Popular comedian
and actor, OkeyBakassi , Nollywood personalities, EjikeAsiegbu and Caroline
EkanemDanjuma,Major Ekulo distributor, Amaco Investment Limited was also
represented.
Quality musical entertainment was provided by Olamide, Harry
Song, Ara among others. Colorful cultural displays also spiced up the night
amidst visible excitement on the faces of the attendees.
Elated at the success of the 2017 MBGN pageant, Guy Bruce
was full of effusive praises for Ekulo for sponsoring the beauty contest.
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