The newly elected exco of National Executive of the Association of Beauty Pageants, Fashion and Exhibition Organisers of Nigeria (ABPFEON) was at the weekend inaugurated in Abuja where the Association urged the members to unite as they are saddled with the responsibility to uphold the rights of pageant organisers, models/contestants and also checkmate the activities of the pageant and fashion brands towards promoting the image of Nigeria for national honors and international recognition.
Addressing newsmen at the inauguration, National President of the Association, Olufunsho Alexander Ajagbonna, popularly known as King Fajag called on young Nigerians to not only get their voter card ready but get fully involved in the nation's political development. He said in so doing, youths will be fully involved in changing the country's narrative.
Mr. Ajagbonna enumerated some of the challenges the association faces to include lack of support/ sponsorship, misinformation about pageantry, bad eggs spoiling the industry & Beauty Queens who are no longer being role models.
He pledged the readiness of his administration to look into the challenges and roll out plans to tackling them one after the other.
He highlighted that the Association has started developing a module that will enable pageant organisers to access soft loans and grants to organise their events, adding that in the nearest future, the association will purchase Event Multimedia equipment or achieve some sort of partnership with multimedia companies to constantly support its members in all states.
General Secretary of the Association, Amb. Raymond Jefferson said its members will be involved in the 2023 general elections and all state elections across Nigeria in its efforts to help build a nation with favourable policies for pageant organisers in Nigeria and entertainers in general.
He added, "For the past 22 years, our members, who have grown to over 11.3 million people, have been reluctant towards active participation in the political process, but this year this administration has decided to mobilize its members across several states to drum up support for credible individuals that will be more embracing towards entertainment."
He further urged young people to ensure active participation in the upcoming 2023 election. While noting that the association will ensure full mobilisation of its members to take part in the electioneering process, the National President said ABPFEON will massively support the emergence of a Nigerian President who is entertainment inclined.
He said millions of members of the association who usually do not participate in elections are aggrieved because successive governments have not carried them along.
In his words "It is my passionate appeal as the National Secretary of our Great association to all our members across all the States to get their PVC’s ready for next year."
In her remarks, Vice president of the Association Mrs. Hilda Yange while congratulating the newly Elected National Executives and all Standing Committee Members, Zonal/State Chairman said the Association has awakened to reposition the image of pageantry in NIGERIA and to Birth a New chapter for not just pageant organisers but also for Beauty Queens, Models & fashion Exhibitors.
He revealed that in coming weeks, the Association will embark on several initiatives such as pageant verification/licensing.
He said the association will subsequently scrutinise and license genuine pageants, insisting that any pageant without this certificate will be sanctioned.
Other speakers at the event are
Dr Billy Okoye, Group Executive Director, Ventures & Business Development, NNPC Ltd, Queen Ogenna Walter (Chairperson, Queens Affairs), Amb. Kingsley Amafibe (committee chairman), Alex Nwankwo (Committee Chairman), Amb. Amako Kingsley (committee chairman), Chris Ikoku(South East) zonal director and Dan Hausa(North West) zonal director
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