Kunle Adelabu
The 38th edition of the Imota Ayayo celebration has continued to break grounds and set records as this year’s edition witnessed the maiden edition of the Miss Imota Ayayo Beauty Pageant 1.0.
At the historic event powered by the Admos Hotel and Suites, Miss Temitope Glory Adams, who represented the Ajagunro quarters, was crowned as the first – ever Miss Imota Ayayo, winning the star prize of N150, 000 and other gifts.
The event took place at the Admos Hotel and Suite, Imota, on Friday, and witnessed exciting talent displays by beautiful ladies that partook in the keenly contested maiden beauty contest.
Miss Ogunowo Esther Boluwatife and Miss Ayedun Hawau Olajumoke emerged first and second runners – up, and won N100, 000 and N50, 000 cash gifts respectively.
Other contestants at the maiden beauty contest were Rokeebat Omosheke, Oshilaru Fausat Aderibigbe, and Oshileye Bukola.
The Chairman of Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Wasiu Agoro, also announced that the winners will be innovatively engaged.
Contestants engaged in casual wear, dance, evening gown competitions, as well as questions and answers, as they competed for the top prize.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mrs Aberuagba Abiola, said that the initiative was designed to celebrate beauty and talents of Imota youths and expose them to stardom.
“The event is not just a celebration of beauty but also talents. It is an avenue to support the dream of our youths who have chosen pageant as careers.
“The platform will give contestants confidence to pursue their careers in beauty”, she said.
She charged all the contestants to consider themselves as winners, while also assuring that the maiden edition will be the beginning of any wonderful celebration of beauty and talents.
Hon. Wasiu Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA, speaking at the maiden beauty contest, recalled that the idea was suggested by a member of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), and assured that it has come to stay.
He said that the pageant, which will be an annual event during the yearly Imota Ayayo Day Celebration, will provide youths in the community, platform to showcase their talents.
“Imota has huge talents and this is a platform for our youths to express and showcase their abundant and raw talents. It is an avenue for them to unleash the God-given talents in them.
“I charge you to always come out whenever platforms like this are created for you to express yourselves”, he said.
“We have many initiatives to engaged the youths and we shall continue to give them more avenues to productively engaged them”, he said.
“I can assure you that the beauty pageant has come to stay. It will be sustained forever because it is an avenue for our youths, especially those that has chosen the path as career, to explore and exploit in order to attain greatness.
“Whomever that is crowned today should not see herself as the most beautiful or talented, rather, you are all winners”.
A chieftain of the Imota Ayayo Development Association, Dr. Olumide Metilelu, in his own remarks, also charged contestants on the need to develop their confidence.
While assuring the pageants that the future holds great opportunities in their chosen career, he added that the association is in discussion with brands to engage winner and other contestants that displayed talents.
He charged the youths on the need to have an extra – curriculum activities to make them relaxed.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, the winner of the beauty contest, Miss Temitope, said that the process was engaging and educative, and that she learnt a whole lot.
She expressed her joy for winning the maiden beauty pageant competition, and becoming an ambassador of the town.
Members of the panel of judges were Mrs Edun Temitope, a chartered accountant and Director with the Local Government Commission, Hon. Solawon Hakeem Adewale, Chief Whip and Councilor, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Mrs Adesola Akeem, a teacher and youth leader.
Other notable individuals at the maiden edition of the Miss Imota Ayayo were Hon. Sunday Benson, Vice Chairman, Imota LCDA, Chief Tajudeen Adegboyega Adekoya, Chief Executive Officer, ADMOS Hotel and Suites and wife, Dr Kunle Awolaja, Chairman, Imota Ayayo Development Association, Dr Abiodun Okedey, Chairman, Imota Ayayo Day Planning Committee, Mrs Wasiu Agoro, wife of the Imota LCDA Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Oredoyin, Council Leader, Imota LCDA, Hon. Busola Jelili, Hon. Sunday Aberuagba, Hon. Shodunke Ekundayo, Hon. Adeshina Oluwole and Comrade Odumosu Ashaka, Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC).
