No fewer than 61 delegates from different African countries, on Saturday arrived in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to participate in Miss Africa Pageant.
Receiving the delegates at the airport, the Secretary of FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs Hadiza Kabir, explained that the essence of the pageant is to bring the youth of Africa to interact with the entire youths in the FCT.
Represented by the Director, Administration and Finance of the secretariat, Dr Ike Kevin, Mrs Kabir stated that the event is a social integration programme, scheduled to hold in Abuja.
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She also said that the objective of the event is to bring the youth of Africa to interact with the entire youths in FCT and Nigeria as a whole in order to champion youth empowerment, employment generation, wealth creation and value reorientation.
According to her, it is the 9th Edition of the pageant.
“We are at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to received about 61 Contestants in the African Personalities Forum.
“The delegates are going to be in Abuja in the next 14 days. And the essence is black integration. The Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, is a social engineer.
“The minister decided to bring Africans together especially the youths in order to make Abuja the real melting point of social integration in Africa.
“You know we are just coming out of COVID-19 pandemic and most people in Africa are afraid to talk and relate to themselves, especially among youths.”
On her part, Ajoke Ajoke, Miss University, African Nigeria, said the programme is geared towards preventing rape and violence against women as well as promote women empowerment.
“We are all here because of Miss University Africa, pageant that helps to deal with rape and violence against women and promote women empowerment.
“So here is saying welcome to all the African countries coming to Nigeria for the first time for the pageant.”
Also, Miss Uwimana Dative, a delegate from Burundi, said the event would avail her the opportunity to learn more from other delegates across Africa about their cultures.
“I am here for the pageant, Miss Africa, they really received us well and I can’t wait to learn more and more and served others.
“We landed in Lagos and we are here in Abuja, it is really amazing because they welcomed us well.
“We are learning, we dance and I can’t wait to learn from other delegates from across Africa to learn more about their culture because they brilliant,” she said. (NAN)
