Chioma Okafor, 21, wins Miss Intercontinental Nigeria Beauty Pageant

Lagos – Twenty-one-year-old student, Chioma Okafor, who contested as Miss Bayelsa on Saturday night won the “Miss Intercontinental Nigeria Beauty Pageant 2014”.
Okafor defeated 29 other contestants to emerge victorious in the competition held in Lagos.
NAN also reports that Miss Lagos, Scarlet Shotade, was the first runner-up, while Miss Abia, Sopuruchi Onwuka, was the second runner-up.
With the win, Okafor also claimed a grand prize of N2.5 million, a brand new car and the chance to represent Nigeria at the Miss Intercontinental World Beauty Pageant holding in Jordan later this year.
The first runner-up got N1.5 million, while the second runner-up received N1 million.
Okafor was chosen by the panel of judges after she excelled during the “Camp” and at the grand finale, which was held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Other winners of the night were Miss Imo, Chiamaka Maduewesi who won “Miss Amity’”, Miss Osun, Idera Johnson who won the “Best Traditional Outfit’’ award and Miss Nasarawa, Chiamaka Chukwujekwu who won “Miss Photogenic”.
The rest are Miss Lagos who won “Miss Charismatic”, Miss Kebbi, Udeaku Nwankwo and Miss Katsina, Adaobi Mbonu who also made it into the Top Five contestants.
Part of the events for the night included the contestants coming on stage in swim wears, traditional wears and evening wears as well as musical performances by Jo-El and the Explicit Dance crew.
Speaking on her win, Okafor promised to use her position as Miss Intercontinental to represent Nigeria creditably.
“I intend to set up an entrepreneurial foundation to help the youth to showcase their talents and become independent.
“This will help to reduce unemployment and child-trafficking in the country.
“I will also love to work with my role model, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija and her foundation. I would really love to work with her if I can,’’ she said.
The organiser of the pageant, Dr Chukwunonso Okonkwo, said that the event was to create awareness for Nigeria and Africa and select their representatives at the world stage.
“We want to produce another Bianca Ojukwu who first won this crown as Miss Bianca Onoh, and today she is a good ambassador of the country.
“Miss Intercontinental Beauty Pageant will take pageantry to the next level in Nigeria and produce reputable queens for the country,’’ he said.
Miss Intercontinental Nigeria 2014 was held under licence from the World Beauty Organisation (WBO), which owns the franchise for more than 40 years. (NAN)