If there were any standards for what audition should be, the Miss Nigeria 2017 auditions trumped them. Held in three cities – Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Lagos – over a one-week period, the process was an all-encompassing one that catered to both the physical and mental needs of the contestants. From personal photography sessions from Studio 24 using cool photo props, there were also monopoly games and passion project activities to keep the ladies entertained. Refreshments were also served.
The three-tier process for the 2017 auditions began in at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on November 7th, with an impressive turn out of contestants from the Northern region for a chance to become the next queen. George Okoro (photographer and Lifestyle Magazine publisher), Adama Indimi (CEO Reign by Adama Lashes), Ogugua Okonkwo (CEO Style Temple) and Andy Ogbechei (Creative Director, A-Squared Network) were the guest judges at this phase of the auditions, accompanied by Enyinne Owunwanne (CEO, Times Multimedia – organisers of the Miss Nigeria pageant).
Following a successful process in Abuja, the team converged in Port Harcourt on Thursday, November 9th to receive contestants from the South-South/South-East region at the Echelon Heights Hotel. It was quite an excellent turnout with hundreds of young ladies vying for a chance to become Miss Nigeria 2017.
This time, Andy Ogbechei (Creative Director, A-Squared Network) and Enyinne Owunwanne (CEO, Times Multimedia – organizers of the Miss Nigeria pageant) were joined by 2 former contestants from Miss Nigeria 2016 – Anna Terna (Miss Benue) and Bozimo Blessing Ebi (Miss Borno) as guest judges.
The week-long process was capped off with a two-day bout of the finest and most intelligent ladies in the South-West region auditioning for a chance to be the next queen at the Times Multimedia Lagos headquarters.
The 37 semi-finalists will be announced in a special Instagram Live Session next week with the grand finale set for Thursday, December 21st, 2017 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The 2017 edition marks the 60th anniversary of the Miss Nigeria pageant which began in 1957 and the organizers have reiterated their commitment to empowering Nigeria’s young women beyond beauty.
According to the CEO Times Multimedia, Enyinne Owunwanne, “this is a commitment that has resonated through the years in our work with young women who have participated in the pageant and gone on to become role models for other Nigerian women. It, therefore, remains our driving motivation this year to continue to provide young women with a platform to achieve the things they are most passionate about. Therefore our focus is not on physical appearance alone, but on women who are intelligent, socially responsible, and committed to making a difference in our country”.