By Our Correspondent
As part of activities to ensure that the 37 queens of the 2015 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) are fully acclimatized, the Cross River State Government, yesterday organised a cocktail dinner, in which the girls were serenaded to scintillating mixture of drinks, music and dance.
The event which took place at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel, Tinapa, Calabar, had in attendance the Cross River State deputy governor, Professor Ivara Esu, who represented Governor Ben Ayade, Vice President of Silverbird Group, Guy Murray-Bruce as well as top government functionaries.
In his remark on the occasion, Governor Ben Ayade, who was represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu, described the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) as a worthy venture in which the state was proud to collaborate with.
Acknowledging the international status of the pageant Governor Ayade said: “The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant has come to be a major international and national event which is why the state is collaborating the group to take full advantage to showcase its enormous tourism offerings”.
He disclosed that “An event which brings out lots of talents from our young girls who are not just beautiful, but also intelligent is a worthy venture. So, it is a combination of beauty and brain that we are showcasing here in Cross River and we are proud to be associated with this show.”
Continuing the governor maintained that “We are quite excited to have them here, because they will serve as an inspiration to our young girls who will know that apart from being beautiful, they will also have to be intelligent, hard working and diligent as they strive in their respective endeavour.”
The electrifying atmosphere saw guests and the beauty queens waltz to the African and international tunes.
While encouraging the girls not to see the contest as a do or die affair the governor advised: “Let me ask you also to begin aspiring to the Miss African Pageant that we hope to host in April 2016. So, if you do not win in the MBGN, don’t give up, you may win after you might have learned the robes in this particular pageant and we use this opportunity to welcome all of you to our state. While you are here, I enjoin you to relax and enjoy the warmth, beauty and hospitality of Cross River State.”
Responding, Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce who said he was coming home after his parents left the city in the 50s hinted that “we are happy to bring the 28th edition of the pageant of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria to Calabar.
We are very proud of these girls, we are very optimistic that two girls here will be flag bearers for Nigeria and Cross River State will be responsible for them having achieved what they have achieved in the area of tourism,”
“The winner will represent Nigeria at the Miss World pageant in China in December while the first runner up will represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe Pageant in the United State of America.
“We promise to give Cross River State two growing entertaining shows with great outings and the whole idea is to showcase the beautiful state which we will do. We promise to give you two-hundred percent of it.
“Silverbird will promote Cross River State to the best of our ability and the best we can and I guess the 37 girls here will showcase the state to the very best way, I mean the entire tourist attractions here will be highlighted and shown on the day of the show.” Bruce added.