We Have Never Considered ‘Selling’ Our Crown For Cash Or Kind – Obudu Face Of Culture Pageant Organizers

By Frank Edima

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Cinema Nigeria, organizers of Obudu Face of Culture International, Mr. Francis Akpeke has disclosed that the endorsement of the pageant by Government brought its own challenges, as individuals who hitherto supported them, now think Government gives them money and have reduced or stopped their support.

Akpeke stated this while speaking to CrossRiverWatchTV in Calabar on the activities following of the 2016 Obudu Face of Culture International Beauty pageant.

Mr. Akpeke said that he and his team have grown the pageant from strength to strength despite paucity of funds and lack of coherent support from the State Government.

He further added that his organization has never and will never consider selling a crown to any of its queen either for cash or kind reward but on merit. Adding that, “I will like to throw this back to the Queens past and present and I believe they can testify and some parents can attest to, as some have continuously encouraged their wards to contest.

Francis concluded that “we decided to organize a pageant that is based on culture because we saw the need to revive the Obudu culture through pageantry to promote tourism because culture and tourism goes hand in hand”.