The organisers of Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), has redeemed the pledges made to 18 winners of its pageants as they were given different cash gifts.
Speaking during the presentation of cash prizes to the queens at the OFF’s office in Lagos, the Director of Communication, Ambassador Muyiwa Oshinaike said the leadership of OFF deemed it fit to redeem its pledge in cash, because the winners deserved to be celebrated following their painstaking efforts and steadfastness, which goes a long way in fulfilling the promise, made over the years.
“In the past, we have honoured the winners with various gifts, including cars and other valuable items. Many of them had, through the foundation won international recognitions. But unfortunately, we were unable to fulfill our promises to them in the last three years because of the economic hardship in the country. The beauty pageant has continued to sustain its original value by strictly adhering the foundation structure which past winners can attest to this fact.
Oshinaike also advised the queens to stay focus in maintaining the core values of the foundation, saying that OFF, as an institution will continue to build future leaders through its various festivals and pageants.
Meanwhile, the beauty pageant’s manager, Dr Sunday Ogunshola, said the programme offers a rare opportunity for the Foundation to identify hidden talents among the girls, and it has also built future leaders among past winners. “All the winners of our pageants are our ambassadors and they have been doing wonderfully well in their various endeavours.
The 2019 Miss Olokun, Adeosun Abidemi, who spoke on behalf of other queens said OFF beauty pageants has opened avenues for past winners to soar higher levels in the world of beauty pageants as some of them have been nominated as models for international events.
“My appreciation goes to the organisers of the pageants and we as OFF’s beauty pageant ambassadors will continue to keep faith with the ideology and tradition of the Foundation,” she declared.