Seven-year-old Miss Enugu, Anna Akandu, emerged Little Miss Valentine Nigeria 2018 late on Sunday night, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAN reports that the organiser of the event, Chelsy Odunze, the Chief Executive Officer, Chozy Concept, confirmed this to NAN from Calabar, Cross River, through a telephone conversation where the event took place.
She said that Akandu, who emerged the winner out of five finalists, was crowned by her predecessor-in-office, Miss Eunice Ogboru from Delta.
She told NAN that the judges in their unanimous decision said that Akandu had attractive looks, elegance in steps and display of intelligence in responding to questions.
Odunze also said that six year-old Miss Anambra, Treasure Epoke, emerged the first runner-up, while the second runner-up was Miss Lagos, Blossom Etim-Effiom.
Odunze, added that the contest was established to identify brilliant children and begin to introduce them to leadership and public challenges.
“Our motive is to inculcate in our little kids, the confidence to face a large audience and display their self esteem.
“ We have discovered that most of our children are restricted to their homes, schools and maybe, to friends and social activities around their localities.
“Most parents no longer have time to take their children out to competitions or public functions, “she said.
Odunze said that such a contest such as the one organised by him would train children on how to inter face with a large crowd from infancy, build self-confidence and sharpen their intellects.
She noted that the junior contest, which embraced school children from age six to age 12, was more of an educative forum for culture and general intelligence.
It is also to take their minds off the negative impact of social media, she told NAN.
According to her, gone are the days when pageants were regarded as immoral thing by the public because they thought it was only meant to expose the sensitive areas of the female bodies.
She said that the contest afforded the children the opportunity to display their various cultural outfits and decent evening gowns.
NAN reports that the current winners emerged from five finalists out of the 30 candidates that registered for this year’s grand finale.
She added that the new little Miss Valentine went home with an electric griller, (home appliance) and school accessories.
Also, that second and third winners got table top gas cookers and school bags.
Odunze added that the organiser gave out consolation prizes comprising branded exercise books, mathematical sets and certificates of participation to all the participants,” she said.
According to her, some of the dignitaries at the event include: Most Creamy Kid Nigeria World 2017, Joel Amarachi, Little Master and Miss Independence 2017 and Prof. Akosa Winifred of the Department Of History, University of Calabar.(NAN)
