Miss Nigeria Organisation Seeks Collaboration With Lagos On Culture, Youth Development
The organisers of the Miss Nigeria Pageant, led by its Chairman, acclaimed actress and filmmaker Rita Dominic-Anosike, on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, at her office in Alausa, Ikeja.
The visit provided an opportunity to explore areas of collaboration between the pageant organisation and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, particularly in promoting value-driven beauty pageantry, youth development, cultural promotion and women empowerment ahead of the 45th edition of the competition.
Speaking during the meeting, Benson-Awoyinka emphasised the need to redefine beauty pageants to reflect strong values, character and purpose, noting that platforms such as the Miss Nigeria Pageant should inspire young women to serve as ambassadors of culture, integrity and leadership.
According to the Commissioner, beauty contests should transcend physical appearance to celebrate intellect, confidence, cultural pride and the ability of young women to make meaningful contributions to society.
She stressed the importance of reshaping the narrative around beauty representation, especially for younger generations, adding that young women must be encouraged to project values capable of inspiring children and the wider society.
Benson-Awoyinka also reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State Government to support initiatives that promote positive cultural identity, youth engagement and women empowerment across the state’s diverse communities.
She noted that Lagos, as a cosmopolitan hub of creativity, commerce and culture, provides an ideal platform for programmes that nurture talent and empower young people to thrive within the creative economy.
The Commissioner further urged Nigerians to project a positive national image in line with the development vision of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, stressing that every citizen has a role to play in promoting a constructive narrative about the country.
“I believe the Miss Nigeria Pageant can serve as a platform to promote the total package of our cultural heritage, rather than focusing solely on fashion or physical appearance,” she said.
In her remarks, Dominic-Anosike highlighted the renewed vision of the Miss Nigeria organisation to reposition the pageant as a platform for leadership, education, personal development and national representation.
She said the organisation is committed to ensuring transparency in its selection process while placing greater emphasis on mentorship, personal growth and intellectual development for contestants.
According to her, participants now undergo intensive development programmes designed to build confidence, communication skills and leadership capacity, noting that the transformation seen in contestants within a short period demonstrates the impact of structured mentorship and exposure.
Dominic-Anosike also revealed plans to introduce year-round activities for the platform, including a beauty and fashion fair and cultural travel initiatives aimed at exposing contestants to broader cultural experiences while promoting Nigeria’s heritage.
She added that the initiative seeks to reinforce the message that being a beauty queen extends beyond physical appearance and can coexist with professional ambitions in fields such as medicine, law, entrepreneurship and public service.
Members of the Miss Nigeria delegation present at the meeting included Executive Business Manager, Mercy Sunday-Umoren, and Kate Okpo.
