COOU student wins beauty pageant in Anambra, as organisers pledge car gift in subsequent editions
From Toby Chuks, Onitsha
A student of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Miss Ifunanya Worship Strongson, has emerged the Most Beautiful Girl in Ogidi, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, after winning the 2025/26 edition of the annual Ada Ogidi Beauty Pageant sponsored by Vitel Wireless.
Owned by a consortium headed by Engr. Emeka Nwabueze, a former George W. Bush Advisor on Technology, Vitel Wireless is Nigeria’s first Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MNVO).
Miss Ifunanya defeated five other participants in a keenly contested pageant to emerge victorious, pushing Adachukwu Echezona and Okaro Nzube to the second and third positions respectively.
The trio of Ifunanya, Adachukwu and Nzube smiled home with cash prizes totaling N1.5millon, and trophies as well, with the winner smiling home with N1million and a gold trophy while the second and third runners-up went home with N300k and a silver trophy and N200k and a bronze trophy respectively.
In addition to the cash prize and trophy, the winner will pay a courtesy visit to the palace of the traditional ruler of Ogidi, HRM Igwe Pharm Alex Onyido to receive royal blessings.
Speaking on behalf of the organizers, the coordinator of the programme, Mr. Jude Nwabueze, a.k.a MC Hammartan, told the enthusiastic audience that the 2025/26 edition was the 10th edition of the annual beauty pageant, which, he enthused, had continued to make remarkable impact in the community, especially with the increase of prizes for participants, thanks to financial and other material support provided by the sponsors, including companies, individuals and organizations.
The popular MC explained that Vitel Wireless, which sponsored the 2025/26 edition of the pageant, increased the prize money to N1.5million, hinting that the organizers have also concluded plans to increase the prizes in the next edition.
According to him, a car gift to the pageant winner, who will drive about in the car with the inscription Ada Ogidi boldly written on it, has been planned for the next edition.
He explained that the winner will continue to use the car for her activities in Ogidi and beyond until the expiration of her tenure.
In his remarks, Mr. Chudi Nwabueze, who represented Vitel Wireless, assured that the telecom company, along with its sister companies like Leophine Residency Hotel and Ebeonadi FM, will continue to promote the annual beauty pageant for the development of the girl-child in Ogidi.
While calling on girls in the town to get ready for the next edition, the COO thanked His Majesty, Igwe Onyido for according the pageant his royal blessings, Dr. Chris Nwangwu, who is the Eze Ndigbo in Holland, for his solidarity, organizers of the pageant for their steadfastness and all others who have contributed one way or another towards making the Ada Ogidi Beauty Pageant the great socioeconomic event it has become today, for their support.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of Award of Excellence to Dr. Anieto Okakpu and Mrs. Noni Nwadike for their contributions to the growth of the annual beauty programme and a raffle draw by Vitel Wireless, with winners coasting home with tangible prizes, which included Samson telephone handset as first prize winner and a gas cylinder for the second prize winner, among others.
