BY NOELA EBOB B. &SIMON NDIVE KALLA
The breaking news which came out of the Miss Victoria-Limbe 2018 beauty contest was not that Ndibong Millena Nkwenwi emerged winner, but that, the winner of the contest, for the very first time ever, was not a daughter of the Bakweri soil. The winner is from Manyu division, of the South west region of Cameroon.
This fact sent shock waves to the faces of many a spectator at the Saturday March 31st event at council hall down beach. Indeed the surprise, shock or perhaps frustration was visible.
Ndibong Millena Nkwenwi
The evening had begun really well; beautiful, friendly and cozy, in fact, the décor could literally foretell theheight of beauty and class, which spectators had jammed full the hall to experience.
The show began with a passage of the former Beauty Queens, who came in to flashback memories of when the show was theirs.
This gave way to the entrance of the 2018 contestants, 11 in number, from various regions, divisions and subdivisions of Cameroon. (It should be noted that because Limbe-FESTAC 2018 coincided with the 160 anniversary of Victoria-Limbe, the event had been opened to all beautiful girls resident in Limbe, not necessarily being Bakwerians).
The first passage of the contestants saw them displaying the Limbe FESTAC Traditional Outfit “kaba”. The second passage was Sports Outfit, where the girls showed how fit and smart they can be. The third passage witnessed the various traditional outfits, as well as expression in their various dialects and traditional songs and dance.
In the last and final passage, the girls had to be in an evening wear, introduce selves in the French language, present their project in English and answer two questions on General knowledge. This was the deciding and most important phase of the contest.
With spectators rallying behind their contestants, musicians like Claudia Dikoso and Erico animating alongside comedians, the poetess and her crew doing their thing, the authorities having a good time and the judges tallying the marks, it was finally result time.
From the 11th to the 1st (winner), it was announced that Ndibong Millena Nkwenwi, pharmacy student at Biaka University Institute Buea, had won, and she was crown Miss Victoria- Limbe 2018, bagging home the sumptuous FCFA 500.000.
Shortly after the event, Ndibong said “I am so excited because from the start, I never knew I will emerge Miss Victoria- Limbe 2018, but as God does his work, I have been found Miss Victoria-Limbe 2018, and I give Him all the praise.”
Miss NdibongMillena revealed that, her project is to organise a forum where youths will be taught on how to cook their traditional meals and also teach them on how to design African fabric and hair style.
Ewoke Christina Limunga, upper sixth student of Kemonde High School emerged as 1st runner up while Kuake Emilia AneUang, student at ISECK International School Isokolo, grabbed the 2 runner up spot. They took home FCFA 350.000 and FCFA 300.000 respectively as cash prizes.
These cash prizes were accompanied by gifts from sponsors, as consolation prizes were also given to other competitors.
In his closing remarks, the president of the jury YannAnoko, General Manager of Seme appreciated the Miss Victoria-Limbe committee, as well as the contestants for putting in their utmost best in the competition. Nonetheless, he maintained that the result process was credible and authentic, wishing everyone the best.
The event witnessed the presence of Hon. Gladys EtombiIkome, chairperson of Miss Victoria-Limbe committee, 1st assistant SDO Bejedi Otto II, Motanga Andrew Monjimba government delegate to LCC and vision bearer of the Limbe-FESTAC concept, amongst others.