Nneze Richards, a 22-year-old graduate of Accountancy from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology has joined the league of Nigerian beauty queens.
The Enugu State-born beauty emerged winner of the Miss Independence Nigeria beauty pageant held in Abuja on Friday, October 30.
She represented the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and won the Toyota Corolla car star prize of the competition organised by Abuja based Link-Up Entertainment Company.
The pageant was graced by top entertainment personalities, including popular comedian, Klint da Drunk, and Nollywood actors like Femi Branch and Sir Sidney Diala.
First runner-up, 21-year-old Susan Michael, from Ogoja in Cross River State, was crowned Miss Independence Nigeria Culture, a position which makes her culture ambassador for the country.
Michael, who also represented Cross River State at the pageant, is a second year student of International Studies at the Federal University, Lokoja.
The second runner-up is 24-year-old Zoe Enabs, from Edo, who also represented her home state in the contest. The final year student of the University of Benin was crowned Miss Independence Nigeria Tourism.
Linda Nnamonu of Link -Up Entertainment told journalists that the company took up the challenge of organising the Miss Independence Nigeria Beauty pageant seven years ago to promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, her colourful costumes, unity, patriotism, peace and to celebrate the country’s vibrant youths to mark October 1st Independence Day.
According to her, the pageant which is meant to be an annual affair is just one of the worthy causes Link-Up Entertainment is committed to.
“We are also committed to promotion of education with special target on rural areas. Our target is to help upgrade standard of education given to the children living in rural areas through our outreach programme Outreach to Children in Rural Area (YOCRA),” Nnamonu said.
