By Kelvin Obambon
The National Director of Miss Earth Nigeria Pageant, Ms Ibinabo Fiberesima, has lauded Cross River State for the warm reception accorded the pageantry, saying it is the best the contest has received in its 20 years of existence.
Fiberesima made the remarks on Friday during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council.
She said despite the difficulty in organizing the Miss Earth Nigeria Pageant, her passionate disposition towards the environment would not let her back down.
“I have done Miss Earth for 20 years. It is difficult, but my passion for the environment will not let me stop no matter what. But at this juncture, I must say this is the best Miss Earth. This is the best reception. This is the best of everything I have got about Miss Earth in Cross River State. Since the last 20 years, everything in Cross River State is awesome. I am overwhelmed.
“Running Miss Earth for me is basically lifting voices for the environment. It’s getting young girls to believe in the environment and talk about the environment. When I started a lot of people didn’t understand what it was all about. I love mother nature, and when I see people abusing it, it hurts me. I can actually speak for the earth and get young girls who can speak for the earth too, and for me that’s a blessing.
“Every year I meet a lot of young girls and by the time we finish camp, even if they don’t win, they are all winners because they gain something that when they go back to their communities, they actually continue to speak for mother earth. For me I think that is a plus. They have done everything I can’t do for everybody.”
Fiberesima said that some of the activities lined up for the 2021 Miss Earth include tree planting exercise, cleaning up of the environment as well as sensitization of market women on how to recycle their biodegradable waste to create wealth.
She said this was one of the areas of advocacy in the 2020 edition of Miss Earth, championed by the winner, Gwenivere Chioma Ifeanyieze from Enugu State.
She, however, used the opportunity to appeal for support, stressing that issues affecting the health of the environment should not be trivialized, especially now that the effects of climate change were hitting hard on everyone.
The Nollywood star concluded by commending the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade for his effort in ensuring a clean and green environment, as well as pursuing an aggressive reforestation programme in the state.
On his part, the State NUJ Chairman, Mr Victor Udu, assured the organizers of Miss Earth Nigeria Pageant total support in the area of media and publicity. While commending them for choosing to beautify the earth, Mr Udu urged them to follow up with whatever project they would embarked on so as to achieve great success.
He noted that “The environment is not what we can toy with. Individually and collectively we need to make our contributions, not only in terms of giving our time, energy, but also in giving our resources in terms of money. This project cannot be carried out by a few people. Everyone has to be involved because if everyone is not involve, those who are not involve can destroy what those who are involve are doing. A tree can be planted, another person can come and uproot it. We need to put all our faculty into this project. And honestly I can tell you the world will be a better place.”
He, therefore, thanked the organizers for finding time to interact with the Union and urged them not to be discouraged as a result of lack of support, adding that their perseverance would certainly pay off soon.
Finals of the 2021 Miss Earth Nigeria Pageant contest will take place on 28 August at the Dome, Calabar Municipal Council. Tickets can are available at Fadfm, Calabar; Arts and Craft village, Cultural Center; AMC Bar and at the Municipal Garden.
