By Osagie Alonge
An 18-year-old girl representing Bayelsa State at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) beauty pageant, Anna Banner Ebiere has been crowned winner of the 2013 edition of the Silverbird Group organized show last night (July 20, 2013).
Ebiere who hails from Port Hacourt, Rivers State beat 32 other contestants to walk away with the coveted prize having made it to the Top 15 spot and eventually Top 5 spot ousting Miss Abuja (4th runner up), Miss Kaduna (3rd runner up) and Miss Adamawa (2nd runner up), Miss Imo (1st runner up) at the show which held in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.
The newly crowned queen was also appointed ‘Special Assistant’ on Culture and Tourism to the Bayelsa State Governor Henry Dickson. Other winners at the pageant included Miss Akwa Ibom as Miss Amity, Miss Bayelsa as Best Traditional Costume, Miss Ogun as Miss Charismatic and Miss Kano as Miss Photogenic.
Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde who was one of the judges at the pageant also received an award from the show’s organizers. The Nollywood star while on stage seized the opportunity to talk about the recent #ChildNotBride trending topic stating ‘I am one of the most influential people in the world because I didn’t get married before 18‘.
There were musical performances from Soul/R&B singer Timi Dakolo and Pop singer KCEE.
By winning the 26th edition of the pageant, Ebiere will go on to represent Nigeria at the Miss World beauty pageant holding later this year in Sentul, Indonesia.