The stage is once again set, for the 2021 Queen Moremi Ajasoro annual beauty pageant, an event designed to commemorate the EDI/Moremi Annual Festival at Ile-Ife.
In a Statement signed by the Director, Media & Public Affairs, of Ooni’s Palace, Comrade Moses Olafare, it was revealed that, the Queen Moremi Ajasoro Pageant, was first held in 2016, and has since been an annual event, except for year 2020 that the occasion was canceled due to Covid 19 pandemic challenges.
This year’s auditioning, that coincided with the last stages of the annual Edi (Moremi) Festival, an event of ‘medley of cultural activities’, was kick started with an exciting, but rigorous two-day auditioning process of about one hundred (100) beautiful, and culture compliant maidens, from all over the country.
The exercise which took place inside the Ooni of Ife’s ‘Ile Oodua Palace Multipurpose Hall,’ in Ile Ife, “was superintended by veteran Nollywood actors like Peter Fatomilola, Yemi Solade, Jaye Kuti, Yinka Salau, and a host of others, whose physical appearance and motivational contributions, added panache and glamour to the auditioning, through which the contestants were greatly inspired and galvanized to their creative best, and good behavioural limits.”
According to Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, who doubles as the Moremi Global Ambassador and the Local Organizing Committee, (LOC), chairperson, the best thirty five (35) out of the constants, “will emerge from the initial one hundred (100) participants, and these successful 35 contestants, will proceed to the prestigious Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Hub, also owned by the African foremost king, for a two-week boot camp;” after which, the grand finale of the competition, for the 15 successful contestants, will hold in December 2021, to determine the best out of the rest.
The release again stated that, the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, at the end of the auditioning session, gave the actors cum judges, the local organising committee, and other crew members, a royal dinner, at the Palace Banquet Hall.
Princess Ademiluyi, the LOC chairperson, at the dinner, praised Ooni for his fatherly supports over the years, and thanked the actors, as well as members of her team, for a job well done.
She assured everyone present that, the 2021 edition would be better than previous editions, in terms of content and delivery.