File: Igbo red cap chiefs

Jethro Ibileke
The crowned Lolo Enugu 2016 (Beauty Queen), Gift Chisom Ogbodo, has been deposed by organisers of the beauty pageant, Vine Shield Limited.

The beauty queen was allegedly removed because she violated the terms and conditions of the contract she signed with the company.
The Executive Director Vine Shield Limited, Mazi ThankGod Ofoelue, in a statement said Miss Ogbodo flouted the terms of agreement clearly spelt out on the contract document she signed.
According to the statement, “the agreement stated in part that winners shall appear in functions invited as duly invited by the company, shall not contest for any other pageant within the one year contract, carry out her primary project and also source for sponsorship, and use her office to promote Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant and Igbo Awards.
“But Miss Ogbodo neither met these conditions, nor did she make any attempt to reach out to the company to explain why she did not, or could not meet them. Several attempts were made to get across to her, to no avail. Decisions have to be taken to ensure that the image of Igbo Awards/Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant, as well as that of Vine Shield Limited, which invariably is the image of the Igbo brand is protected.”
Chisom Ogbodo is among six emergent queens at the November 2016 Cultural Pageant in Enugu. While one of the Lolos was the overall winner who became Lolo Igbo, five other Lolos also emerged to represent the five states of the South East.
Following the revocation of Ogbodo’s crown, a new Lolo has been selected to replace her.
“Based on the scoring formula used to determine the winners of the Lolo Igbo pageant, we have selected the person who is closest in point to the last runner up, and that person is Geraldine Chekwube Ugwuanyi. All the rights and privileges of Lolo Enugu shall be accorded her, after she is crowned next week,” the statement said.
Set up in 2015, the Igbo Awards targets​ deserving Igbo sons and daughters who have excelled in different fields of endeavour, to rewards deserving Igbos; while the Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant aims at sustaining the dignity and heritage of the Igbo woman.
Some of the beneficiaries of the awards include veteran Nollywood actor, Peter​ Edochie, comedian Uche Ogbuagu, John Okafor, Steve Onu (Yaw) and Prof. Barth Nnaji and late Prof. Dora Akunyili.