Carnival Calabar Queen

Press Release – CCQ 2009

The newly crowned Carnival Calabar Queen (CCQ), Mayen Ekpo is set to tour schools in Cross River State, preaching abstinence and the dangers of pre marital sex. Ekpo, a 23 year old graduate from Akwa Ibom State, and a graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, beat 28 other ladies at the Carnival Queen pageant, which took place at the Tinapa Business and Leisure resort last month.  “I took part in this wonderful pageant because of my interest in the Mother’s against Child abandonment (MACA) initiative.” “I love children... as a matter of fact I am a Sunday school teacher in my local church. I have also always wanted to leave the world a better place than I met it.” “One way to actualise this would be to pass on my God given talents to the younger generation. Children should not be victims of societal ills, or circumstances they are not responsible for.”

The winner of the pageant becomes the face of Cross River State tourism, as well as the face of MACA, an initiative of Mrs Obioma Liyel- Imoke, Wife of the Governor of Cross River State.

“I look up to Mrs Obioma Liyel Imoke,” says the Carnival Queen. “She inspires me a lot and I feel that what she is doing for children and young women through the MACA initiative is very admirable.”

“There is something that she said that struck a chord deep in my heart. “I do not believe there should be any abandoned babies in Cross River State”. I feel exactly the same way and she is someone I feel very happy and privileged working with.”

Having been orphaned at the tender age of 19, Ekpo says she fully identifies with the MACA initiative. “It was really scary to be exposed to the harsh realities of life at such a tender age. It is when situations like this occur that you are faced with how cruel and ruthless people can be.”

“I really look forward to this experience as the current CCQ and I truly believe that at the end of my tenure, I would have made significant contributions to making the world a much better place for children, in my own little way.”

The new queen will be taking her abstinence advocacy campaigns to at least 20 schools across the State.