The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi , on Sunday said that he had employed Damilola Falodun, one of the contestants in the 2017 edition of the Queen Moremi Ajasoro ( QMA) beauty pageant but did not win.
NAN reports that Falodun is part of the organisers of the 2018 edition currently going on in Abeokuta.
Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, the cultural ambassador disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abeokuta.
According to Ademiluyi, Falodun, a 22-year old from Ekiti State, was sponsored at the National Open University Nigeria (NOUN) by the Ooni.
She said that Falodun was at present the senior personal assistant to the General Manager of Ife Grand Resorts.
The cultural ambassador said that the Ooni had also promised to empower two out of the contestants that would not emerge the overall winner in the 2018 edition.
Ademiluyi quoted the monarch as saying that it was part of his way of giving back to the society.
“At the end of the ongoing finals, we shall select two girls that have unfortunate life experiences like Falodun to give hope of survival through sponsorship and empowerment by the Ooni
” When the girls are selected, His Imperial Majesty will take up the sponsorship of their education and, eventually, provide an earning for them, “she said..
The princess said that Falodun, who is currently in her second year at NOUN is actively involved in working with the 2018 contestants , she said.
Ademiluyi said that the organisers had device a system of discovering those girls that would need assistance through personal interactions while undergoing selection process.
Falodun, a survival of girl trafficking to Oman, Middle East, appreciated the gesture from the Ooni, and recalled her sad ordeal.
” My problem started after I lost my parents in one year, and a period of despiration for survival set in.
“I was fooled into believing that life could be better outside my country and that was how I became a victim.
“Free travel promises, ready job, all became false as young ladies became slaves.
“Some unfortunate ones ended up losing their lives but my story has changed today,” she said.
She said that she would remain grateful to Princess Ademiluyi who discovered her along with her team and handed her over to the Ooni of Ife, who had been taken care of all her bills.
“I am very grateful to God who worked through the QMA platform and, most especially, his Imperial Majesty who is currently seeing me through my education and employment,” she said.
She, then, urged other young girls to beware of people who come up with empty promises of travelling abroad, who would end up ruining their lives.
NAN reports that 22 finalists out of over 400 applicants, would contest for the 2018 edition of QMA beauty pageant queen on Dec. 2, in Abeokuta.
The contest, which is in its third edition had produced Miss Blessing Animasaun and Miss Shola Shittu as the previous queens. (NAN)