Lost to Time: The Day Ibusa Celebrated Miss Ibusa

 Lost to Time: The Day Ibusa Celebrated Miss Ibusa

By Emeka Esogbue

On Friday, June 23, 2017, a youth event brought the people of Ibusa together in a remarkable way. It was the Miss Ibusa Pageant, organised by the National Association of Ibusa Students in conjunction with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youth Development. Former Miss Kate Ifeyinwa Igbodo, CEO of Yinkee Entertainment and organiser of Miss Teen Anioma, served as the consultant for the event.

Ibusa was rarely known to come together in such a manner for youth-oriented events, apart from the annual Ibusa Football Tournament. The pageant, however, appeared to break that jinx.

The Nkata venue, also known as the Diokpa Palace, was filled to capacity, with prominent sons and daughters of the community in attendance. One after another, the contestants filed out, displaying beauty, poise and confidence as they faced the audience, their smiles betraying a mixture of excitement and anticipation. The crowd waved enthusiastically at their favourite contestants, while the Nkata hall reverberated with applause and expressions of appreciation.

The judging panel comprised Emeka Esogbue, this writer, as Chief Judge, supported by Nollywood celebrity Chief Emeka Ani and Ngozi Odiwe, Deputy Manager of the Delta Broadcasting Corporation.

Among the prominent Ibusa personalities who graced the occasion anchored by Shuntee Olinma and Vincent Iwunor were Hon. Barr. Princess Patience Ajudua, then a member representing Oshimili North Local Government Area in the Delta State House of Assembly; Chief Amaechi Nwaenie, the Uwolo of Ibusa; Dr. Austin Izagbo, then President-General of the Ibusa Community Development Union Worldwide; the late Mr. Frank Odita, former Commissioner of Police and Police Spokesperson; and Philip Ngozi Kwusike, the late novelist and writer, among several other distinguished personalities.

As speeches were delivered by various personalities, the atmosphere at the venue became even more charged. Rev. Fr. Paul Okobi, for instance, presented a paper on behalf of Rev. Fr. Frank Idayi, President of the Ibusa Indigenous Priests, Religious and Seminarians Association. The paper, titled “Ibusa Youth: General Appraisal (Causes and Effects of Their Restiveness),” addressed issues affecting the youth and their place in the development of the community.

But the climax of the occasion came with the announcement of Miss Juliet Olinma as the winner of the beauty contest. In line with the judges' decision, this writer, Emeka Esogbue, made the announcement.

The audience erupted in jubilation, with screams and cheers resonating throughout the venue. The excitement reached another level when Hon. Barr. Princess Ajudua crowned the new queen. The crowd went into a frenzy, and for a moment, the excitement seemed endless.

The pageant became the talk of the town.

But how far did the Ibusa youth event ultimately go?

With time, the idea of sustaining the beauty contest gradually faded away. The National Association of Ibusa Students, which organised the event, became almost unheard of. The young Ibusa women who had looked forward to wearing the crown someday saw their optimism dashed.

After Queen Juliet Olinma, there appeared to be no further opportunity for the community's pool of beautiful, intelligent and talented young women to compete for the crown, represent Ibusa and contribute to the community through meaningful projects.

The broader objective, essence and future envisioned for the event seem to have faded from the collective consciousness of the people.

Yet, PEN MASTER remains committed to digging into the history of the people, bringing forgotten moments back to the fore and reminding the present generation of events that once stirred the spirit of the community.

The Miss Ibusa Pageant may have been lost to time, but its memory remains a part of Ibusa's story.