Organisers of Igbo Awards and Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant, Vinen Shield Limited, Enugu, have announced that they will be honouring deserving Igbo sons and daughters in the 2017 edition of Igbo Awards to be held later in the year.

Addressing press men on Wednesday in Enugu, Executive Director of the company, Mazi ThankGod Ofoelue, said it is lining up the likes of Christian Chukwu, ex-Super Eagles skipper and former coach; late Prof. Kenneth Dike, the first Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, and late ace singer Nelly Uchendu for honours. He assured that all those who would be honoured would have merited it through their hard work and commitment to Igbo causes.

Mazi Ofoelue explained that Igbo Awards is a recognition award designed specifically to honour, reward and celebrate illustrious sons and daughters of the Igbo nation that have distinguished themselves in different areas of life endeavour.

“It is designed to project the Igbo identity, promote hard work and compliment the sincerity of the Igbo nation and present them at the front burner as people with relentless zeal to succeed in any field chosen. Beneficiaries in the past include Pete Edochie, Professor Barth Nnaji, Archbishop Olisaemeka Chukwuma, Mike Ejeagha and Lady Ifeyinwa Ezenwa, to mention a few. Igbo grammarian FC Ogbalu is also one of those who have been given a posthumous award,” Ofoelue said.

At the press conference, Miss Chekwube Geraldine Ugwuanyi, was unveiled and crowned as the new Lolo Enugu. Miss Ugwuanyi, a student of Godfrey Okoye University, Thinkers’ Corner, Enugu, emerged after the company revoked the crown of Chisom Ogbodo, who had emerged in November 2016. Ogbodo was sacked because she violated agreements of a signed contract with the company.

Throwing more light on the Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant brand, Ofoelue said the pageant has been instituted in order to exalt the dignity of the Igbo woman.

He said: “Lolo Igbo Cultural Pageant encourages young Igbo ladies both home and abroad to embrace their cultural heritage. It provides a platform for young Igbo daughters to serve humanity and empower communities in the Igbo nation, Nigeria and around the world. As

goodwill ambassadors and Igbo cultural advocates, these ladies will be leaders that will drive the vehicle of restoring the pride and greatness of the Igbo woman in the present and coming generation.

“There have been two editions of the pageant, with six Lolos (queens) emerging in 2015 and 2016 respectively. While one emerges overall winner, five others represent the five states of the South East- Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. Vine Shield Limited is happy to announce that this year, to accommodate Igbo nations outside the five states of the South East, we have decided to include a crown for Lolo Anioma (Delta) and Lolo Mbammiri (Rivers).

“Overall winner of the contest is given the star prize of a car, while a contract is signed with her to perform in movies to be produced by Vine Shield Productions, the department in our company that produces movies. Other five Lolos win a cash prize of N100, 000 each, and also go into the same contract as Lolo Igbo. Each of the six Lolos must also execute a pet project before the end of her reign as Lolo.

“The 2017 Edition offers a crash course on Igbo Culture and Tradition, two weeks Camping in an Igbo village where the ladies shall compete for grades, online voting and promotions, and the grand finale later in November.”

•Photo shows, L to R; Executive director of Vine Shield Ltd, ThankGod Ofoelue, Lolo Igbo2, Onyekachi Amajuoyi, father of new Lolo Enugu, Mr Ugwuanyi, new Lolo Enugu Chekwube Ugwuanyi, her mother and Lolo Anambra, Oluoma Udechukwu.