Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State
has appointed 18 year old Miss Anna Ebiere Banner
winner of the 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria MBGN
pageant as his Special Assistant on Culture and
Tourism.
The Nigeria Beauty Queen who is also Miss Bayelsa is
billed to represent Nigeria at the Miss World pageant
later this year in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The event which was held at the Banquet Hall of the
Bayelsa Government House in Yenagoa was keenly
contested by 32 contestants drawn from across the
country.
Mr Guy Murray Bruce of the Silverbird Group and MGBN
2013 winner Ebiere Banner
Ebiere Banner defeated her closest rival, 19 year old
Miss Imo State, Stephanie Okwu to emerge the Most
Beautiful Girl in Nigeria MBGN.
Okwu Stephanie emerged as first runner up. Others
include second runner up, (Miss Adamawa) Powede
Lawrence was second runner up while Miss Kaduna,
Enoma Agboniko clinched third runner up.
Miss Abuja, Imelissa Devidal who could have given the
Bayelsa beauty a serious challenge for the coveted
prize emerged as fourth runner up due to her poor
showing in the question and session.
An elated Dickson who redeemed his earlier promise of
proclaiming the winner as honorary citizen of the state
said, “I had intended to proclaim or announce the
winner as honorary citizen of this state and since you
are a (Anna Ebiere Banner) natural citizen, an indigene
of this great state I would announce the second bit of it,
which is that henceforth as long as you are the Most
Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2013, you will also in addition to
your other responsibilities be my Special Assistant on
culture and tourism.”
In the same vein the governor chose the Beauty Queen
as the state’s ambassador on culture and tourism.
The governor reiterated his desire to make the state the
tourism hub of Nigeria and Africa.
“Playing host to these two historic events, the
prestigious Africa Movie Academy Award AMAA and
MBGN awards within a space of just four months gives
credence to the the fact that Bayelsa State is fast
growing to become the next tourism hub of the country
and Africa,” he said.
According to him, it was a testament to the existence of
peace and security in the state adding that his
“restoration government is geared towards the
promotion of gender equality as enunciated in the
national gender policy of the country.”
The governor said, his administration will ensure that
lives and property of investors are secured, noting that
investment on security would drive the state economy to
greater height.
Describing the contestants as worthy ambassadors of
Nigeria, Dickson said the 32 contestants had been in
the state for the past two weeks and had visited historic
sites in Brass, the first oil well drilled in 1956 at
OLOIBIRI and other tourists sites.
In his remarks, the Minister of Culture and Tourism,
Chief Edem Duke said Bayelsa State has been chosen
to host the 2013 Festival of Arts and Culture of Arts in
September.
He said the event which would attract over seven
thousand visitors to the state is expected to boost the
economy of the state.
The minister also disclosed that UNESCO has approved
the state as Africa Centre of Excellence for Underwater
Imaging.
Duke who described tourism as one top money
spinning venture worldwide lauded Governor Dickson
for championing the course of the tourism sector and
showcasing Nigeria’s beauty.

Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/dickson-appoints-mbgn-2013-winner-ebiere-banner-advicer-on-culture-and-tourism/

So I'm asking? What's the rationale behind such appointment? Yes she won mbgn, so? How is an 18 year old girl who has barely seen life, is still in her teens, is still mostly concerned about her hair, nails and boys, supposed to advise a governor? What will she advise? Are there no better qualified people the governor can employ to advise him? Its one thing to be a beauty queen, its another to be a public official. Merging beauty queens with public offices smack of idiocy to me. Or is the governor merely seeking to legalize wasting public funds on his mistress Just a thought.