This year's edition of Miss Nairaland has come and gone and the winner already known. But the contest elicited some thoughts in me which I have decided to share with my fellow Nairalanders.
Let me make it clear that I was never interested in the contest. In fact, what brought about my interest was the role a neighbor of mine played in the contest. He was a member of the campaign team of one of the contestants.
Also, my article is an innocuous one with no intent to malign anyone. I didn't support any contestant nor had a soft spot for any of them. My article is just an attempt to draw a symmetry between the politics of the contest and our national politics.

THE CAMPAIGN: The campaign was intense. Every contestant threw what she had at it. We were inundated with beautiful pictures of pleasantly smiling ladies. All the contestants became overly congenial and affable. They were seen on every thread, making comments and soliciting for votes. They ingratiated themselves with everyone and grovelled for votes. They had their supporters and detractors. There were malicious defamation and ad hominem attacks. Cyber bullying became a tool in the hands of their campaign members. Emotional sentiments were whipped up. All these are typical of Nigerian politics. Our politicians are known to be highly accessible in the buildup to an election. They are seen on the streets eating corns, frying akara, plating hair, and other bizarre acts. They, like some of the contestants who tried to cajole votes out of us with their glistening faces and brilliant smiles, throw money at us to win our votes. Also, they malign one another and throw dirt at each other. All these played out in the contest.

THE VOTING PATTERN: The voting was based on a lot of sentiments. A friend told me his vote went to a contestant because she hails from his state. Another friend said he voted for a particular contestant because she graduated from his alma mater. This act is a common feature of our politics--the he is "our son" syndrome. This was very noticeable in the last presidential election.

THE CONTROVERSIES: The contest was not devoid of controversies. Those on the losing side complained bitterly about everything. They believed their candidate won the contest but was denied the crown. They questioned the impartiality of the umpire. They alleged that those who were ineligible to vote were allowed to vote. In fact, if the contest was a physical exercise, we would have had a repeat of the infamous "Orubebe act". All these accord closely with out political experience. Many of our politicians are quick to deflect their failures at the polls. They will blame electoral officials for their defeats. They are quick to question the electoral process once it does not favour them.

THE RESULT: The results showed clearly that many Nairalanders did not vote. The winner of the contest had a paltry 351 votes. Nairaland has no fewer than two hundred thousand members and a quarter of that number were eligible to vote, but only few people did. This voter apathy is evident in Nigerian politics too. The total number of votes cast at the last Presidential election was not up to thirty million votes. A nation of over two hundred million people should record a higher number than that.

There were many parallels between Nigerian politics and the contest that took place some days back. These are just my observations.

We did not vote ...why will se-un promise 50k for the winner of miss nairaland 2016 $150! For the biggest social media forum in Africa! Its insulting!

The OP is totally right..


Click like if you think the poster above is right....click share if you think he is wrong...

shyling:
We did not vote ...why will se-un promise 50k for the winner of miss nairaland 2016 $150! For the biggest social media forum in Africa! Its insulting!

Everything should not be all about money...do you know how many lives he has touched through this forum??do u know how many people that became successful through an information which they got from Nairaland??do you know how many people that have turned into a better person due to what they went through on Nairaland??do u know that the business some people are doing right and making money from it was established after what they read on the business section of Nairaland??......all this are even more important than money.....do not give someone fish,teach them how to get the fish........

doyinisaac:
..

Y did you quote me?

bejeiodus:

THE RESULT: The results showed clearly that many Nairalanders did not vote. The winner of the contest had a paltry 351 votes. Nairaland has no fewer than two hundred thousand members and a quarter of that number were eligible to vote but only few people did. This voter apathy is evident in Nigerian politics too. The total number of votes cast at the last Presidential election was not up to thirty million votes. A nation of over two hundred million people should record a higher number than that.

There are many parallels between Nigerian politics and the contest that took place some days back. These are just my observations.

Very good analysis. I share your feelings. The first question I'd ask is why the voting, campaigning and results were all limited to the romance section. Is that the only section with nairalanders? Maybe that explains why only few persons votedm

shyling:
We did not vote ...why will se-un promise 50k for the winner of miss nairaland 2016 $150! For the biggest social media forum in Africa! Its insulting!

Only Oga Seun can answer that.

bicmitchum:


Very good analysis. I share your feelings. The first question I'd ask is why the voting, campaigning and results were all limited to the romance section. Is that the only section with nairalanders? Maybe that explains why only few persons votedm

I was totally taken aback when I saw the results...I do not know why it was done that way.

shyling:
We did not vote ...why will se-un promise 50k for the winner of miss nairaland 2016 $150! For the biggest social media forum in Africa! Its insulting!

chai.,..human beings Out of this hard economy seun did his best to lavish 100k on that useless competition that certainly means nothing to him but all what a wretch like you could type is that shit above SMH

fkpboss:
chai.,..human beings Out of this hard economy seun did his best to lavish 100k on that useless competition that certainly means nothing to him but all what a wretch like you could type is that shit above SMH

He should have surrendered ownership of the contest to us. As for the bitterness in your post... I choose to ignore

That's a good analysis. The contests were just exact pictures of Nigerian politicians. I was jaw-drop to see how far the contestants went to canvass for vote.



Cc: lalasticlala

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bicmitchum:


Very good analysis. I share your feelings. The first question I'd ask is why the voting, campaigning and results were all limited to the romance section. Is that the only section with nairalanders? Maybe that explains why only few persons votedm

They only appointed Miss Romanceland.

OP I like your analysis. So on point.

I wonder why its called miss nairaland when everything was done in the romance section.

Cc lalasticlala

So many yoruba undergraduates / job seekers turned it into a tribal contest!....

They counted just votes and not beauty with brains!

Congrats to all of em doe

dearsly:
So many yoruba undergraduates / job seekers turned it into a tribal contest!....

They counted just votes and not beauty with brains!

Congrats to all of em doe

I knew the winner will emerge from the West, they are always politically light years ahead of the pack.

That said, the winner did her homework well, having participated in 2014, she knew what was expected and left little or nothing to chance.

What did you expect?...I don't even know why seun will give money to the winners?..how much mus given to those who won nairaland debate competition?....imagine...jus 350 votes for the winner....the award should go for miss romancelander....

OP, that's life. We all have our reasons for voting certain people, and in most cases it's emotional. I voted Refiner simply on the basis that she was the first person to solicit my vote and one of the people I respect here campaigns for her. Whether she'll represent better or not be ones secondary.
To Seun: I think once it's a contest (esp, Mr and Miss Nairaland), it should be moved to Politics section. It will have more appeal, be more grueling, more political noise and mass participation if the change is effected.

That is nothing compared to what we see everyday in Nigeria politics.. She did her campaign well but that does not make her the most beautiful girl within the contestant .
Mana nwa ahu nwere ihe guys choro.

EMMAUGOH:
That is nothing compared to what we see everyday in Nigeria politics.. She did her campaign well but that does not make her the most beautiful girl within the contestant .
Mana nwa ahu nwere ihe guys choro.

Yes, I know. But the contest shared some identical features with Nigerian politics.

Frankly why do we only reward beauty? How about the scientific intellectuals , political analyst, religious scholars and business gurus on naira land. In as much as beauty is cherished the other qualities should be accorded some level of recognition.

Again the same applies to the real Nigeria. Where only some artist,rich,folks in power & pretty ladies get acknowledgements. We should encourage people who strive in science , entrepreneurship and theology. All aspects should have a reward equally to encourage people in the different sections.

Mr Seun should kindly reward the wonderful good minds we have on Nairaland. Be it politics, foreign affairs, technology, theology, business , career advisers etc. Some of this people have one way or the other increased me atleast in knowledge or open my eyes to things I would not have heard or known . They have impacted a lot of people here than the pageants of naira land who we hardly bother to notice on profiles.

Also rewarding good conducts here could greatly encourage the commited and well behaved folks on naira land to keep up the good actions. Rather than make enemies online with harsh words. Please Seun spread the award to all sections and encourage decent,valauble contributors of all sections.

Pageants you are cherished but is time we look beyond just beauty in Nigeria and naira land to help us develop intellectually and spiritually too.

Yhu are on point....yhu said it all

When I saw the girl's face and local appearance, I knew she was yoruba and wasn't surprised why yorubas voted for her in droves...turned it into a tribal contest as they always do. They know she is not attractive; the Igbo girl destroys her in every measure of beauty. Yet due to their insecurity of not being attractive, they voted for an unattractive woman; and locally dressed as Miss Nairaland.

Judge for yourself even though you are blind.

picture 1...Refiner. Igbo Girl

Picture 2...Lanicky. Yoruba girl and supposed winner

hakanai:
Frankly why do we only reward beauty? How about the scientific intellectuals , political analyst, religious scholars and business gurus on naira land. In as much as beauty is cherished the other qualities should be accorded some level of recognition.

Again the same applies to the real Nigeria. Where only some artist,rich,folks in power & pretty ladies get acknowledgements. We should encourage people who strive in science , entrepreneurship and theology. All aspects should have a reward equally to encourage people in the different sections.

Mr Seun should kindly reward the wonderful good minds we have on Nairaland. Be it politics, foreign affairs, technology, theology, business , career advisers etc. Some of this people have one way or the other increased me atleast in knowledge or open my eyes to things I would not have heard or known . They have impacted a lot of people here than the pageants of naira land who we hardly bother to notice on profiles.

Also rewarding good conducts here could greatly encourage the commited and well behaved folks on naira land to keep up the good actions. Rather than make enemies online with harsh words. Please Seun spread the award to all sections and encourage decent,valauble contributors of all sections.

Pageants you are cherished but is time we look beyond just beauty in Nigeria and naira land to help us develop intellectually and spiritually too.

Seun hates intellectualism. Nairaland Interschool Competition was held for over six months with several articles and debates for and against different national and international issues yet Seun did not even deem it fit to encourage the participants with just 100 recharge card.
We weren't even angry about it until we saw him handing 50k to Miss Nairaland peagent.
It is a sorry case