One of Nigeria's foremost talent management companies, AfrikQueen International, is set to stage the 4th edition of its highly-acclaimed pageants under the theme, 'The Pride of the African Woman.'

This was disclosed at a recent media chat in Lagos by the organization's President, Kenneth Ighodalo. Speaking on the modalities of the upcoming pageant, Ighodalo said this year's pageant, unlike previous ones, would go beyond mere beauty and physical elegance, but would emphasize intangible but more substantial attributes such as confidence, mental strength, courteousness and entrepreneurial skills. The objective of this new focus, he revealed, was to instil the quest for excellence in the participants. One feature of this year's pageant, Ighodalo said, would be to model them after outstanding female achievers in Nigeria and Africa - both past and present, whom each of the participants would personify in their presentations during the pageant.

The event, the President added, would celebrate the natural beauty, luster and authenticity of African hair and features - via a special trade show where special hair and beauty brands would be promoted.

It would be recalled that in its 3 previous editions, AfrikQueen International has has discovered, groomed and launched the careers of pageant winners who have gone a long way to make special contributions to their world - both at local and national level.

The 2019 pageant is slated to open with 50 (fifty) participants from across Nigeria, who would contest for 5 title categories. The overall Winner (who would be crowned the 2019 Miss AfrikQueen Supermodel International) would smile home with a grand prize of a professional scholarship worth $3000 (three thousand US dollars), along with a tour of selected African countries for tourist and educational purposes.

The organizers of the pageant, Ighodalo went on to say, have seen the need to challenge the Nigerian girl-child to embrace excellence as a way of life. Girls need to appreciate their innate talents and strengths, and to emulate the outstanding ladies, past and present, who attained the heights of achievement by overcoming the odds and maximizing the opportunities that came their way.

In its quest to groom tomorrow's female leaders and titans, Ighodalo said, AfrikQueen International stands head and shoulders ahead of other pageant and modelling organizations, whose influence on their models' career progression ends at the end of their reigns.

Auditions for the 2019 edition begins in 2 cities, namely, Abuja (August 31, 2019) and Lagos (September 7, 2019) while the grand finale will take place in Lagos on November 8, 2019.

Ighodalo advised all interested participants to visit the organization's site (www.afrikqueenint.cte.ng) as well as its social media handles for more information and modalities for participation.