The Organizers of Most Beautiful Deaf Girl In Nigeria (MBDGN) in preparation to 2022 and 2nd Edition of the Beauty Pageant on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD).
The Coordinator of MBDGN, Janet Fasakin who is the leader of the group in her speech told the Executive Secretary, NCPWD, Mr. James David Lalu who was represented by the Director, Social Integration, Mr. Lawrence Idemudia, that MBDGN was conceived 8 years ago in the mind of Dr. Tolu Oko-Igiare, the provost of Institute of Counselling in Nigeria. She got it registered with CAC along some Deaf Personalities in the spirit of Nothing About Us Without Us. Like a tiny Arcon seed, it has metamorphoses into a giant oak tree.
“After the period of gestation common to all great and transformative ideas, the vision is set to bear fruit through the effort of Queen Janet Fasakin and other strong Deaf Activists who ensure the vision continues to move on for the benefits of Deaf Women and Girls”.
She informed that the beauty pageant is important because it brings Deaf women and girls to the limelight, promote their rights using fashion, beauty and glamour. It is an avenue to promote and advocate on the following areas; Deaf culture, Equal access to education, Access to healthcare services, Political Inclusion, and Economic Inclusion.
Queen Janet while giving a brief history of MBDGN said that the Ist and Maiden edition was held in Lagos where Queen Maria Okese emerged winner. She is now playing host of this 2nd edition in Abuja in August, 2022.
On this ground, the group seek collaboration with the Commission to ensure that their aims see the light of the day.
Janet on the behalf of MBDGN expressed their profound gratitude to the executive secretary for the great work the commission is doing in the disability community especially in the area of women and girls’ rights, sign language literacy, and the general redefining of the word disability.
She also said that they also seek collaboration and partnership to participate in the World Deaf Pageant (Miss and Mr Deaf World & Miss and Mr. Deaf International) which have been going on around the world for twenty-two years but Nigeria has never participated.
She informed that they have been invited to the World Pageant that will take place in Tanzania by October this year.
“We are very hopeful to be present and bring the Crown Home and fly the Nigeria flag High”.
The group called for the support of the Commission and other well-meaning Nigeria to help them actualize their much -needed and higly desired dream which will be impossible to achieve without support.
Mr. Lawrence Idemudia who represented the Executive Secretary, NCPWD, James Lalu in his response to the group said that NCPWD is interested in anything that promotes persons with disabilities. He assured them that they look into their request and make recommendations to the Executive Secretary who will reach out to the group and see how they can work together. He commended the group for a wonderful initiative and urged them to keep the flag flying.
The leader of group, Queen Janet Fasakin presented a branded T-Shirt of the 2nd Miss Deaf Nigeria 2022 with theme; promoting the rights of Nigeria Deaf Girls, Men and Women to the Executive Secretary as a sign of the NCPWD endorsement of the Beauty Pageant.
