Miss FCT, Queen Sarah Okli, has emerged as the 2025 Face of Tourism beauty pageant winner.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okli edged out 10 other contestants to clinch the highly coveted crown at the competition’s grand finale on Saturday in Abuja.
The event, which was held on Saturday night at the Armed Forces Officers Mess, Lungi Barracks in Abuja, attracted contestants from different states.
The first runner-up, Miss Kaduna, Queen Theresa Jonathan, was crowned Miss Tradition 2025, and the second runner-up, Miss Enugu, Queen Laura Eze, was crowned Face of Tourism Ambassador 2025.
Miss Akwa Ibom, Queen Anita Emmanuel, was crowned the Face of Tourism North 2025.
It was a night of glitz and glamour as stakeholders in the culture and tourism sector, showbiz entrepreneurs, and heads of corporate bodies gathered for the tourism fiesta.
Remarks
In her address, Jane Ochanya, founder and chief executive officer of Free Image Humanitarian Foundation (FIHF), the organisers of the annual pageant, congratulated the new tourism queen on her feat.
She urged the new queen to effectively use her reign to promote Nigeria’s rich tourism potential, especially in job creation and its contribution to the nation’s GDP
According to her, the event aims to promote Nigeria’s prosperous tourism sector and draw relevant stakeholders’ attention, especially the federal government, to the importance of tourism to the national economy.
She said that as Nigeria seeks to diversify its economic mainstay, the tourism and creative sectors were veritable alternatives if given proper attention.
She called on the government at all levels to ensure more funding for the tourism sector in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ms Ochanya, an ex-beauty queen, said her interest in organising the pageant was to give positive direction and exposure to youths, particularly girls.
“We need to assure them that they can be successful in a positive way rather than venturing into prostitution, drugs and other social vices. The Face of Tourism beauty pageant, amongst other things, is focused on creating awareness of the economic potential of the tourism industry.
