Since the story of the sex video involving former
Miss Anambra, Chidinma Okeke, broke a few weeks ago, several groups and
individuals have come forward with different versions of what transpired
between the embattled 20-year-old beauty queen and the organisers of the
pageant.
The former beauty queen was seen in a shocking
x-rated video with a lesbian partner. Surprisingly, the video was released on
October 11, 2016, a few days before the expiration of her tenure originally
billed for October 28, 2016.
Every day across the state since the video hit
the streets, different versions of what led to the scandal are churned out by
the actors, leaving the people confused and unsure of what to believe.
Since the scandal broke, Miss Chidinma Okeke, who
won the Miss Anambra beauty pageant, organised by the Anambra Broadcasting
Service (ABS), has remained incommunicado, choosing to go into hiding over
alleged threats to her life. She has also remained silent, leaving her lawyer
to do most of the talking.
While the father, Sir Jeremiah Okeke, had claimed
in recent reports that his daughter had been handed over to a relation for
safety, some others claimed that the ex-beauty queen had relocated abroad.
But after weeks of
keeping quiet, Miss Okeke has finally broken her silence. In an exclusive
interview with The Nation, she debunked claims that she threatened to commit
suicide, adding that there was never a time such thought came to her mind.
She also said her life
might no longer be in danger, adding that her traducers were no longer
threatening her life, and maintaining that those who were after her life had
stopped contacting her.
She also said the faces
behind her agonizing period in Anambra would be revealed soon, adding that with
God, all things are possible.
Narrating her own side of
the story, she said: “Early last year, the ABS advertised for the Miss Anambra
beauty pageant. I heard of it and went to make enquiry.
“My roommate was also
interested, but one of the organisers told me to apply. I told them I was not
interested but the man insisted that I might win the competition. He also
promised to give me the form for free if I indicated interest, and he did when
I agreed to contest.
“But one Jane told me
that before a winner would be declared, there were certain things to be done,
including the (sex) video. I consented after some persuasion from the
organisers. I later went for the contest at the Marble Arch Hotels in Awka, and
I was declared winner with a Kia Rio vehicle as star prize.
“When I went for my car
after the contest, the organisers brought out a contract form for me to sign,
but I told them I wanted to contact my lawyer to see it. I was not given the
opportunity to do so.
“What they kept telling
me was that if I insisted on not signing the contract or wanted to contact my
lawyer, they would release the video.
“At that point, I became
uncomfortable and signed the contract to avoid such embarrassment, and the car
was released to me from where it was packed within the premises of ABS.
“From that moment, I
became a slave to them. On October 11, 2016, they called me to come and make
presentations inside the office of one the organisers. After that, the man
excused some people in that room and showed me the video again.
“They told me to drop my
car and removed my crown from me. I told them I would take the car as
stipulated in the contract. They insisted I should pack it in the premises of
(ABS).
“I told my uncle in Abuja
about the situation. My uncle called them and asked them to release my car to
me. Instead, they forwarded the video to him as part of the blackmail. That was
what happened,” Chidinma said, crying.
She also said the scandal
had weighed her down. Amidst sobs, she denied being a lesbian, saying she had
never been involved in the act.
For her parents, Sir
Jeremiah and his wife, Lady Nora Okeke, the incident remains a shock. According
to Sir Okeke, the management and organisers of the pageant capitalised on his
daughter’s “age and naivety to deny her whatever monetary gains she made while
serving as Miss Anambra.”
He added: “How can a
beauty queen borrow money to pay her driver, even when she is supposed to be
receiving a monthly salary?
“I cannot say all that I
heard or saw. Why was she not paid her winning prize of one million naira
fully? Rather, they paid her on installmental basis. And up until today, the
money has not been completely paid.
“They have rubbished her
and rubbed the family’s name in the mud. But we have united as a family,
praying seriously for my daughter and for the people behind this wicked act to
be exposed.
“My family at first
agreed not to tell me about the whole thing, because I am hypertensive. But
they decided otherwise when things got out of hand. I told them this issue will
not kill me because I have had worse experiences while in business years back.
“My God, as always, will
answer me and expose the truth in no distant time. I won’t say much because the
damage has already been done.
“Chidinma is a small girl
who does not know anything, hence, she fell into a trap that was too heavy for
her to shoulder. But I thank God she is recovering.”
All through the
interview, Chidinma’s mother, who was advised by the husband to remain silent,
continued to hiss, and motioning her hands towards the heavens in supplication
to God.
Two of the chiefs in
Ogboji community in Orumba South Local Government Area, where Chidinma hails
from, Chief Obi Okoli (Idejimba) and Chief Julius Nwankwo (Nwabulu-Omee), told
The Nation that the incident had left them in shock.
Okoli, who described
Chidinma as a nice and well-trained girl from a Christian home, saw the entire
thing as a set up, but argued that such issues would only happen if somebody
presents oneself.
According to him, “she is
a well brought up girl from a good family background and Christian home. There
could be more to this than meets the eyes.”
Asked if the community
was not going to say anything on the sex scandal involving their daughter,
Okoli laughed and said: “There are ways of handling such issues, and I don’t think
the community will be involved.”
Also speaking, Chief
Julius Nwankwo, described the situation as a pity, adding that today’s children
behave as they like.
However, he said that the
people of Ogboji community were seeing it as blackmail, adding that none of
them was happy with what happened to their daughter.
He said: “As an Ogboji
man, I am pained that such a thing happened to one of our own, and that is why
we want the authorities concerned to look into the saga appropriately, with a
view to arresting those involved.
“When our daughter won
the award, we were happy. For anybody or group of persons to rubbish her and
our community is what we will not condone.”
Nwankwo said they heard
some people had been apprehended over the sex scandal, adding that the
authorities should look well in making sure that wrong people were not
punished.
The Managing Director of
ABS, the organisers, Uche Nworah did not comment on the queen’s allegations
when we contacted him. He instead referred us to the organisation’s
earlier statement.
In the earlier statement,
the organisers had dissociated themselves from the scandal. Part of the
statement read: “The attention of the management of the Anambra Broadcasting
Service, organisers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant, has been drawn to a
video with lurid contents purportedly showing former Miss Anambra, Miss
Chidinma Okeke (Miss Anambra 2015).
“The said Miss Chidinma
Okeke, who is allegedly linked to the lurid content in circulation, has served
out her term as Miss Anambra 2015 and handed over the crown in line with the
terms and conditions of The Miss Anambra pageant.
“We condemn in clear
terms any amoral behaviour/conduct as suggested by the alleged lurid content in
circulation and do not condone such.
“It is on record that The
Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant has been a platform to empower Anambra women and
celebrate our rich culture and heritage. Winners of the pageant are bound to
contracts to be of good conduct and moral behaviour and to uphold/maintain the
honour in their position as queen.
“Winners of the pageant
also contract to refrain from any personal relationship that could appear to
hinder their ability to perform the duties of their office as queen and role
model, and we do not expect any less.
“We, therefore, wish to
dissociate The Miss Anambra pageant from any discussions on the said
allegations.
“We feel sufficiently
perturbed by the mere reference already made to the pageant and hereby state
that we are in no way connected to the controversy.
“We apologise to
the government and good people of Anambra State, our sponsors, supporters,
friends and all those associated with the Miss Anambra project for the
embarrassment the mere reference to the pageant in the controversy may have
caused whilst reassuring of the good intentions of the Miss Anambra pageant
franchise.”
Thenation
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