By Chris Onuoha

About 32 ladies have been shortlisted for the Queen Moremi Ajasoro Cultural Pageant camp programme scheduled to run for two weeks.

*The contenders

The pageant, under the auspices of the House of Oduduwa Foundation and support from the Ooni of Ife palace, was initiated in line with Ooni Ogunwusi’s mandate to promote art and culture in Yorubaland and beyond, and also to immortalise the heroine, Queen Moremi Ajasoro.

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The programme, that started with the selection of eligible contestants  last week in a three-day audition process in Ile-Ife and handled by seasoned cultural experts, produced 32 qualified finalists out of about 400 registrants that indicated interest.

A statement from the organisers, House of Oduduwa, shows that plans are on ground to have a successful camp programme for the young ladies who will be embarking on a cultural journey that will change their lives for good.

Line-up of activities that the ladies will engage in while in camp include exclusive cultural orientation to acquaint them with the task ahead, formal and informal tutoring on cultural values, cooking and domestic chores and cultural education to furnish them with Yoruba history.

These, according to the statement, are in line with the expected task and quality of who becomes an ambassador of the respected heroine, Queen Moremi Ajasoro. the essence of the rigorous camp experience is to imbibe the cultural values of Yoruba among youths who are losing touch with cultural realities.

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There will also be daily evictions by judges who will task the girls and assess them according to their performances.

The most qualified will stay in camp for the two weeks before they proceed to Ogun State for the Grand Finale to hold in December.

The Global Cultural Ambassador of Queen Moremi Ajasoro initiative, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, while speaking on behalf of the organisers, stated that the whole essence of the rigorous preparation is to show that whoever wears the crown as Queen matches the feat of the heroine in deed, character and charisma.