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 while reassuring of the good
intentions of the Miss Anambra pageant franchise.”
