Behind the scene | 27 June 2012 23:52 CET

EXCLUSIVE: Crises Rock Sisi Eko Pageant...Queen Drags Organisers To Court Over Unpaid Prizes

Source: Osaremen Ehi James/Nollywoodgists.com
2011 Sisi Eko Winner, Yinka Adewale

2011 Sisi Eko Winner, Yinka Adewale

There seems to be a revolution going on in the beauty sector in Nigeria.

In less than two weeks, there have been two reported scandals about Nigeria's two leading beauty shows; Miss Nigeria organised by Daily Times Nigeria and Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) by Silverbird Group.

In the case of MBGN, its 2012 winner, Ayuk Isabella was disqualified from contesting in the Miss World contest for age-cheat allegation. For Miss Nigeria, its Creative Director, Nike Oshinowo was dropped and replaced with Elohor Aisien few days ago.

Now, the organiser of Sisi Eko beauty pageant, Mrs Tonia Martins is in a big mess over unpaid prizes promised the winner of the beauty event, Yinka Adewale.

On Saturday, December 17, 2011, Yinka, a 19-year old UNILAG undergraduate of English Language, emerged the winner of the maiden edition of Sisi Eko beauty contest.

To her, she immediately felt relieved as she thought she would then become a car owner, N200,000 richer and have a year modelling contract to herself as Tonia's Sisi Eko beauty pageant promised the pageant winner.

But alas! six months after the event, she has not gotten any of her prizes.

According to what was exclusively revealed to Nollywoodgists.com, Yinka has made efforts to get her prizes from Tonia but she has always been given different excuses.

We were reliably told that Tonia once threatened to dethrone Yinka as the beauty queen when she became persistent of getting what she won as Miss Sisi Eko 2011.

A source close to Yinka exclusively told Nollywoodgists.com that Yinka pays for her own wears, hairdo, cab hire which the organisers should have provided the beauty queen in her capacity as one.

We were further told that Tonia once granted an interview to a fashion blogger, Joseph Odiga, where she claimed Yinka has been given her car and other prizes won as promised the winner of the contest.

Nollywoodgists.com learnt that the first and second runners-up were promised to get a plasma TV with N100,000 and a refrigerator with N50,000 respectively as their prizes.

But the runners-up, Oma and Tosin only got a 'hunch back' 21 inches TV and a refrigerator respectively without the cash prizes attached to what they were promised by Tonia.

A twist to the story is that Tonia has started making adverts for the second edition of the beauty show.

Investigation by Nollywoodgists.com reveals that Tonia promised the winner of the 2012 edition of Sisi Eko a trip to the United Kingdom along with other prizes.

Already, she has asked intending contestants to pay the sum of N5000 into a bank account with auditions coming up in August and October.

Meanwhile, the beauty queen, Yinka has dragged Tonia to court. Her lawyer, Festus Keyamo has written to Tonia notifying her of Yinka's intention to take her to the courts if she does not pay her what she won.

She was given seven days to pay Yinka her prizes won or face a lawsuit. Nollywoodgists.com was able to get a copy of the notice served Tonia.

Effort made by Nollywoodgists.com to contact Tonia Martins to get her side of the story was abortive as she could not be reached as at press time.

We hope to update you as events unfold.

Tonia Martins, Sisi Eko Organiser
A copy of the notice served Tonia Martins

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