Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
Fifteen Local Government Areas have secured representation in the Most Beautiful Girl in Ogun State (MBGO) 2026 competition following the successful completion of the pageant’s auditions in Abeokuta.
The audition, held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Elysium Lounge, Abeokuta, attracted aspiring models and beauty queens from different parts of Ogun State seeking to earn a place in the competition scheduled for November.
Following an assessment of the contestants based on the organisers’ selection criteria, representatives emerged for 15 Local Government Areas: Abeokuta, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ewekoro, Ifo, Ijebu, Ikenne, Imeko-Afon, Ipokia, Obafemi Owode, Odeda, Odogbolu, Ogun Waterside, Remo North, Sagamu and Yewa South.
The development marks the next phase of the MBGO 2026 project, which the organisers said is designed to promote beauty, intelligence, confidence, leadership, cultural identity and purpose among young women in Ogun State.
Explaining why only 15 of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas would participate in this year’s edition, the Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the project, Ambassador Deji Bakare, said the decision was influenced by varying levels of interest and the ability of contestants to meet the required selection criteria.
“Our vision is to eventually have all 20 Local Government Areas of Ogun State fully represented. However, for this season, we decided to move forward with 15 Local Governments because some areas did not show sufficient interest or engagement with the vision of the project, while some contestants did not meet the required selection criteria,” Bakare said.
He said the organisers remained committed to achieving full representation of the 20 LGAs in future editions as the project expands.
“We believe this is only the beginning. As the project continues to grow and more seasons and activities are introduced, we will continue to engage the remaining Local Governments and work towards achieving complete representation of all 20 LGAs of Ogun State,” he added.
Bakare also said the initiative was not intended to be limited to a conventional beauty pageant, stressing that the organisers were building a platform for personal development, community representation and cultural promotion.
“We are building a platform that will give young women an opportunity to develop themselves, represent their communities, promote Ogun State’s culture and heritage, and participate in meaningful projects that can impact their communities,” he said.
With the auditions concluded, the 15 selected contestants are expected to commence a series of developmental activities ahead of the November competition.
The activities will cover personal development, public speaking, modelling, cultural representation, community engagement, talent development and purpose-driven projects.
The contestants will also undertake individual pet projects and community-focused activities before proceeding to the official camp and subsequent competition stages.
The organisers said the developmental component was intended to ensure that participants gained confidence, knowledge, experience and a stronger sense of purpose beyond the pursuit of the crown.
The grand MBGO 2026 competition is scheduled for November, with the official date, venue and detailed programme expected to be announced through the organisation’s official communication channels.
The organisers called on the public, media, sponsors, partners and supporters to remain engaged as the shortlisted contestants begin the next stage of their journey towards the crown.
The Most Beautiful Girl in Ogun State 2026 is supported by the Ogun State Government and powered by the Association of Models.
The project is in partnership with the Ministry of Art and Tourism, Ogun State; Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State; Ministry of Sports, Ogun State; SO SAFE CORPS; Deji Bakare Talent Search; Wazup; Sodken Fashion World; h; Elysium Lounge; Tevalin Studios; ShotByKeye; Gladiator; Gruve Tickets; Del Shine global Service Nig LTD; Mike Osemek News; and the Office of the Director of Communications, Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos State.
The organisers congratulated the successful contestants and thanked all participants, families, supporters, community representatives and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the auditions.
The selected representatives will now proceed to the next phase of the MBGO 2026 programme under the project’s guiding theme: “Beauty With Purpose.”
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