25-year-old Azizatu Zakariah will be Ghana’s representative at the finals of this year’s Miss Africa Queen beauty pageant. She won the mantle to represent the country at the national finals at the Alisa Hotel in Accra. As usual, the programme started late (by two hours, at least) with an accapella performance by Andrew Frimpong and the Men of Voice. Emcee, Doreen Andoh then introduced the judges: Nana Adwoa Awindor, Kofi Pianim, Margaret Donkor, Joe Parker and Eileen Conteh. Later, the ten delegates, dressed in colourful wax prints came on stage with their introductory speeches. Some were eloquent and others, well, simply fumbled miserably.
Screwface provided an interlude, singing ‘Diallo’. Due to the ban on drum and noise-making, organizers were at pains to keep the sound levels to the barest minimum. Nonetheless, Screwface put up a good show.
Thereafter, each contestant came on stage with a recital and was quizzed by the judges. This session continues to be the most dreadful point for most contestants in these beauty pageants. But it’s where the wheat is usually separated from the chaff and beauty gives way to brains. From speeches on child abuse to teenage pregnancy, slavery and many other social ills, the young ladies went on to answer questions on Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” and Women Empowerment, among others. Some displayed eloquence and others’ deficiencies were evidence.
Later, Ewura Esi represented with ‘Odo Yewu’ engaging the Caucasians in the audience. Ina Patty and Lamisi Mbillah, (Miss Ghana 2004 and 2005 respectively) were also present to lend their support.
After the first session, Patricia, Dilys, Eugenia, Erica, and Azizatu made it to the top five and faced the judges again for yet another Q&A segment. Whiles the results were being collated, Andrew Frimpong and his Men of Voice were called upon to help kill time. Their beatboxing was energetic and enthusiastic but they only succeeded in putting the audience to sleep. When the results were finally brought in, Azizatu Zacharia (a national service person) came up tops. She also won a special prize for being the hardest working contestant. Eugenia came in second winning ¢3million (300GH¢) and some products from the sponsors. Dilys placed third, winning ¢2million (200GH¢) and various products from the sponsors. Azizatu was just glad that despite her height of just 5’2” she’s gotten the chance to participate in a continental beauty pageant.
Monica Mbillah, the reigning ‘Miss Africa Queen’ presented the prizes (a car to be used for a year, airline tickets and some goodies) to Azizatu.
