Entertainment of Saturday, 10 November 2007

Source: statesman

Laurie Lawson is Miss Malaika 07

A large audience thronged the National Theatre last Saturday to witness the final show of Miss Malaika pageant that has been running on Ghana Television screens for the last five weeks.

The crowd was so much that many of them who could not make it to the venue on time had to either seat on the bare floor of stairs or stand on their feet through the show and unlike Charter House, the show started on time. After the initial introduction of all the delegates, then came the talent show,

Millicent captured the audience spell bound with her performance of the late Lucky Dube's performance of 'Prisoner", the acting that followed the song thereof thus depicted his fame and manner he was killed. This won her the most talented delegate award and she deserves it because she was the only delegate who got the audience to their feet with her performance.

Akosua did well with her dress making skills and the delegate who painted was good as well. Other told jokes and danced to different tunes while some delegate’s also recited poetry, as to whether those poems were written by them, is a discussion for another day.

After the talent show, all the delegates appeared for the final time where five of them were evicted from the show. The other five which stayed included Akosua, Laurie, Millicent and two others who were also sent away after answering their questions.

(Though the presenter, Chris Attoh explained why there had to be a break in the question time when it happened, the audience was still not convinced, some saw it as way to leak questions to the two other delegates)

Oh beautiful Akosua Sasu!, she was tipped to be the winner or take the second position, but how on earth could she have won if she does not know that ‘cabinet’ of a government is not an individual but a whole group of ministers?

Wondering what am talking about, well Akosua, who was one of the three finalists told the judges, the crowd at the National Theatre and those who watched it at home that if she got an opportunity to invite two prominent Africans to her home for Dinner, she would invite the "The Head of State and Cabinet", (man you should have been there to hear the boos from the crowd, I felt so shy that, though I was not the one they were booing at, I hid my head in my palms). She won the second runner up position though

Laurie L Lawson, a second year student of the University of Ghana Medical School who had also been ticked to take the first position, deserved to win! From day one she showed such intelligence that people kept ticking her as the eventual winner during the live eviction shows on GTV.

Though her talent show was not that impressive, the respect she had earned through her other performances over the period they were camped made up for her mistakes on the final day.

Beside her crown, she gets to drive home a Kia Cerato Saloon car, a cash prize of GH¢200, a set of living room furniture and a personal wardrobe wax prints, jewelries sets, among other prizes. In addition she will also serve as a Malaria Ambassador with the Malaria Control Board.

Millicent Owusu who was the 1st runner up was also good except that she fumbled bit initially but managed to over her initial stage freight which is normal with such shows. True to Executive Director of Charterhouse, Theresa Ayoade words, housing the contestants made them, more confident, and open minded than what we saw during the launch.

1st and 2nd runner ups 7m and 5m each in addition to cosmetics and other prizes from the sponsors. All delegates also got varying prizes. This year’s show went well without any technical hitches that often characterize such shows, Becca’s rendition of lucky Dube’s Daddy" was interesting and subsequently her performance of her own songs.

The only problem is that she seems to be so much into Kwabena-Kwabena that it is beginning to appear that she can not perform her own songs without Kwabena’s help. The earlier she finds her own level on stage, the better it will be for her career.

Kofi B and K K Fosu who have both improved tremendously in term of looks also entertained the crowd in the company of another guy who did virtually nothing on stage. Kudos to Jessica and Chris! They stirred the show to a successful end.