Malaika 2006 Launched

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday,23 September 2006 (Times Weekend)

The final 20 young ladies selected nationwide for the Miss Malaika 2006 crown will from next week in Accra undertake rigorous grooming and training to transform them for the contest.

This follows the launch of the event by the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relation, Mr. Joe Baidoo Ansah at Alisa Hotel in Accra on Tuesday evening.

The Miss Malaika Event is one of the prestigious pageants in the country which seeks to locate, groom, and present to the world a young, beautiful, intelligent, responsible and dedicated modern African woman.

The 20 young daring women were short listed from 50 ladies selected from the preliminary stage in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Cape Coast at the semi-final stage based on their physical presence, intellect and boldness.

The young ladies, who possess height, shape, intellegince, poise, elegance and style among others, would be in the house for five weeks where they would engage in many activities.

While in the house, the ladies would be filmed live for a Miss Maliaka Reality TV show which will make it possible for the public to first identify them and be part in making the Miss Malaika Queen by voting for their favourite through SMS.

Two out of the 20 ladies whose performance might not be impressive in the house will each week be evicted by viewers for the five consecutive weeks they would be in the Malaika Mansion.

For the first time in the history of pageant in Ghana, the final ten ladies would be taken on a fun-trip outside the country before they keenly compete for the coveted Malaika crown on November 4, 2006 at the posh Accra International Conference Centre, Accra.

“So as you can see, the stage is set for a brilliant and engaging show this year,” said Mrs.Theresah Ayaode, Executive Director of Charter House, organizers of the event, at the launch.

She said that for the past three years, the organizers of the pageant have engaged the nation in the search to locate budding young women who would not only experience a truly life changing event, but also contribute to society by undertaking a social work with the National Malaria Control Programme.

She urged the public to vote for their favourite queen when the series start showing on TV as they would also stand the chance of winning fantastic prizes.

To the 20 delegates, she said: “The Miss Malaika show is the best experience of your youth you can ever have. Seize the opportunity, have fun, learn lessons and use them to improve your life”.
The reigning Miss Malaika 2005 Queen, Patricia Akuamoah, said that the pageant should not only be termed as “a life changing experience” but “it’s an opoortunity, eye opener and a turning point”.

She described the transformation that the crown has brought her as “remarkable” adding that not only is she a dedicated, ambitious and young, she it has made her bold, mature, independent and exhibited a high degree of eloquence, elegance and grace.

She admitted that along the prestige and fame that came with the crown were many challenges and responsibilities which she had to face during her reign, adding “my greatest challenge was combining my school work with the duties that I was expected to fulfill as an ambassador for malaria prevention campaign”.

Miss Akuamoah advised the ladies to show their “extra-factor” which she said is one unique, special and distinctive quality that will make them different from others and guarantee them the Malaika crown.

She indicated that although her campaign is not ended yet, a lot has been achieved as she’s been able to organized malaria prevention competition among JSS students, held malaria prevention educative talks on radio, provided television and radio infomercials and newspaper write ups among other.

She commended the National Malarial Control Programme for its immense support which has made it possible for her campaign to be effective.

The Queen advised the young women to put in their best at all times, be themselves and have fun as well, stressing that “the competition would be tough but rewarding, taxing but enjoyable and most importantly memorable”.

K.K Fosu and Jane Awindor gave the audience at the launch good musical performances.