The finals of arguably, Ghana’s most popular beauty pageant and reality show, created quite the storm of controversy and excitement – for the very wrong reasons.
The event which took place at the International Conference Centre saw quite the crowd coming to support their favorites among those formidable delegates who made it to the finals:
Adwoa, Mikafui, Alexandra, Magdalene, Smallie, Gerry, Emanuella, Nana Konadu, Priscilla, and Daisy.
And what a night!
It all began with an entertaining opening act by the finalists supported by Dr. Sid, singing “There’s somtin about you girl”, and there was something definitely about the girls for them to be the special ten after a long journey from the point of selection till now, large numbers of girls chasing one crown, one car and one dream. Dr. Sid treated us to quite a good azonto supported by the beautiful delegates. The best way to commence a show lately is to douse it in azonto. This definitely got the azonto-crazy audience wildly ready for a good show.
MCs for the night were Chris Attoh, returning from his sojourn in Nigeria, and the beautiful Naa Ashorkor, who is the official presenter for Miss Malaika. Chris Attoh, looking classy as always in a well-fitting grey suit, surprised his audience with some really good azonto and proceeded to show the ladies just how good looking his ass was and how flexible his waist can be. Naa Ashorkor was a breathtaking sight in a short, glittery Afro chic dress with matching pumps, emphasizing the theme of the night: Style, Elegance and Beauty. However, their duet between did not really start off on the smoothest note. Naa Ashorkor, seemed too tense to play, while Chris was fully in game mode, making him very fun and exciting. Naa Ashorkor cut him off a few times in her bid to go by the book, but thankfully, by the end of the show, they created some pretty harmonious music.
First on the bill was a report, diary-style, of Miss Malaika 2010, Ama Nettey, who admits to quite the life transformation since winning the much coveted title. A Valentine’s Day Party at Orphan Aid Africa, a donation at the Rhema Foster Home and the Village of Hope, joining forces with MTN on their Yello’Care Project for environmental protection, giving a series of talks on “the need to promote volunteerism in the health sector”, responsibilities as a Malaria Youth Ambassador later, Ama Nettey has developed into a caring, socially conscious citizen of Ghana, and a role model for those who choose to look up to her. She advises, “Defeat is not the worst of failures, not to have tried is the true failure…”
Emmanuel, winner of Stars of the Future 2010, serenaded the crowd to quite the emotional song, singing Adele’s “Like you”. Boy, did he have the girls reaching out to him! It was as though he sang their very hearts out, adding his own style and remarkable adlibbing. He ended by performing one of his own songs, telling his audience that “his time is now”. The night was a night for celebrating being Ghanaian, thus Emmanuel looked very good in African print blazer over his black outfit, complete with a silver chain hanging in a loop from his right pocket.
Turning down the music, the time came for the delegates to begin the race; a session where the ten delegates used the platform given them to give out heartfelt, advisory messages. Afriyie advised her audience on the need to be unique. Starting off by telling her audience that they looked nice though her eyes were obviously not on the crowd in front of her (keep it polite and insincere!), she informed her audience, “People cannot see the real you if you cannot see the light in you” but proceeded to make a pretty unnecessary and unconnected example of a pure water seller, as though implying that pure water sellers are more unique than people of other professions (??). Mikafui steered the topic to health matters and spoke against the evils of stigmatizing people with mental disorders. Alex presented “The Magic Woman”, a speech about celebrating womanhood and feminity. Motherhood was the thrust of her speech and she left quite a sweet quote in the mouths of her listeners, “A mother is not one to lean on, but one who makes leaning unnecessary.” Magdalene presented the argument of autism being an opportunity, not a disability. Smallie informed her audience of her claim of a decline in human morality (no solid support for how she chanced upon this ‘truth’ or research, so kinda hard to believe the claim, don’t you think?) However, what better way to end a speech by leaving on a resounding quote, “One thing I have learnt from history is that we do not learn from history”.
Gerry, who seemed to have the most supporters, judging by the catcalls whenever her name was mentioned, chose a powerful, philosophical topic: the Power to be, encouraging her audience to be proud of their real selves and to believe in their ability to transform themselves and the world. Emma took her audience through a statistical analysis of maternal mortality in Ghana, postulating that a 1,200 to a 1400 women died every year during childbirth. Unfortunately, an important detail was left out: the total number of subjects studied. Always helps to know the ratio, helps to know if there has been an increase or rather, decrease. Thus she left us with biased and incomplete statistics. Nana Konadu brought back childhood memories when she asked the audience to recite the poem, “Fox, fox, fox…” an opener to her speech about child labour. One cannot deny that was a great way to hold the attention of an audience. Daisy appropriately embellished on the issue of the night: Women Empowerment, citing the witches of Gambaga as a point of evidence.
Now turn up the music and Stay J appears in a white shirt, folded at the elbow to show off his biceps, on black pants and a long cross on his neck. Performing his hit songs, “Suee”, azonto was on! His dancers, his audience, and himself azontoing their hands and legs away! Under some form of delusion that his voice can sing, he proceeded to serenade “the beautiful girls in the haus” with a horrible, rhythmless voice. He got the only response that he needed: silence. The silence was finally broken to cheers again when he free styled something funny. Now, that is what you’re good at!
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| Naa Ashorkor as MC |
Next came the Talent show and Afriyie commenced it on a wonderful note with a painting and collaging her perception of the “Fierce and proud African Woman”. The night saw lovely choreography to rich poetry about the intoxicating delights of our Ghanaian culture, written by Chief Moomen, an act on domestic violence: its evil repercussions on children raised in such homes. The energy of the choreographed violence drew quite a number of “Eis”, and many more.
Dr. Sid was up next to let his audience know that he was definitely “Flying over the moon” and “popping champagne”. Earlier in the day, live on YFM, he had told Jeremy that popping about eighty bottles of champagne was the usual order of the day when he went out chilling (not to brag but…!). Someone had her bottle of, not champagne, but red wine, waving it throughout the performance of this song. He did more azonto and proceeded to teach the men and show off to his female fans some very serious waist winding.
Up next was Ghana’s fastest rapper, Sarkodie, and the place was in uproar. The whole audience was on their feet for the very first time that night. Asking his audience, “Do you know what time it is?”, Sarkodie inspired his audience to “be what they wanted to be”. Then to his “honeys on the block”, he confessed “I’m in Love with you now”. This performance pulled Efya on stage, surprising the audience and throwing a second and even crazier uproar. Their duet was masterfully done, singing and rapping to each other, really talking to each other. It was made even more intimate when one microphone conked out. Talk about Performance…and Efya and Sarkodie appear!
To end the duet, Sarkodie received a call from his mum on his cell, telling her he could not talk at the moment, simply throwing his audience in raucous laughter. Then more azonto rocked the Conference centre. Sarkodie picked a lady from the audience, and began to azonto with her. Seeing the stage temporarily empty as Sarkodie was getting his groove on , Funnyface seized the opportunity to rush on stage and steal the audience’s attention with his comedic dancing. Sarkodie, joined him and did we have fun!
The next session was a recorded video of the pre-judging session where the girls were hit by questions, testing their intelligence, for Miss Malaiaka, as its said, is a contest about Brains and not simply being Beautiful. One delegate is asked about what world news she currently follows and she answered, “the issue on Qaddafi”, and proceeded to say, “the problem with him is that we’ve been fighting with him so long so if it takes him dying then I’m happy with it.”….??? Another contestant asserted also that “we ‘own’ the child that responsibility to take care of the child.” Boy, boy, boy…
Finally, the much awaited selection of the Final Five was up, and the delegates appeared in African print, complete with pomp and feathers, and nerves and tension. Magdalene won Miss Congeniality and Emma was awarded Best Talent, and both awards came with Gh c300. The final Five selected were: Gerry, Daisy, Smallie, Alex, and Emma.
The make-or-break question to decide the Queen from the rest was: Who in your opinion does a more important job: the housewife or the career woman?
Smallie picks the housewife, arguing quite convincingly that, it is the housewife that raises the career woman.
Emma asserts that it is the career woman because she does both jobs: housework and pursuing her career. She ends weakly writing off the housewife, saying “the housewife does only housework”.
Daisy also picks the housewife because, in her opinion, whereas the housewife works all hours of the day, the career woman only works between a set time, say 9 to 5. Hmmm…very weak.
Gerry argues that the housewife does the more important job because “a housewife is doing a good job” and proceeds to talk about women bleeding at least seven days in a month and having to combine it with work. Doesn’t the career woman go through menstrual periods too? Frighteningly off track Gerry.
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| Chris Attoh as MC |
Alex’s answer, save Smallie’s, was the most intelligent answer of the night. She asserts that both do a great job, but if she was forced to pick, she would pick the career woman, because the career woman, being a woman, has to do both jobs: pursue her career as well as perform her household chores.
To clear the tension after this hot session, R2bees was up next, performing “bumper to bumper”, “agyei” with Sarkodie, and others. The audience soon forgot that it was a beauty pageant they came to and not a musical concert. But we were definitely reminded when it came to the selection of the Runners up and the crowning of Miss Malaika 2011.
Smallie was declared 2nd runner up (her face definitely did not look happy. If eyes could kill, snipers would be shooting out at that point!), and for the first time in Malaika History, there was a tie! Guess who between! Alex (as expected) and Gerry (now there was the huge bomb of surprise!)
So to break this tie, yet another question was asked: Define three qualities that a woman of the Millennium should have.
Alex, first to answer, says that three qualities a woman must have are; Innovation, which would be an asset in a rapidly changing world, Smartness, to see opportunity and grab it, and Enterprising enough to use her skills to make money. Her answer was so sensibly and smoothly delivered, and answering as sharply as she did of the top of her head, she got the audience screaming for her. People around repeatedly said, “she get head oo!”
Gerry was next to answer, saying these three qualities should be the Power to be (falling back on her rehearsed speech at the beginning of the show), this power necessary to be able to overcome, Confidence and Pride in who she is. Much better delivery than the first but still no match for Alex.
Now came the tension packed moment: Who would be Miss Malaika 2011?
Judges voted and two votes went for Alex being crowned Queen while three went for Gerry, thus, Gerry Partington of the University of Ghana is now Miss Malaika 2011! For her prize, Gerry takes home a KIA saloon car, GH¢ 6,000, wax prints from ATL, a trip to South Africa amongst others.
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| Alex |
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| Gerry |
Talk about surprises! Gerry definitely had the most support, but tides shifted when she fumbled at the make-or-break question session, and Alex garnered more credibility. It was definitely not about votes at this point but pure intelligence. Many disappointed faces and comments left the conference centre, despite the extremely incredible show.. Some disappointed fans and others who simply wanted fairness, felt Gerry had been picked as a favourite and all had been done to keep pushing her through the stages, even when she blatantly spoilt her chances.
“CharterHouse is a CheatingHouse,” said a bitter member of the audience.
Otherwise, the night was remarkable experience: great MCs, fashion was on point, engaging music performances, great opening act, and a sense that Miss Malaika was simply not about beauty but brains but then…
If the delegate with obvious brains and public speaking skills was refused the crown, does this not challenge the credibility of pageant? You tell me.
