Dear Vincent,
As a beauty Queen myself who won a crown not long ago at one of the many beauty pageants in the USA organised by Ghanaians and did not receive a single of the prizes and promises made, I read your recent article titled “Ghana Should Not Go to the 2014 Miss World | We’ve Already Lost the Race to Incompetence“with rapt attention and sadness.
When it happened to me, though it was not fully my fault, I blamed myself for being so stupid to have not researched on the pageant I entered into as it was in the known the organizers had done the same thing to some of the previous winners.
I wasted a lot of time and had to even quit my second job all because I wanted to become a Queen and come back to make a difference in my country-Ghana.
There were several promises and prizes that were outlined to be given to the winners and what actually caught my heart was the promise of the winner going to be taken to Ghana to stay there for a year, to do humanitarian work with needy children.
I’ve always wanted to do this but as a young student, I could not afford it and did not even know where to start from since I left Ghana at the age 6. I therefore saw the pageant as the opportunity I have always wanted to make a difference and gave it my everything.
I felt a bit uncomfortable when I had to buy registration FORMS for 30 dollars which was a common paper that did not cost a dollar to be printed. When I asked why I needed to buy a paper for 30 dollars to fill in my details, I was told the purpose is to ensure that only those who are serious come forward and also to raise some money for the charity work in Ghana.
As uncomfortable as I was, the above reason calmed me down and I proceeded to be part of the competition which I eventually win. It was a long journey to the crowning day as I had to even hire a fitness instructor, get some Kente clothes straight from Ghana, and learn a Ghanaian traditional dance among other things.
To cut a very long story short, I did all these on my own and from my own pocket only to be disappointed after winning the competition about the opportunity to stay in Ghana for a year and work with these needy children, supported and paid by the organizers.
I have seen advised anyone who I’ve come across and wanted to enter a Ghanaian pageant in the USA to be careful and not waste her time. They never deliver on their promises even if you honour your part of the bargain.
To be frank, I was extremely sad when I read your article and also listened to the audios which put to light how the organizers of Miss Ghana pageant in Ghana are also doing the same thing these people are doing out here in USA, making promises to young girls and never fulfilling them. But rather making money from all these activities to the detriment of these innocent girls.
I commend you on the article and I think more people should make others aware of these things so that, any young girl who will be going in the next time competitions will be aware of what potentially awaits her.
Thanks for reading.
From: Agnes E./ Maryland-USA
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well I think u shld shut up for the gals who want to take part to do so. they say experience is the best teacher innit? these beauty pageants ve always had issues wit their winners ,I know u had heard abt how the organisers cheat the winners yet u wanted to be a beauty queen. let others go in there n experience it for themselves. don’t be a hypocrite madam
True talk but at the end of the day, some girls will ignore it all and go to take part. They will come back with their own wahala too. This is the human nature
This is just sad, but word of advice once again; Most Ghanaian beauty pageants in the U.S ain’t that credible; so ladies beware.