How Miss Malaika beat Miss Ghana as nation’s top pageant

After several decades of existence, Miss Ghana which was launched to propagate Ghana’s cultural values and beautiful diversity to protect our heritage and our culture has been dogged by controversy leaving the brand tattered and overtaken by Miss Malaika.

The Miss Ghana Pageant has been mired in controversy with allegations of pimping of girls and the use of the so-called Queens to solicit for sponsorship with strict targets.

Past Queens have alleged that fundraising targets no matter how it is achieved tend to influence who eventually wins.

Miss Ghana franchise owners, Exclusive Events Ghana Limited headed by Miss Ghana 2004, one Inna Patty has herself been considered controversial, according to former Queens.

The Miss Ghana has been repeatedly accused of being an “escort agency” by former contestants some of whom were “stripped” of the crown after exposing the pageant.

According to Antoinette Delali Kemavor, one of the beauty queens, Inna Patty, the organizer of the pageant told her to be ‘sweet’ and ‘acceptable’ of anything a man they were seeking sponsorship from would demand of her.

First runner-up of the pageant in 2019 Sarah Odei Amoani, decided to resign due to such demands made of her.

Margaret Dery, Miss Ghana 2017 had earlier resigned too!

After taking to Twitter to describe Miss Ghana Beauty Pageant as a big SCAM, Miss Margaret Dery, the 2017 Winner of Miss Ghana Beauty Pageant finally resigned.

Miss Ghana 2010 – Stephanie Karikari, Miss Ghana 2015 – Antoinette Delali Kemavor, Miss Ghana 2013 – Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi and first-runner-up – Margaret Kuma-Mintah – have all resigned after their participation in the pageant, most with sordid allegations against Inna Patty for trying to pimp them for money.

Miss Malaika which marked 20 years anniversary this year crowned Zakiya Ahmed as its Emerald Queen, becoming the first Hijab-wearing Queen in the history of the pageant.

Miss Malaika has succeeded where Miss Ghana failed, since at least 2004 — being scandal-free and fulfilling its unconditional promises to the Queens since 2002.

The Miss Malaika is produced by Charter House Productions and mostly airs on Ghana television station TV3, GhOne TV as well as DSTV channel Africa Magic. The pageant is produced as a 12- to 13-week reality show and is the first beauty pageant show to be aired as a reality series in Ghana before being joined by TV3’s own Ghana’s Most Beautiful, which is a region and strictly culturally based.

Most beauty pageant is now all about empowering young women to positively impact society as well as fulfil their aspirations.

From the conception of Miss Malaika show 2002, it has been presented to the audience as a reality TV show which allows for the viewers to vote for their favourite contestant to be crowned Miss Malaika Ghana.

Each week, the contestants are given tasks to perform which range from performances to organizing events. This is then assessed by a panel of judges who have a certain degree of power in selecting successful candidates and eliminating others.

The Miss Malaika pageant is open to single females between the ages of 18 or those who would turn 18 the present year and 26. Hopeful contestants need to be sizes 10 and 14 and must be of “African” origin. Other requirements are that the ladies are high school graduates, have no breast implants and no height restrictions.

However, the pageant has reviewed some of its requirements discounting body sizes and almost eliminated Bikini modeling requirements.