Ghana has no Miss Ghana; Winners abandon crown

Ghana currently has no reigning Miss Ghana. This is because the winner of the 2013 edition of the pageant together with her first and second runner ups have resigned.

Earlier this month, Exclusive Events Ghana, organizers of the Miss Ghana event, relieved the reigning queen, Miss Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi of her role as Miss Ghana 2013 Ambassador.

The decision, according to the organizers, was reached after Miss Baafi decided to stand down as Miss Ghana 2013. A letter dated July 3, signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Samuel Bokorvie, and sent to Miss Baafi read in part:

“In view of this elevated status as the Miss Ghana Brand Ambassador you undertook to behave and conduct yourself in a manner that would not bring the brand into disrepute and public ridicule. We regret however, that your conduct has not been consistent with your commitment to these values that you subscribed to, on becoming the Miss Ghana Ambassador at your crowning.”

It however emerged that not only has the winner of the pageant been stripped off her title, the two runner ups have also resigned from their positions.

Inna Mariam Patty, CEO of Exclusive Events Ghana, told Myjoyonline.com in an interview that there are varied reasons for the current vacant position of the Miss Ghana crown.

She revealed that, “Six weeks after crowing Miss Baafi that was [in July 2013] the second runner up - Crystal Selorm Amudzi - hinted that her application to defer her academic year was unsuccessful and would like to return to school and as an institution that is interested in ensuring that young women pursue their educational goals we humbly accepted, even though we're saddened by it,” for her to continue with her education.

According to her, the first runner up, Margaret Kuma-Mintah also came up with the same request.

In Miss Giuseppina Baafi's case, “She is probably overwhelmed with the high expectations of her couple with the fact that she had consistently and persistently not lived up to our expectations in terms of breaching our contractual obligations,” Inna said.

The Exclusive Events Ghana CEO however failed to clearly name the misconduct or parts of the contract Miss Baafi is alleged to have breached.

'The fight'
Myjoyonline.com investigations have revealed that, Miss Ghana 2013, among other things, did not accept a new contract that organizers wanted her to sign.

Due to that, she refused to attend official events, refused to be the brand ambassador of sponsors of the pageant and also refused to attend the funeral of Ghana's foremost Miss Ghana beauty pageant winner.

It has emerged that there was a scuffle between Miss Baafi and Inna's mother, who is a director at Exclusive Events Ghana in May this year, at the Miss Ghana residence on the Spintex road, Accra.

Samuel Bokorvie, Chief Operating Officer of Exclusive Events Ghana speaking on Rhythmz A-Z with Mamavi Owusu- Aboagye Saturday narrated that, “Giuseppina was expected to have left the house already so she's packed out… the chaperon indicated that there was nothing in the house. The director had bought one or two items to be given to the chaperon so upon reaching there she was informed that Giuseppina was still around.”

Inna's mum had wanted to take Giuseppina to her parents because if she was no longer interested in the crown, she can't live in the Miss Ghana house, Samuel added.

Inna Mariam Patty interjected and explained that some foreigners came into the house after Giuseppina refused to hand over the keys and shouted for help. “These white guys, opposite the house, came into the house and without asking any question wanted to assault the director.”

Inna further alleged that the white guys pushed the security man and vandalised some items in the house. “As an office, we have made an official complaint to the [Airport] police about these gentlemen unlawfully entering our premises,” Inna added.

'Giuseppina's side of the story'
Kobby Siaw, brother of Giuseppina also commenting on the issue said “Giuseppina never said or wrote a letter to that effect that she was never interested or she wants to resign as Miss Ghana,” and challenged organizers to prove that she did that.

According to him, organizers “brought a new contract and they were forcing her to sign. They were going for a program and then before the program they asked her to sign the contract or else she is not going with them for the program,” she had requested for a third opinion on the new contract.

Kobby alleged that Giuseppina never had a soft or hard copy of the new contract.

“They told Giuseppina because she was not signing the contract, she should leave the house….on the said date that her mother they say is the director went to the house, she went there to actually go and tell Giuseppina that if you are not signing the contract then by force I am going to eject you out of the house,” he said.

“We have evidence to prove that her mother actually beat Giuseppina up and it was through the screams of Giuseppina in the house that the foreigners heard and came to Giuseppina's rescue. They never vandalised any item in the house, it was Inna Patty's mother who was beating Giuseppina that resulted in the items being destroyed.”

“Why will somebody in a very prestigious position like Miss Ghana decide she is going to resign if all things are well,” Kobby quizzed.

'The search for Miss Ghana 2013 and Miss Ghana 2014'

Inna Mariam Patty has disclosed to Myjoyonline.com that there are attempts to select a suitable person as Miss Ghana 2013.

“We've had a lot of interest from 2013 contestants, 2012 contestants and total strangers [numbering] over a hundred. We are going to do an interesting interview and selection process but we will make sure that whoever qualifies does understand the brand, has the experience and will do us proud ,” at this year's Miss World pageant.

According to her, if the organizers don't get a suitable candidate by first week of August, it means that Ghana will not have a representative for the 2013 Miss World pageant.

In spite of all these challenges, Exclusive Events Ghana will organize a pageant to crown Miss Ghana 2014.   Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Ernest Dela Aglanu (Twitter: @delaXdela / Instagram: citizendela)