Whoever at Adesa We Productions Limited (APL) mooted the idea of hosting the grand launch of the 16th edition of Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB) pageant at the refurbished Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park, should be receiving some commendation from the bosses soon.
A similar gesture should be heading towards the one who decided that a drone must be part of the cameras deployed for the coverage of the most watched beauty pageant in Ghana today. The person who ensured that the stage was set around Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s statue with his hands pointing forward, cannot go without mention for recognition.
That’s because in my opinion, the aptness of their ingenuity showed during the livestreaming of the launch that I watched in the comfort of my sofa on Sunday July 30, 2023. What triggered this article was a drone shot of all 16 beauties in their GTP-sewn evening wear, seated on their traditional stools under the feet (so to speak) of Ghana’s first President.
This shot sent me into a trance. In that state of reverie, I saw and heard the Osagyefo address the young ladies. He told them how proud he was of their academic and professional accomplishments. It turned out Dr. Nkrumah heard it all when the hosts introduced the queens as they arrived. All the young women are either students or graduates from Ghana’s tertiary institutions, some of which were founded by Dr. Nkrumah. He expressed how proud he was that they had imbibed their respective cultures and traditions, something he was so particular about when he reigned.
It also became apparent to me that the Osagyefo has been monitoring from afar, the quest by the producers of Ghana’s most beautiful to ensure that GMB goes beyond the traditional beauty pageant. That’s because he mentioned with satisfaction, how each season highlighted the cultural identity and traditions of the various regions of Ghana. He praised how contestants are carefully selected to represent their regions and “indulge in various activities that showcase their talent, intellect, poise, and knowledge of their cultural heritage,” as documented by the organisers.
Indeed, Nkrumah Showboy’s mood lightened when he mentioned the traditional dances, poetry recitals, fashion displays, cooking sessions that the contestants are made to undertake. The first President of the nation spoke into their future by saying that, considering the diverse academic knowledge and talents they are imbued with, he would not be surprised if one of them becomes president of Ghana in the future.
At this point, their shiny cheeks broadened on their well-made up faces, leading to broad smiles to the compliment from the founder of the nation. I saw a few lips whispering ‘tenk u’, thus exposing diastema-filled snow-white teeth. Then my phone rang and took me out of that illusionary but desirable state. Ah, ah, ah!!!.
The GMB I know
I get surprised when my friends or colleagues express surprise over the kind of content that I watch on TV. Being a journalist, it seems they expect me to spend all the time watching news on TV3, CNN, BBC and Aljazeera. As such, whenever I tell them about my love for telenovelas, they cringe. But man must not live by bread alone…or?
Well, that was just to prepare you for the information that I have watched Ghana’s Most Beautiful from day one when the Central Regional representative, Ama, won the crown. I watched Gidoen Aryeequaye host it, I watched Johnnie Hughes and Chrystal Kwame-Aryee cohost it and now watching the beautiful Cookie Tee and Anita co-hosting it.
Because I am Ga, I always root for the representative of the Greater Accra Region. Thus, my loyalty to the programme wanes immediately our representative is evicted. Consequently, I adopt a lackadaisical attitude towards the show until the grand final when I am sure the organisers will exhibit their ‘A’ game in terms of event organization. Hence, I book a seat to not only feed my eyes, but pick a few nuggets to be tied at the tip of my cloth, the way my grandmothers kept their monies safe.
Against this background, you can imagine my elation when in 2008, at the end of the second edition, Sarah Naa Adoley Addo was crowned the winner. Likewise, you can imagine my frustration over the long crownless period for the Greater Accra Region between 2009 and 2020. Then the petit but immensely intelligent Naa Deidei Botchwey decided to brace all the odds to outshine her peers and grab the 2020 GMB title.
Currently, Naa is rigorously pursuing her inclusive education initiative to impact society positively and I am so proud of her, albeit from afar. That’s because through her foundation, Naa Deidei Botchwey (NDB) Foundation, she has helped 20 brilliant but needy young women to gain a scholarship to pursue a Marine Engineering Mechanic program at the Regional Maritime University, funded by the Ga Mantse Foundation. Other queens, such as Teiya, the 2022 winner, have also identified various causes which they are pursuing.
The 16 most beautiful girls in Ghana
For once, I have had to contest a famous quote- “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder,” attributed to Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher. That’s because I find all sixteen ladies shortlisted for this year’s pageant, beautiful in their unique ways- ‘Kɔkɔɔa, Kɔkɔɔ, tumtumaa, tumtum. Tenten kakra, tietia kakra, busty kakra’ in the voice of Giovani Caleb, host of 3FM’s drive time show as well as Showbiz 360 on TV3.
From Aduanige, Afriyie, Amoanimaa and Ayeley, through Benewa, Ebo, Kwartemaa and Nurah to Olila, Ohemaa, Selorm, Serwaah, Sung-Suma, Titiaka, Twumwaa and Wunie, the saying; ‘beauty with brains’, describes them aptly.
This bevy of ladies hail from the Upper East, Eastern, Ahafo, Greater Accra, Western North, Ashanti, Bono, Northern, Oti, Bobo East, Volta, Western, Upper West, Savannah, Central and North East regions, respectively.
Thus, the organisers are spot on when say; “GMB considers much more than physical appearance. Contestants are selected not only for their physical beauty but their intelligence, eloquence, and passion for their respective regions as well. Through various challenges and tasks, the ladies are encouraged to showcase their talents, share their knowledge, and articulate the unique characteristics of their cultural backgrounds.”
GMB the bottom line raiser
The Akans say “nkwantsɛn adiɛ yɛfɛa, yɛdi sika na ɛyɛ”, in Ga we say, “fɛo nii lɛ, shika akɛ feɔ”- beautiful things cost money.
It is therefore heartwarming to note that many sponsors have seen the need and have booked their adverts on the show. The reason is obvious, this is the only show that holds TV viewers spell-bound when it airs between 8:00pm and 10:00pm on Sundays on TV3. While in some families like mine, members sit together to watch, in others, the Gen Zs among them, hide in the comfort of their beds and bend their necks with eyes fixed on their phones in order not to miss a moment of the two-hour show.
According to the organisers, “With each passing season, GMB has gained immense popularity, fascinated audiences and sparked conversations nationwide. The show has become a yardstick for measuring entertainment programs in Ghana and a significant social event that unites people through their television screens. Viewership records have been broken consistently, which demonstrates the show’s impact and ability to entertain the audience.”
What I find missing in the statement above, going by my little knowledge in marketing and advertising, is the fact that, GMB has raised the bottom line of all organisations that have associated with it in the past, through sponsorship. No doubt.
Therefore, are you a Director of Marketing looking for an opportunity to meet your Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the third quarter in order to raise your company’s bottom line? If you answered yes, need I say more?
It’s time to go
The organisers of GMB do not cease to wow me. After watching that awe-inspiring launch, I followed up with a date with the first episode- the story-telling edition, during which Selorm won the Star Performer award, while my favourite, for obvious reasons, Naa Ayeley took away the most eloquent prize. A sign of things to come, assuredly.
What impressed me most was the set design; and the show director and cameraman knew they had something unique to show, so the show opened with a close-up shot of what I initially thought was a fire that had been set on the stage. My mind started racing. What!? What a risk! Then a further zoom into the object revealed a creative simulation of burning firewood, as happens in our villages during storytelling sessions. ‘Kɛtsɛ!!!’
The folks at Adesa we won’t kill me with innovation and creativity ooo. Chai! But, that is what it takes to be number one. So, I can only smear some grease on their elbows and hope that management will add even darker grease to that part of their arms.
Indeed, “GMB offers a colourful and immersive experience for viewers” as espoused by the organisers.
Make a date. Sundays, 8:00pm to 10:00pm.
Namaste – that’s goodbye in Hindi.
Let God Lead! Follow Him directly, not through any human.
The writer is the author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email [email protected].
The post From Eric’s Diary: Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the 16 most beautiful girls in Ghana appeared first on 3News.com.
