A beauty contest or pageant is a competition between people based largely, though not always entirely, on the beauty of their physical appearance. These people are mostly of the same educational status and age range. However, it is not clear if the organizers of this year’s pageant took that and many other things into consideration or whether they planned and organized the program effectively. It is no wonder that it was hard to get to speak with the organizers before the program.
A Chinese Proverb says, “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.” So was the case on Friday, July 14, 2006 night at the Park Center High School on Brooklyn Blvd, when seven ladies in the Liberian community took the stage to contest for this year’s pageant crown and a cash prize of 1,000 dollars. But if you ask those who attended the program last year, their level of disappointment is higher than those attending it for the first time.
One of the annoying behaviors of many Liberians is being unable to start anything on time. The official start time as stated on flyers distributed at various churches and community events was 7 PM but the show did not start until 9:40 PM. As if starting late was not enough punishment for the audience, they were made to leave the pageant hall to go out to form a line to purchase tickets before reentering.
Finally when Mr. Charles Russell took the microphone as MC for the program, most people in the audience were tired and disgruntled. They could not keep their frustration within no more. Mr. Russell being a talented and experienced person, managed to calm the audience down, but that lasted just for a few minutes. As the coordination between the MC and DJ began to look disorganized, the audience began to show their dissatisfaction. “This thing is Liberian thing again oh, it can’t start on time, the DJ don’t know what going on, his music can’t play, it just about making money, yahhhh.” One female in the audience was heard telling someone over her cell phone.
However, when the contestants were finally introduced and they made their first appearances on stage, the audience came to light and started to feel the spirit of the pageant. By the time they could appear for the second time in swimsuits it was clear to many in the audience who the possible winner of the night was going to be. Not because she is a drop-dead beauty as is the case in many beauty pageants but because she was the most experienced person. She has attended many pageants, she holds a degree and she has a successful Not-for-Profit Organization” Where is the competition?” one female shouted in the audience.
With her experience and popularity in the community, 26-year-old Dekontee Koffa as compared to most of the contestants who ages ranged from 19 to 22 was just a means of putting a last minute name on the pageant that was organized in a last minute rush. While other girls in the competition were struggling to play with soccer balls on stage or trying to deliver what they considered an insightful speech about AIDS or sing a toneless Karaoke without a sound track, she recited one of her poems. “This girl is experienced, the rest of the girls were only brought to fill up the gap, they should have just asked us for the money and given her the crown instead of wasting our time here,” one male in the audience shouted as Dekontee recited her poem.
Whatever most non-supporters of Dekontee have against her is not clear but many people present at this year’s pageant agreed that there was no real competition. Interesting, a few minutes after Ms Koffa was crowned Miss Liberia-Minnesota 2006, she introduced Mr. Jallah Kesselly, an executive of T&J, (the host of the show) to the Senior Editor of Bush chicken as her manager. What is not clear is when did Mr. Kesselly become her manager?
Whether this was a calculated attempt to give Ms Koffa the crown and take money from the Liberian people, one thing that is clear is that T&J accomplished the aim of getting money from the Liberian people regardless of the quality of the show.
Another interesting part of the pageant was the conspicuous absence of the OLM at the show. The President, Mrs. Martha Sinoe was not present, not recognized, nor was the OLM featured in any part of the program segments. It is still not clear if the OLM has any oversight responsibilities for the program. The real question now is, will our lovely, experienced and popular queen bring the crown from the grand final in Philly to Minnesota?
Do you have a question or a burning forum question about this story? Say it now at http://www.bushchicken.com/forum.php
No comments:
Post a Comment