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Pageantry: Platinum Nigeria sets stage for ‘Belle of African Nations (Photos)
The founder and chief executive officer of Platinum Entertainment Nigeria Limited has said that her organisation was poised to unifying Africa through pageantry.
Olyinka Fatima Edu gave the assurance on Tuesday as she introduced a soon-to-hold maiden pan-African beauty pageant christened, ‘Belle of African Nations (BOAN),’ during a press conference held at the Joint Officers’ Mess in Kotu, Kanifing Municipality.
She said: “Africa in her own beauty is exclusively recognised for her fairness in dealings, solidarity, and co-ordination amongst her nations. Various organisations have been established to propel and unify all African countries. Few of these organisations include the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the African Union (AU). For example, the CAF Nations’ Cup is believed to come up so as to create continuity in the trend of unity and progress of the continent through sport. BOAN, in this respect, aligns with the goal of unifying Africa.
“However, BOAN also intends to add the missing link – carrying African women along in the affairs of the continent. Hence, Belle of African Nations can be seen as a unique medium for the socio-cultural unification of Africa. Belle of African Nations (BOAN) is the first of its kind as a socio-cultural Pan-African Beauty Pageant that aims to identify with the unforgettable legacies of African historical heroines, publicising their lives, times; struggles, challenges and victories to the world through entertainment, in such a way that beauty and brains are modelled to birth the heroines of our time.
“The exploits of African Heroines must not lay buried forever. Heroines like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the Woman Activist whose feminism and democratic socialism led to the creation of The Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU); Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (Co-founder of the glorious 18th century dynasty of KMT- called ”The greatest royal family that ever mounted a throne); Empress Candace of Meroe (Formidable and famous military leader); Nana Yaa Asantewa, Queen Amina of Zazzau (Zaria),Margaret Ekpo, Miriam Makeba, Queen Nzinga, Queen Makeda of Sheba, and countless unrecognised others must be remembered and celebrated.”
Belle of African Nations will be a glamorous pageant event that focuses on the unification of Africa through pageantry. The maiden edition of BOAN to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, is tagged ‘Heroine In The Midst Of Heroes’ in a bid to celebrate the uniqueness and heroism of a woman (Madame Efunroye Tinubu) who soared and dominated socio-political territories that were the reserves of men. The Gambia has been chosen as a take-off base and participants from all the African countries at the 2015 edition of BOAN will congregate in Banjul, from where they will take-off to Lagos, Nigeria.
Platinum Nigeria eyes unification of Africa through pageantry
The founder and chief executive officer of Platinum Entertainment Nigeria Limited has said that her organisation was poised to unifying Africa through pageantry.
Olyinka Fatima Edu gave the assurance yesterday as she introduced a soon-to-hold maiden pan-African beauty pageant christened, ‘Belle of African Nations (BOAN),’ during a press conference held at the Joint Officers’ Mess in Kotu, Kanifing Municipality.
She said: “Africa in her own beauty is exclusively recognised for her fairness in dealings, solidarity, and co-ordination amongst her nations. Various organisations have been established to propel and unify all African countries. Few of these organisations include the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the African Union (AU). For example, the CAF Nations’ Cup is believed to come up so as to create continuity in the trend of unity and progress of the continent through sport. BOAN, in this respect, aligns with the goal of unifying Africa.
“However, BOAN also intends to add the missing link – carrying African women along in the affairs of the continent. Hence, Belle of African Nations can be seen as a unique medium for the socio-cultural unification of Africa. Belle of African Nations (BOAN) is the first of its kind as a socio-cultural Pan-African Beauty Pageant that aims to identify with the unforgettable legacies of African historical heroines, publicising their lives, times; struggles, challenges and victories to the world through entertainment, in such a way that beauty and brains are modelled to birth the heroines of our time.
“The exploits of African Heroines must not lay buried forever. Heroines like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the Woman Activist whose feminism and democratic socialism led to the creation of The Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU); Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (Co-founder of the glorious 18th century dynasty of KMT- called ”The greatest royal family that ever mounted a throne); Empress Candace of Meroe (Formidable and famous military leader); Nana Yaa Asantewa, Queen Amina of Zazzau (Zaria),Margaret Ekpo, Miriam Makeba, Queen Nzinga, Queen Makeda of Sheba, and countless unrecognised others must be remembered and celebrated.”
Belle of African Nations will be a glamorous pageant event that focuses on the unification of Africa through pageantry. The maiden edition of BOAN to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, is tagged ‘Heroine In The Midst Of Heroes’ in a bid to celebrate the uniqueness and heroism of a woman (Madame Efunroye Tinubu) who soared and dominated socio-political territories that were the reserves of men. The Gambia has been chosen as a take-off base and participants from all the African countries at the 2015 edition of BOAN will congregate in Banjul, from where they will take-off to Lagos, Nigeria.
The Gambian VP Receives Outgoing Egyptian ambassador
The vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy yesterday receives in audience the outgoing Egyptian ambassador to The Gambia in Senegal.
His Excellency Hecham Maher, who met the VP at State House as he bade farewell to the leadership of the country, described his diplomatic mission in the Senegambia region as fundamental to the broadening of relations with The Gambia.
He said he came to make farewell audience with the country’s leadership after completing his international duties, and to equally convey the message of his president, Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi, to The Gambian leader His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh Babili Mansa.
In an interview with reporters after a closed door audience with the vice president, Ambassador Maher said one of the reasons of making this farewell audience was to reaffirm once more that his country is always willing to strengthen its brotherly relations with The Gambia.
“We are trying to expand the field of cooperation to include new fields and enhance our economic cooperation and to invite investors from Egypt to come and invest in The Gambia,” he informed.
He described The Gambia-Egypt relations as perfect and specific and that it has gotten better within the four years of his duty. During his time as ambassador, he further indicated, the relationship has improved significantly with new cooperation in areas such as agriculture, public administration, security and communication.
On tourism, the outgoing ambassador said The Gambia is also doing very fine in that area, noting that it’s a field that the two countries can cooperate. He described the area as a very important sector, acknowledging that Egypt is significantly benefiting from tourism. “We consider tourism as very important not only to the economy, but also in giving people the opportunity to know each other through cultures and traditions,” he said.
On the international scene, His Excellency Maher said the two countries are harmonising their positions with diverse issues but with the same position. He said that the countries do support the candidature of each other at the international platform and are building very good coordination at the international forum as well. He therefore paid tribute to The Gambia for its support to Egypt in that regard.
The outgoing ambassador told reporters that he had fond memories in the country, saying whenever he came to The Gambia, he met a lot of people who he said are very kind and very receptive. He pointed out that Gambians feel very close to Egyptian people because of the longstanding relations the countries shared, and he added made him feel at home always.
Pastors describe Jammeh king of victory, wisdom
The Pastors Intercessory Forum of The Gambia has described His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh Babili Mansa as a king of victory and wisdom.
The Gambian leader received the pastors in Kanilai on the sidelines of a mega wrestling contest and cultural jamboree organised as part of activities marking the celebrations of the 21st edition of the July 22nd Revolution.
The people of God said they were in Foni Kansala settlement of the West Coast Region to return thanks and appreciation to the Gambian leader for showing compassion by offering general amnesty to prisoners, who were condemned by law on various offences; ranging from treason, murder, rape and drug trafficking.
Professor Bishop Augustyn Bernards, chairman of Pastors in The Gambia, in his introductory remarks said: “We have to appreciate and thank His Excellency the President for surprising the whole world, again His Excellency has shocked the world, all the oppositions around the world by showing compassion to release prisoners who trespassed the law of such a magnitude.”
President Jammeh in 2012 received the Pastors Intercessory Fellowship International award for the Best African Serving President, thus, according to Bishop Augustyn this has shown that the award was ordained by God.
“Truly I am proud of you, this has shown that God has ordained the award and this night I came with some of the pastors in The Gambia. We are the people that are praying for The Gambia, the President, his family, his cabinet and the whole country. We have been praying for this country and the people of this country since 2003, for peace, security, stability, development and health of the whole nation. This has truly shown that God is answering our prayers,” he told the President.
You have given us the courage to continue to pray for the nation and you made us proud, Your Excellency, the pastors in The Gambia are proud of you. We gathered and pray from the 17 to the 19 of July and the theme for our prayers for this year to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the July 22nd Revolution was forgiveness and reconciliation and we were surprised to hear on the news and also read from the newspapers that His Excellency has forgiven those that have trespassed the law. We want to tell you that God said when you forgive people that trespass, you also would be forgiven. We declared the word of God that His Excellency is a clean person. We have come to thank you, to appreciate you.
Rev. Momodou Daffeh for his part said: “You are really a king in the Bible; you have demonstrated two things; you are a king of victory and you will continue to conquer and nobody will conquer you, and two you are a king of wisdom. You are the only king of the 21st century who has with this magnitude forgiven people as what you have done this year. You are a blessing not only to Gambia but a blessing to West Africa, you are a king for Africa and you are a world leader and God will never give you to your enemies, you will rein until when you are tired.”
Pastor Desmond Conteh added: “I was going to say that with this demonstration of your love and kindness for this nation and the world is a sign that this wisdom is granted on to you by the Almighty God. It is only God that can give such wisdom to any leader that can forgive those who trespass him. May the lord continue to grant you more of His wisdom to rule The Gambia, Africa and the world.”
According to him, this year is a year of jubilee for The Gambia. “In the Bible a year of jubilee is a year of liberation, a year where prisoners are set free, your kind gesture is divine,” he told the President.
“I was pleased when I heard you said you read both the Quran and the Bible and since 2003 I and other pastors established the Pastors Intercessory Forum that is prayers for the nation. We have been praying and today we are here to thank you for all the good gestures and for all that you have done for this country and the people living in this country. I have lived here 18 years now and I have taken Gambia as my home and I will continue to be a Gambian and I am proud to be a Gambian. So we want to present to you this book which contains the Acts of Leadership; when you read this book you get more wisdom and I pray that God will bless you. May He guide you, protect you and live you where your enemies never expected. We are happy to be your children and God bless you.”
Reacting to their words of prayers and wisdom, the President said: “I am surprised but not completely surprised by your actions; as religious leaders this is what is expected of you towards leaders, where a leader is going against the will of God, no matter who he is that is your responsibility as religious leaders to tell him. No matter how powerful he is he is not as powerful as God. You have demonstrated today that you are true religious leader when you see some action being taken that is in line with the teachings of Bible or Quran this is what is expected of you. If I do anything that is not expected of me in the Quran come and tell me and so also with the Bible too. Tell me this is not godly act. I would always listen to you. You have shown that you are very genuine. I can assure you that, as from today, I will give you hundred percent support because you stand for the good of humanity. May the Almighty God bless you for being honest, don’t stop at this, if you see me do anything that is not correct is your responsibility to come forward and say you are a man of God but you leave the way please come back.”
D5 Creation