The Volta Regional Directorate of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in partnership with Poly Creative Studio, a private company into videography, recording studio services, artist management and event organisation has launched the Volta Tertiary Queen pageant in Ho.
The contest dubbed; “Gender, globalisation and cultural representation in Ghanaian Beauty,” has twelve beautiful ladies from various tertiary institutions in the region contesting for the crown.
It is aimed to define a unique personality that accounts for a Ghanaian identity in a historical and cultural context, rich in customs and traditions, acceptable social behaviours, true values, norms, and belief systems of our multifaceted society.
The ladies are also face value representation of twelve traditional areas in the Region, and are expected to promote the rich and beautiful culture and traditions of these areas during the three months of the contest, with the climax slated for December 18, 2021.
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The event has activities including a visit to Wli waterfalls and Tafi Atome monkey sanctuary, cooking competition, open conference and presentation on Girl-Child Education, with pool lessons, horse riding, bonfire, and story night as side attractions.
Other activities are, clean up exercise and public education on COVID-19, bed laying and table setting, guest management, décor and cake making, media tour, treasure hunt, bead making, among others.
Mrs. Bernice Deh Kumah, Volta Regional Director, CNC, speaking at the launch said the pageant was expected to educate the public to understand and appreciate the value and traditions of the various traditional areas the queens were representing.
She said the event would help promote arts, culture, and tourism in the region and create job avenues for the youth, thereby reducing youth unemployment rate in the Arts and Creative sector.
Mrs. Kumah called for support from all to ensure a successful event, and to make it an annual one to showcase the beautiful culture and traditions of the Region to the rest of the world.
Togbui Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, in a speech read on his behalf, commended CNC and its partners for the initiative, describing it laudable as it would help boost the local economic activities.
He said Volta Region has a rich culture and tourism potentials, noting that arts, culture, and tourism embodied the best of opportunity to the youth to enhance their lots if properly harnessed.
Togbui Amenya Fiti said the rich cultural festivals of the region, with exciting tourism landmarks, were the essential elements that kept them together despite the diversities, much to the envy of the world.
He disclosed that the first Beauty Queen ever crowned in 1957, Monica Amekoafia hailed from the Volta Region, and she represented Ghana confidently on a global stage without changing her tone, skin, and hair nor body shape, and was respected for who she was without prejudice.
A Ghanaian Beauty is a beauty that takes into account the cultural sensitivities of the nation, pride of our history and tradition in our organic self with no artificiality nor augmentations that uniquely identify us on a global stage, he said.
Togbe Tepre Hodo, President of the Volta House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area, who was the chairman of the occasion thanked the organisers and urged all to support the programme to achieve a successful end.
Mr. Prosper Pi-Bansah, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ho, who deputised for the Regional Minister also commended the Regional Directorate of CNC and its partners for initiating the programme to showcase the rich culture of the people of the Region.
He said the Region was very unique and urged the contestants to use the opportunity to acquire more knowledge and skills and market themselves for the business world.
Mr. Alexander Nketia, Volta Regional Director of Tourism underscored the importance of the Creative and Tourism sectors to work together to promote the country’s rich culture and tourism for accelerated socio-economic development.
He charged the contestants to use the platform to expose the various tourism and culture in the region and become good ambassadors to showcase them to the rest of the world.
The launch was graced by chiefs and queens from the region, dressed in their splendid regalia, heads of departments, religious leaders, students from various tertiary institutions, and some members of the public.
The queens displayed the rich culture and traditions of the various traditional areas they represented and skills as they danced to the rhythm of various traditional music including, Borborbor, Agbadza in a highly captivating manner. It was a sight to watch.
