By Yunus S Saliu
Biddy’s Promotion, in collaboration with the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MoTAC), launched the Miss Gambia 2024 beauty pageant edition on Tuesday, unveiling names of the 14 contestants for the upcoming competition. This year’s pageant promises to bring a new dimension to the event, which was last held in 2022, after a 21-year hiatus.
The last Miss Gambia beauty pageant was held on December 30, 2022, and Glorious Haddijatou Njie emerged as the winner and was crowned Miss Gambia 2022 while Haddy Saho and Mariama Jallow were crowned as 1st and 2nd Runner Up Miss Gambia 2022 respectively. The crowned winner received a cheque prize of D250,000.00, the 1st Runner Up got a cheque for D150,000.00 and the 2nd Runner Up went home with a cheque of D100,000.00.
Presiding over the launch on behalf of the Minister of MOTAC, Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture applauded the director of Biddy’s Promotion and his team for the good jobs doing and its confidence in undertaking the hosting right of the event.
DG Hassoum welcomed the finalist contestants for Miss Gambia while disclosing that they have gone far in preparation to host the event thus, they have visited all regions for auditions to select qualified damsels for the event final.
By and large, “I want you to know that you are starting an important journey that could turn your life around for the better and if not the best, not just only the would-be winner because all of you are already winners from your various regions,” the Director General spoke to encouraged contestants.
He added that for the next 12 months, from the onset when the winner emerged, there will be a lot of activities for whoever crowned Miss Gambia to attend starting from the celebration of the 60th anniversary of The Gambia Independence celebration onward “because your role as Miss Gambia is basically to enhance Gambian cultural heritage, to invite people to The Gambia, to have people have a better understanding a clearer and more positive understanding of the Gambia. So you’d be like an ambassador of heritage, cultures, tourism, the peace and stability in the Gambia.”
However, the Director General explained that the Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant was first organized in the Gambia in 1964 but was stopped and has not been organized since 2001 until it was resurrected and back on its feet in 2022.
“After twenty-one years halt of this unique entertainment event, under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the National Center for Arts and Culture was able to collaborate with partners, Biddy’s Promotion, and Gambia Fashion Designers to bring back the beauty pageant. This is to take the country back to its glorious and promote The Gambia’s culture, tourism, heritage, The Gambia diversity and as well to help strengthen the country’s products for tourism and investment purposes,” Mr. Hassoum Ceesay further explained the importance of Miss Gambia.
Meanwhile, he paid tribute to the past Miss Gambia and other winners of beauty pageants in the Gambia especially Ma’am Jack, the 1967 crowned Miss Gambia who also represented The Gambia at Miss Universe.
Unveiling the fourteen finalists to contest in the Miss Gambia beauty pageant comes December 21, Ma’am Ida Biddwell, the CEO of Biddy’s Promotion expressed her passion for beauty pageants which she said started when she was still a teenager, at the age of 16/17 and since then she has organized different beauty pageants and as well selected as a member of the Standing Committee for Beauty Pageants under the NCAC.
She noted that for a long-time she has been looking forward to having Miss Gambia back on its feet until her dreams come true in 2022 while “the upcoming event will be a different one to enjoy because it will take a new dimension.”
The fourteen finalists to contest for the Miss Gambia crown as disclosed by her are Ramatoulie Mballow and NafisatouCeesay from West Coast Region, Rohey Cham and, Fatoumatta Daffeh – Kanifing Municipal Council, Binta Njie and Sainabou Jeng – Banjul City Council, Ramatoulie Ceesay and Janding Ceesay – North Bank Region, Kumba Summarehand Fatoumatta Janneh – Central River Region, Mariama Manneh and Tida Drammeh from Upper River Region, and Sally Cham and Mariama Kanaji from Lower River Region.
“This is not just about beauty but a culmination of beauty and brain. And thanks to all our sponsors as the door is still open for more potential sponsors to come forward,” she added.
Abou Jabbie, the Creative Director for Biddy’s Promotion and Production Manager for Miss Gambia 2024 gave a rundown of the event and disclosed that contestants are within the age bracket of 18 to 28.
He noted that the selection and audition of contestants from all the regions and councils were done successfully, “and the next stage, which is camping and contesting will start December 6.”
Annette Camara, a member of the Miss Gambia 2024 Organizing Team has assured of working with press members for visibility of the event to begin and end on a good note.
