Guinea-Bissau Clinches Miss ECOWAS Peace Crown

Fatoumata Diallo of Guinea Bissau was yesterday morning crowned the new Miss ECOWAS Peace Queen after she beat 30 other contestants for the coveted crown in West Africa.

She came tops after beating her colleagues from Senegal, Nigeria and Cape Verde who were all runners-up following different stages of elimination during the competition.

The competition had begun on Saturday night when the contestants were put through different stages of displays and grilling, with them appearing first in their various countries traditional attires.

After the first stage of appearance, the contestants came back in evening attires and were put through intellectual competition.

The different questions asked by the judges at the first stage set the tone of the pageantry, when the first 15 delegates were reduced to five.

At the second stage, the contestants were asked one question each for the emergence of the new queen. After answering the questions, the judges finally gave their verdict, as Miss Diallo was adjudged the best.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi who stayed through the period of the programme did not make an elaborate speech as he commended the organisers for choosing Rivers State for the second time.

Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Nabbs Imegwu, lauded the organisers as he noted that the pageantry would boost the status of the state in promoting inter-state relations and peace.

The programme witnessed star performance of Jamaican Raggae duo, Shakaden and Pliers who thrilled the audience with their old school numbers, while Niger Delta born Timaya took the stage as the competition drew to a close by 4.00am yesterday.

The winner of the Miss ECOWAS Peace Pageantry reigns for one year, with a car gift and a yearly stipend to support her inter-regional project of her choice.