“Being a queen is not all about outer beauty, it has much to do with your intelligence, your service to people, and your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well” – Aretha Franklin.
The above quote is a true definition of Ghana’s most rewarding beauty pageant Tv reality show, Miss Malaika Ghana.
Miss Malaika has over the years positioned itself as not just a beauty pageant but one that thrives on its core value expressed in its tagline, “beautiful inside out!”. Meaning beauty that transcends just what is seen on the outside.
Saving lives in various hospitals are Malaika Queens Tamara and Laurie, while Berla Mundi, Regina Van Helvert, Anita Akuffo and a host of others put smiles on the faces of many with their various philanthropic activities and works on radio and TV.
Also taking up various entrepreneurial roles and making a significant impact are the likes of Karen Kash and Gwen Gyimah, not forgetting our very first queen, Thelma who fights for the downtrodden and the rights of the less fortunate in our society.
They walk, they talk, they write, they create and they influence positively in their various fields of endeavor. Skills gained from the many grooming sessions and tasks embarked on while partaking in Ghana’s most respected beauty pageant, Miss Malaika Ghana.
Since its inception, it has adopted the reality television series concept and generally runs for at least twelve to fourteen weeks.
It originally aired on TV3 and subsequently airs on GhOne Tv. It has produced some amazingly beautiful women of substance.
The miss malaika ghana winners from its inception till date are:
Miss Malaika 2003
Thelma Tawiah: This former Malaika queen is an associate at ENSafrica, Ghana and a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Miss Malaika 2004
Melissa Mensah: The former pageant queen currently lives and works in New York after pursuing Banking in Ghana.
Miss Malaika 2005
Patricia Akuamoah: This former Malaika queen is currently a registered nurse in the United States of America.
Miss Malaika 2006
Hamamat Montia: Currently an enterpreneur, this former pageant queen is the CEO of Hamamat African Beauty and Village spa.
Miss Malaika 2007
Laurie Naa Lamiley Lawson: The title “Dr.” sounds about right when addressing this former pageant queen, as she’s currently a practicing medical doctor.
Miss Malaika 2008
Tamara Aku Dzormeku: Officially known now as Dr. Tamara Aku Dzormeku, this former pageant queen is a practicing medical doctor.
Miss Malaika 2009
Gezelle Addae: This stunner has taken up a career in modeling.
Miss Malaika 2010
Ama Nettey: This queen of hearts continued to be part of the Malaika pageant selection and worked to help lepers in Ghana. She is also an exploration Geoscientist.
Geraldine Partington: Being beautiful and multilingual, this stunner and a graduate of University of Ghana, Legon subsequently furthered her education and graduated with a Masters’ Degree in International Business from France.
Miss Malaika 2012
Bridget Sharon Cofie: This decade winner (Miss Malaika at 10) pursued a degree in Political Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and graduated.
Miss Malaika 2013
Naa Oyoe Quartey: This stunner pursued a degree at the University of Ghana, Legon and also has her feet grounded in modeling.
Miss Malaika 2014
Eirene Binabiba: This former pageant queen is currently a practicing Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Miss Malaika 2015
Kuukua Korsah: Rejected in 2012 by the Miss Malaika selection team, this pageant queen auditioned again in 2015 and won – talk about perseverance and perfect timing.
Pearl Nyarko Mensah: After being discouraged not to partake in the pageant at age 25 because in the eyes of many, she was “old”, she took such comments with a grain of salt and decided otherwise. Ms. Mensah partook in the pageant and won.
Mariam Owusu Poku: After a successful reign, Miss Malaika 2018, Mariam Owusu-Poku has ventured into modelling.
The outspoken queen has been the perfect muse for many fashion brands after gaining popularity through the prestigious pageant.
Miss Ghana 2019
Miss Phylis Vesta Boison : This reigning Malaika queen is currently enjoying her crown after winning it, among other handsome prizes like a brand new car .