Late in the evening of last Saturday, members of the selection committee of the forthcomming 22nd July scholarship pageant, at the University of the Gambia, paraded 10 female students dusring a mock contest, held at the hall of the GTMI. In the presence of eminent personalities that included the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Andrease Stiegen, the Universoty Registrar, Lamin Sam Jaiteh, and the chairs of the various committees of the university, the 10 contesting students thrilled the audience during the close to three hours’ entertainment. As this reporter discovered, the judges went totally beside themselves at the end ofthe contest.

At a colourful ceremony presided over by the vice chancellor of the UTG, professor Andrease L Stiegen, 10 well performed female students has been selected to contest on the ticket of the university during the comming national contest being spearheaded by the office of the president.

Professor Stiegen began with the observation that the judges provided for the event were not from the UTG and that they were very much qualified professionally. This, he said, would ensure fairness in judgement. The UTG VC described the event as a national competition which is very noble given the aims it sets out to achieve. The aim of the pageant, he said, was to identify and select the brightest and the most beautiful to represent the university in the final contest.

The contestants were taken through 4 rounds of performances that saw them displayed their tallent, to the utter amusement of the visibly thrilled audience. Some of the most interest part part of the contest were the platforms of the contestants, which centered around contemporary issues like Global Warming, Child abuse, socili justice, HIV/AIDS pandemic, women’s and youth’s empowerment, as well as effort in curbing violence at all levels in society. And their role models included high profile personalities like President Jammeh, Hilary Cliton, FJC, parents and grand parents ofcontestant.

At the end of the rounds, the head of the panel of judges Mr George Gomez, (who, along side Mrs Adelet Sey, another member of the judging pannel, are said to be part of the national organizing committee) in giving the verdict said that he was astonished by the wonderful perfomance  demonstrated by the girls, given the short notice they had for preparation.  

He pointed out that they had noted the weaknesses of the girls and that they would further work with them to ensure that they attain perfection before the final contest.

He also advised the contestants to be more focused, to read and research extensively, so as to broaden their capacity and increase their chances of winning.

For his part, Mr Ousman Badjie  the UTG student leader said that the event was not a beauty contest but an investment into the future of the younger generation. He also advised the ten selected queens to always bear in mind that they were in this for a very worthy cause.

For this years scholarship pageant 10 contestants will be coming from the UTG, 10 from the Gambia college, 5 each from the MDI and GTTI and the Gambia Hotel School.