The 2011 Miss University Africa Queen (MUAO), Koagni Christina, Tuesday called on the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy at State House.

The Togolese-born beauty queen, who was accompanied by a delegation comprising other beauty queens from West Africa, notably; The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, were at State House to thank the Gambian leader through the vice president for the warm reception accorded to the visiting delegation. MUAO established in 2009, is a ‘non bikini’ pageant purely aimed at discouraging indecent dressing in Africa as well as promoting education.

During an interview with reporters shortly after meeting VP Njie-Saidy, the president of MAUO, Tailor Nazzal, disclosed that his organisation comprises the 53 African countries and that it is the only pageant that brings together the whole of Africa. He said: “We came to the vice president’s office because we are invited in the country by the minister of Tourism and Culture and the University of The Gambia and it is only normal to pay a courtesy call on either the president or vice president to send a message to them from the Miss University African Organisation and the United Nations.”

Nazzal explained that Miss MUAO being the reigning queen is also a UN ambassador and every country she visits, she meets with the president or the vice president of the country to convey a message from the African students and the UN to them. “So, our visit today is to convey a message from African youths and students, telling the vice president and the president about the voice of African youths and what should be done,” he added. He described their stay in the country as a wonderful experience, maintaining that the visit to the VP’s office was something worthy.  “I am sure the Gambian leader will be aware of it too,” he stated.

The visiting beauty MUAO Queen then thanked the Gambian leader through the vice president for what she described as the warm reception accorded to them. She also applauded the Gambian government for its women empowerment initiative, which continues to put women at the forefront, especially in the decision-making process, stressing that this shows that The Gambia is far ahead of many countries in the world with regards to promoting the values and potentials of womanhood. The ceremony was punctuated with awards conferred on the Gambian leader as the ‘Most Student Loving and Innovative President in Africa’ through VP Njie-Saidy; as well as the vice president herself as the ‘Mother of the organisation’.

The event also witnessed presentation of a proposal to the minister of Tourism and Culture, Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, for The Gambia’s hosting of the event in 2012. It would be recalled that the 2011 MUAO Beauty Pageant competition was held in Bayelsa State, Nigeria and attracted a considerable number of contestants from around Africa.

Gambia Red Cross Society
In another engagement, the vice president also received in audience officials of The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) led by its secretary general, Mamodou Bah. The delegation included Corine Terehane, the shelter specialist from the International Federation of the Red Crescent based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Speaking to reporters shortly after meeting VP Njie-Saidy, Bah explained that the officials are in the country as a result of the vice president’s request for partnership, especially in the relocation process currently underway for victims of the 2010 floods in the country. He disclosed that the visit availed them the opportunity to present their new convention launched in Basse in the Upper River Region, geared towards building communities’ resilience projects in URR valued over 1.5 million Euros over the next four years.

He reaffirmed his organisation’s resolve to work very closely with the government, calling for a collective partnership as the government cannot do it alone. Mr. Bah then reiterated his organisation’s determination to broaden areas of cooperation with the government in responding to urgent issues in terms of providing technical advice, guidelines and policies among others.