MGCP Miss Ghana-Canada Pageant Defends Reputation

We were quite shocked and so were those that know the organizers of the MGCP when we read the interview of Miss Anita Aboagye the former Miss Ghana-Canada 2001 in the Ghanaian News and then subsequently on Ghanaweb. We are equally disturbed in the way in which the pageant and its organizers have been portrayed in this article. That is why, we although not wanting to partake in this public debate, feel that we have no choice but to respond to these serious allegations.

Those who know the character of the organizers of the MGCP know of us to be consummate professionals, with the highest degree of integrity. We will not attempt to lie, cheat, intimidate, harass, defame, or do anything illegal to anybody, for whatever the reason. We have a code of ethics that we adhere to most solidly. This can be verified by the present and past personnel associated with the pageant. This was the forth-consecutive year running, and so we have many contestants and associates to testify in favor of our genuine credibility.

The facts are as follows:
Miss Anita Aboagye was treated with respect and dignity just like everyone else associated with the pageant. She clearly knew the vision and mission statement of the pageant, which says that the MGCP is “ To become a tradition within the Canadian society and provide an avenue to educate Canadian society about Ghanaians, our traditions, successes and our contributions. It is also to continually display positive role models for our youths”. It also says in the mission statement that the MGCP “will have the highest standards of integrity and discipline. It will become a model and standard for individuals and businesses alike, within our community”. In knowing all this Anita still chose to engage herself in exotic dancing activity (stripping) which is totally contradictory to what the pageant represents. Her action does not allow her to fulfill the role model that we wish for the queen to portray. To keep her as our queen will present a false image of the pageant and one, which would be damaging to the community at Ghanaian Canadian community at large. So we stripped her of her title. We gave Anita fair opportunity to resign in order to protect her character but she refused citing that she can handle the pressure. However, the MCGP, its partners and sponsors could not handle this pressure or condone this action. We will not parade Anita in Ghana and Canada as a role model for young people to look up to. She was given 10 days to decide or be stripped of her title. She chose not to do anything and hence we stripped her of her title. This is what Anita and the Ghanaian News says we have done wrong. There were no signed behavior guidelines so she received all her all her prize winnings with the exception of the return ticket to Ghana. This was clearly defined at the beginning of the pageant in the presence of all other contestants that the visit to Ghana is a working trip, awarded to the queen who will travels to Ghana to up keep our set up foundation School for Street Kids Academy. The new appointed queen will be visiting Ghana on our behalf.

For the record, we kept the Ghanaian News thoroughly informed. So we do not understand why the interview was so skewed towards Anita and damaging to our credibility.

Anita did not inform the pageant that she was a stripper. The MGCP would never undermine its integrity by allowing a contestant into the pageant with this kind of history. Absolutely not. No one knew until she confirmed the allegations brought against her to be true after she had won the pageant fairly. She was never harassed by anyone at any point; we have yet to receive any letters from any lawyer regarding this matter; and there was nothing bad about any other contestant that we tried to cover up as she alleges.

The above are the facts for those who care to know the truth. The Miss Ghana-Canada pageant asked that we not be judged on false accusations without the facts. Please search for the facts yourself before prejudging. For us remaining silence would be condoning Anita’s actions. If we do that then we might as well pack up the MGCP and go away. There is already perception in the community by some of the church groups that contestants in these pageants have loose morals. We do not wish to add validity to this perception. There is lots of good in our pageant. The many contestants that have passed through the MGCP have proven this. We refuse to allow one individual to damage the many good that has been done. We stand by our actions and will defend all legal action filed against us.