Contestants at the Miss Malaika New Sudan 2010 beauty pageant.[©Daily Nation]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu
JUBA, 06 December 2010 [Gurtong] – Angeth, from Lakes State trounced 15 other contestants from across South Sudan in a hotly-contested beauty show at Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba on Saturday night.
She becomes the fifth winner of the South Sudanese beauty pageant that premiered in Nairobi, Kenya in 2005.
Angeth, who was described by the seven judges as the most committed, creative and hard working, walked away with a laptop and a brand new car.
The first runner-up was Unity State’s Ruth Peter while Zundia Ezra from Western Equatoria State was declared the second runner-up.
Each of the top five contestants received a laptop courtesy of UAP Insurance Sudan, one of the key sponsors of the event.
An elated Angueth told the press after being crowned that top of her list would be addressing the street children menace in South Sudan.
“I will also embark on massive advocacy for women’s education and other issues affecting them as most of them are voiceless”, she said.
An estimated 3,000 people attended the event that was also graced by Government of Southern Sudan officials, politicians as well as local and international musicians.
Among the local musicians who performed at the event were PNC, Dinka Boy, Unique Arafat, Coozos Clan, Southern Voice, Mundari traditional dancers and Maale traditional dancers as well as South African hip hop sensation Brando among others.
United Kingdom –based Congolese musician Kanda Bongo Man was the surprise guest artist and he took the house down with two of his popular hits Muchana and Elizabeth, just before the winner was announced.
Also at the event were the GoSS Minister of Youth, Sports and Recreation Makuac Teny Yok and GoSS Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
Former South Sudanese First Lady and current GoSS Presidential Advisor on Gender and Human Rights Rebecca Nyandeng was the chief guest.
Nyandeng told the contestants that they were all winners regardless of which position they took in the competition.
“Whether you take the crown home or not, you all need to know that you are all winners just by the fact that you have represented your states in this competition. We are all one country”, she said.
Among the key sponsors of the pageantry were UAP Insurance and construction companies Eyat and Rhino Star.