Backstage at Miss Ghana UK 2015 as press – participating in Miss Ghana UK 2005 as contestant #11 (l-r)

Last night I experienced a real-life social #throwback and #flashback despite it being neither a Thursday nor Friday.
I was invited to attend the Grand Finale of Miss Ghana UK 2015, marking 10 years(!) since I was a contestant in the prestigious beauty pageant which showcases Ghanaian culture, talent, intelligence and beauty.

With a press pass to access all areas, I headed backstage, keeping my fingers crossed I’d have enough time to speak with a few hopefuls of the crown, before they made their opening appearance on stage.

Well I’ve tried to begin writing my review of the event, which I have to add I thoroughly enjoyed (though kept sneaking a peek at the judges to see if they were as perplexed as I was as to which contestant could possibly be crowned winner – I did not envy them at all!), however I’m still finding it difficult to process the fact that a whole DECADE has gone by since I was a contestant! And what’s more, there’s hardly any trace of Miss Ghana UK online before 2008 – so we were before Facebook (I still have a Hi5 account full of pictures I can’t access!), Twitter, Instagram, and gosh, which of us had even heard about blogging (as opposed to half the contestants last night being bloggers and using social media to their advantage)! In a sense a decade feels like a life-time ago (even my camera used to capture some moments backstage was a film one!) Social media played such a key role in the success of last night; from promoting online to engagement with contestants on Instagram before the Grand finale (the audience knew their winner before they entered the building). Come to think about, the only media outlet we had back then was OBE TV – yet we made it work!

I don’t mean to make this all about me and my psychological inability to understand “time flies” – like literally(!), but this-is-kinda-deep! Just think of all the things you’re expected to do within 10 years from your late teens/early twenties (like begin your dream career, settle down, have kids)… Now put all that into ~~a week~~ a day! It literally feels like it was just yesterday I was that 19 year old up on stage as contestant #11 filled with endless hopes and dreams…

Yvonne Nelson 10 years ago participating in Miss Ghana www.naijagistngossips.com

Yvonne Nelson 10 years ago participating in Miss Ghana http://www.naijagistngossips.com

Another ex-beauty pageant contestant with a 10 years anniversary is A-list Ghanaian celebrity Yvonne Nelson (thought I doubt she’s questioning where 10 years has gone with all she’s accomplished!) Yvonne took part in Miss Ghana 2005, and despite not winning, has gone onto become a multi-talented star in her own right. It just goes to show, it’s how you use the exposure given to you that determines your success, not necessarily being crowned winner.

Backstage…

Miss Ghana UK 2015 contestant #5 Shirllen Osman: “In 10 years time, by God’s grace, I will be working as a psychologist.”

I headed backstage before the show started, fully aware of that feeling of excitement and nerves battling each other, the contestants must have been experiencing. I wonder what I would have said if an ex-contestant had asked me where I’d be in 10 years time – just as I asked a few of the contestants last night…

More on the blog soon (when I’m done evaluating the formula which makes 10 years fly by!)

I managed to find some pictures from backstage Miss Ghana UK 2005 (also before we all had smart phones I might add)!