Vera Oheneba Safoah
Miss Black Beauty Africa pageant, a beauty pageant geared towards the fight against skin bleaching, is partnering two top African models to champion this noble course.
Addressing the issue of skin bleaching, some dark skinned women and sometimes men ,have passionately been fighting advocating against the act.
Reigning queen of Ghana’s Most Beautiful, Vera Oheneba Safoah, and Nigerian writer, Lawyer and Freelancer, Chidera Okolie, who have voiced up their concerns on the rising practice of skin bleaching.
Miss Safoah, popularly known as Esi in the beauty pageant, “seeks to nurture young Ghanaian women to portray and ignite the true value and beauty of the African woman.”
On the other hand, Chidera Okolie believes an individual can choose to “discard a complexion” that can “NEVER” be regained for one purchased in a beauty store, but should have some “dignity for yourself and the younger ones who look up to you…including your unborn children.”
Both women are of the belief that, the black woman should be proud of her skin colour.
To Esi and Chidera, self confidence and self-esteem can never be bought when lost.
Read their individual statement below:
My name is Vera Oheneba Safoah. Also known as Esi in the showbiz. I am the reigning queen of Ghana's Most Beautiful, a beauty pageant that seeks to nurture young Ghanaian women to portray and ignite the true value and beauty of the African woman.
I am 24 years old and hail from Abura in Cape coast. I am a graduate of the University of Ghana, Legon. There, I studied bachelor of Arts in economics and Information Studies. I am an ambitious young lady who believes in perseverance. I am an ambassador against the high rate of teenage pregnancy in my country hence i work with major stakeholders in the country to reduce this severe menace. I love to cook and explore new things in life.
Black they say, is the epitome of beauty. But what do we do now in this contemporary world?
Lots of Black women are bleaching their skins in the name of tonin, thereby removing the pigment melanin and hence looking fair and sarcastically beautiful. God in His own sense created us black and mounted us on this planet. Do we mean to correct the 'mistake' God made during creation or perhaps we are insinuating His handworks are not perfect?
Fellow black women the ball is in our court. As James Brown once said "Say it loud, I am black and proud". Let US all rise against skin bleaching, to save the black woman and boost her confidence. I AM QUEEN ESI I AM BLACK AND PROUD
Chidera Okolie is a Nigerian Writer, Lawyer and Freelancer. In December, 2014, she published her first piece, WHEN SILENCE BECOMES TOO LOUD, a 268 paged crime and suspense tale which earned her an endorsement by the EX-President of Nigeria, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. She has received over seven awards, including a nomination with the African Achievers Award held in South Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates 87 percent of women in Africa use skin lightening products, the highest percentage in the world. #SAD’
I’m not here to tell you to abstain from an act that will be all too telling on you negatively, sooner or later!
Neither am I here to tell you not to go all ‘Snow White’ because you feel that is the true definition of beauty.
It’s also no concern of mine that you are willing to discard a complexion you can NEVER regain for one you can purchase in a beauty store!
I’m only going to appeal to you have some dignity for yourself and the younger ones who look up to you…including your unborn children.
Self confidence and esteem can NEVER be bought when lost!Please allow common sense to remain common and stop for a moment to wonder why if making a purchase of skin cancer with money that can be invested in something productive is really worth it!
Black is beautiful. Melanin is POWER
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