Entertainment / Celebrity
Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe crowned
02 Jun 2014 at 03:36hrs | Views
IT was all glitz and glamour as 33-year-old designer Tendai Farai was crowned this year's Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe (BOFOZ) ahead of 15 other contestants who were also vying for the title at a colourful ceremony held on Saturday at the Reps Theatre, Harare.
Sandara Gonah and Tamara Musakwa were crowned first and second princesses respectively.
The search for the BOFOZ local ambassador was running under the theme Kickstart your Dreams, Shungu Dzemwoyo, Isifizo Senhliziyo, while the grand finale was held under the banner African Carpet.
For winning Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe Local Brand Ambassador title, Farai scooped $8 000 and a week-long trip to the United States of America with $3 000 spending money, while Gonah and Musakwa walked away $4 000 and $2 000 richer.
Farai said she was ecstatic to be the winner in her debut participation at a beauty pageant.
"This did not come as a surprise to me. As a Christian, I was hoping for it. I studied the brand and mastered it well, giving me the confidence and upper hand ahead of other contestants," Farai said.
Unlike some other beauty pageants, the BOFOZ pageant accommodates married, curvy, tall and short participants as the organisers were mainly concentrating on the beauty of the face and the knowledge of the Black Opal products.
The beauty-without-brains-syndrome, which continues to haunt local beauty pageants, was also the order of the day as some of the participants like Charity Munyikwa, Rumbidzai Esau and Ruth Chitsiga, among others, struggled to pronounce some words and answer questions relating to the Black Opal products posed to them during the mandatory question-and-answer segment.
Some answers that were given by the majority of the contestants showed their little knowledge of the products, leaving a lot to be desired for someone who was competing to become Black Opal's products' brand ambassador.
Outgoing Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe Betty Moyo donated $1 000 to a charity organisation, Girls R US, to help the underprivileged girl child as a way of giving back to the society.
As part of the donation, Girls R US will also be getting a full year's supply of sanitary pads, among other products.
Tatenda Mutseyekwa, Black Opal Zimbabwe marketing director, said they were happy about the growth of the pageant, urging more corporates to empower local woman.
"With BOFOZ, we celebrate the local beauty trademark. Zimbabwe has diverse beauty and such a development must be celebrated under different initiatives," Mutseyekwa said.
The event, which started about two hours late from the scheduled time of 6pm, was interspersed by performances by Baba Shupi, dancehall chanter Sniper Storm and contemporary musician Jah Prayzah, with all putting up good acts.
However, it was the National Arts Merit Awards award winner Jah Prayzah who stole the show, capping the event with a top-drawer performance that had the crowd singing along and dancing throughout his performance.
Sandara Gonah and Tamara Musakwa were crowned first and second princesses respectively.
The search for the BOFOZ local ambassador was running under the theme Kickstart your Dreams, Shungu Dzemwoyo, Isifizo Senhliziyo, while the grand finale was held under the banner African Carpet.
For winning Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe Local Brand Ambassador title, Farai scooped $8 000 and a week-long trip to the United States of America with $3 000 spending money, while Gonah and Musakwa walked away $4 000 and $2 000 richer.
Farai said she was ecstatic to be the winner in her debut participation at a beauty pageant.
"This did not come as a surprise to me. As a Christian, I was hoping for it. I studied the brand and mastered it well, giving me the confidence and upper hand ahead of other contestants," Farai said.
Unlike some other beauty pageants, the BOFOZ pageant accommodates married, curvy, tall and short participants as the organisers were mainly concentrating on the beauty of the face and the knowledge of the Black Opal products.
The beauty-without-brains-syndrome, which continues to haunt local beauty pageants, was also the order of the day as some of the participants like Charity Munyikwa, Rumbidzai Esau and Ruth Chitsiga, among others, struggled to pronounce some words and answer questions relating to the Black Opal products posed to them during the mandatory question-and-answer segment.
Some answers that were given by the majority of the contestants showed their little knowledge of the products, leaving a lot to be desired for someone who was competing to become Black Opal's products' brand ambassador.
Outgoing Black Opal Face of Zimbabwe Betty Moyo donated $1 000 to a charity organisation, Girls R US, to help the underprivileged girl child as a way of giving back to the society.
As part of the donation, Girls R US will also be getting a full year's supply of sanitary pads, among other products.
Tatenda Mutseyekwa, Black Opal Zimbabwe marketing director, said they were happy about the growth of the pageant, urging more corporates to empower local woman.
"With BOFOZ, we celebrate the local beauty trademark. Zimbabwe has diverse beauty and such a development must be celebrated under different initiatives," Mutseyekwa said.
The event, which started about two hours late from the scheduled time of 6pm, was interspersed by performances by Baba Shupi, dancehall chanter Sniper Storm and contemporary musician Jah Prayzah, with all putting up good acts.
However, it was the National Arts Merit Awards award winner Jah Prayzah who stole the show, capping the event with a top-drawer performance that had the crowd singing along and dancing throughout his performance.
Source - newsday
