BALD AND BEAUTIFUL Bald Palesa Molefe crowned Miss Botswana 2021
Limkokwing University’s Hall of Fame in Gaborone was last night a beehive of activity, serenity and royalty when Rasesa’s little known 22-year-old Palesa Molefe was crowned the 2021 Miss Botswana.
The long anticipated pageant comes on the backdrop of a dry spell in 2020, a year dominated by the scourge of Covid-19, with the outgoing queen, Oweditse Phirinyane, having reigned for two years after being crowned at the historic Selebi Phikwe pageant in 2019.
The beauty contest could not be staged last year as part of government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus, and last night’s grand coronation meant that the country will this time be represented at the 2021 Miss World to be held later this year on December 16 in Puerto Rico.
Molefe’s crowning moment marked the first time in the history of the local pageant that a contestant spotting a fully shaven head won the contest, an acknowledgement of the true beauty of the African bald head. In a somewhat unprecedented twist for Botswana pageants, the bald and the beautiful Molefe’s choice as the ultimate winner was welcomed by all who watched the pageant, with judges unusually praised for making the right choice. In the past, pageant patrons never agreed on who should have been the Queen as accusations of undue favouritism always dogged the judges decisions.
It is this unanimous and universal acknowledgement of Molefe’ as the rightful queen that is set to see the actress receive support from the entire nation as she now prepares for the Miss World crown. Botswana has never really fared well at the global pageant except with the 2010 edition in China where Emma Wareus shocked the nation and the world by finishing as the First Princess. Perhaps a good omen for Palesa’s journey into the world, Wareus was one of the judges last night.
Incidentally, friends of Palesa have been talking of how the bald actress had been not so keen on entering the competition, with the newly crowned queen said to have been actually shocked that people saw in her a person with qualities to enter the Miss Botswana competition.
Palesa, who apart from being an actress, is a writer and produce who also created her own NGO agency, Botswana United Artists, which highlights Artists and Mental Health.
