Introducing the adult males in the Mr and Miss African Roots 2017 pageant
With August fast approaching, the contestants of the Mr and Miss Guyana African Roots 2017 pageant are busy perfecting their skills for their big nights.
The pageant is part of a week of activities aimed at reviving the African culture and will include a debate competition, an African Food Fest, Fashion Show and Art Exhibition, Dance Competition and Production, pageant nights and the grand finale of an award ceremony. Venue for the week of activities is the Theatre Guild, but may be subject to change.
The teen pageants are set for August 11, while the young adults will vie the following night.
This week we bring you seven more contestants participating in the male adult segment of the pageant.
Dexter Gardener under the African name ‘Daniel Neggussie Abbera’ is representing the country of South Africa. The 24-year-old is currently pursuing a diploma in Business Management at Computer World. He also has a diploma in Construction Planning from the Georgetown Technical Institute and another in Business Administration from Computer World. Just last year Dexter competed at the Mr Guyana pageant where he finished as the third runner-up and won the Mr Wonderful World Guyana crown inclusive of the Best Formal Wear and People’s choice awards. This driven young man has already set sights on the Mr Guyana African Roots crown and says should he win the crown he would focus on reviving the dying African culture and the first order of business will be a mega concert to promote the African dance, painting and accessories. Should he win he said, he will not let down on humanitarian work, something he’s been a part of for something working along with Malika Russell who was the Miss Culture Queen for last year’s Miss World. They work in collaboration with the Marriott Hotel, the Russian Federation and the Chinese Embassy cleaning the seawalls every Tuesday afternoon.
Dexter enjoys in his free time: gardening (especially the Hibiscus flowers), designing, drawing and building mini houses/modules.
Nineteen-year-old Ronaldo ‘Imani’ Myers proudly represents the country of Uganda. “I chose Uganda because it really shows up Africa with its boiling lake among other reasons,” Ronaldo shared. He is currently a chef at L Patra Multi Talent Creations and makes pastries and cakes but his specialty doesn’t stop there as special orders would find him cooking corn and pepper rice, baked chicken in sweet and sour sauce, scalloped potatoes and macaroni pie among a few other dishes. This Virgo chef is aspiring to be the one of the greatest chefs in the world and hopes that with his talent, should he win, he could reintroduce some the African cuisine in Guyana.
Ronaldo loves watching cooking shows especially “Chopped”, trying out new recipes and dancing to contemporary gospel.
Dylon-Michael ‘Tekaka Azulu’ Sam hails from the ‘Cinderella County’ of Essequibo but currently resides in Georgetown. The 20-year-old has strong reasons for choosing his African country, Ethiopia. Having an extended family as Rastafarians, Dylon-Michael grew up seeing the country’s red, yellow and green flag. However, he added that choosing Ethiopia was more spiritual for him. He says whether he wins or not it will still an experience that will benefit him and so far he has learned a great deal about his culture. Should he cop the crown he would venture more into culture to educate Guyanese by introducing education/culture programmes through television and social media.
Sam is a model by profession attached to Kast Talent Management and participated in Guyana Fashion Week 2016 and Roraima Wedding Expo 2017. He also volunteers at Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association. This “purpose-driven, results-oriented and talented young man” as he describes himself is an artist who would have participated in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition at the Castellani House on June 29. He enjoys abstract painting, reading adventurous novels and browsing the internet.
Ian ‘Ike Abeabuchi’ Campbell has chosen to represent the country/island of Madagascar, said to be the largest island in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. “I chose Madagascar because I can relate to it because when I was younger I had looked at a documentary about it with its unique animals found nowhere else in the world; it also has unique spices. Madagascar is an epitome of a tropical paradise that is pristine,” said the Tutorial High School teacher.
Ian, who comes across as quite intellectual, may be one to just stand in front of a class giving lectures but once he’s out on a track, everything changes. He is one of the country’s renowned national athletes, a sprinter to be more specific.
Ian admitted that African culture in Guyana is dying and says should he become the next Mr African Guyana he would use the platform to promote cultural awareness and a feeling of self-worth. In so doing he’d try to