Miss Ethiopia is a national beauty pageant in Ethiopia.

Miss Ethiopia
Formation1963
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersAddis Ababa
Location
Membership
Official language
Amharic
Chairman
Murad Mohammed

History

The Miss Ethiopia began in 1963. There were two editions during the period and it finally rerun as the Miss Ethiopia pageant in 1988 under the Ethio American Entertainment Inc. Currently, the Miss Ethiopia pageant is owned by Murad Mohammed.

Controversies

The chairman of Miss Ethiopia, Murad Mohammed, is the director of Ethiopian Village Adventure Playground, which claims ownership of Miss Ethiopia, and has frequently announced that the Miss Ethiopia queens would participate in international pageants like Miss International, Miss Earth, Miss Progress, etc. despite not owning a franchise for the pageants. Much of the judging is not done publicly, so the general population is not able to follow the process from start to finish, or see the final event taking place.[1]

Melkam Michael Endale, who was crowned Miss Ethiopia 2010, was later appointed Miss World Ethiopia in 2012 without taking part in a contest for the purpose of attending Miss World 2012. She failed to attend the event.[2] She was also listed as Ethiopia's representative to Miss Intercontinental Pageant 2012, but once again did not show.[3]

Lack of transparency

The latest version of the pageant is seen to lack transparency, due to the fact that the winner is suddenly announced without a proper contest being held, girls are put in a studio with sashes proclaiming them to be finalist, but the public are not able to follow the process from start to finish, or see the actual final event taking place.[1]

In several years past the runner up has simply been appointed Miss Ethiopia by Murad Mohammed and Ethiopian Village Adventure Playground for the purpose of attending Miss World for example. Melkam Michael Endale who was crowned Miss Ethiopia 2010 for example, who never got her promised car or 100,000 ETBirr,[4] was simply appointed as Miss World Ethiopia in 2012, without taking part in a contest for the purpose of attending Miss World 2012

Bogus prizes

Murad Mohammed, the director of Ethiopian Village Adventure Playground, who claims to be the latest owner of Miss Ethiopia, has been accused of repeatedly advertising bogus prizes for his version of Miss Ethiopia, such as 100,000 Et Birr, US$6250 prize, a house, Modelling contract in New York, participation in several international pageants, awarding of 60,000 Et birr US$3750 Diamond rings,[5] none of which can be verified as having been ever awarded.

Titleholders

Year Miss Ethiopia Notes
1963 Ejigayehu Beyene
1964 Misrak Million
1968 Wossene Hailu
1988 Sehin Belew Ethio American Entertainment Inc. directorship
2009 Chuna Okaka Murad Mohammed directorship
2010 Melkam Michael Endale Miss World Ethiopia 2012
2013 Genet Tsegay Tesfay Miss World Ethiopia 2013
2014 Nardos Tegegne
2015 Kisanet Teklit Teklehaimanot Miss World Ethiopia 2015
2018 Sollyana Abayneh Miss World Ethiopia 2018

Ethiopia at International pageants

Miss World Ethiopia

  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner
Began 2003 the new foundation of Miss World Ethiopia (Ethiopian Beauty Queens Organization) took the franchise of Miss World and the winner represents Ethiopia at Miss World pageant.
Year Miss Ethiopia Placement at Miss World Special Awards Notes
2025 TBA
2024 No competition held
2023 Rgat Afewerki Ybrah Unplaced
Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no pageant between 2020—2022
2019 Feven Araya Gebreslassie Unplaced
2018 Sollyana Abayneh Unplaced
2017 Kisanet Haile Gbereslasie Unplaced
2016 Did not compete
2015 Kisanet Teklit Teklehaimanot Unplaced
2014 Yirgalem Hadish Adhanom Unplaced
2013 Genet Tsegay Tesfay Unplaced
2012 Melkam Michael Endale Unplaced
2011 Did not compete
2010 Hiwot Assefa Tesfaye Unplaced
2009 Lula Gezu Weldegebriel Unplaced
2008 Hibret Fedaku Alemu Unplaced
2007 Mihret Abebe Unplaced
2006 Amleset Muchie Unplaced
2005 Seble Mekonnen Unplaced
2004 Sayat Demissie Unplaced
2003 Hayat Ahmed Mohammed Top 20
  • Miss World Africa

Miss International Ethiopia

  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner
The second title of Miss World Ethiopia will be Miss International Ethiopia and represents Ethiopia at Miss International pageant.
Year Miss Ethiopia Placement at Miss International Special Awards Notes
2024 Hermela Nigussie TBA
Did not compete between 2019—2023
2018 Frezewd Solomon Demissie Unplaced Runner-up of Miss World Ethiopia 2018 appointed as Miss International Ethiopia 2018.
2017 Bamlak Dereje Fikru Unplaced
Did not compete between 2010—2016
2009 Rahel Debebe Woldekirkos Unplaced
2008 Nardos Desta Tafese Unplaced
2007 Kidan Tesfahun Unplaced Miss Millenium Queen directorship
2006 Fethiya Mohammed Seid Unplaced
2005 Dina Fekadu Mosissa Unplaced Later, represented Ethiopia at Miss Universe 2006 and placed in Top 20.
2004 Helina Mezegbu Unplaced
2003 Yodit Getahun Unplaced

Miss Supranational Ethiopia

  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner
Miss Supranational Ethiopia individually held by Miss Supranational Ethiopia Organization. The winner represents Ethiopia at Miss Supranational pageant.
Year Miss Ethiopia Placement at Miss Supranational Special Awards Notes
2023 Did not compete
Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no pageant between 2020—2022
2019 Hanna Abate Unplaced
2018 Did not compete
2017 Bitaniya Yosef Mohammed 3rd Runner-up
2016 Misker Kassahun Unplaced
Did not compete between 2012—2015
2011 Aman Taye Lemma Unplaced

Miss Grand International Ethiopia

  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner
Year Miss Ethiopia Placement at Miss Grand International Special Awards Notes
Did not compete between 2019–present
2018 Samrawit Azmeraw Unplaced Runner-up of Miss World Ethiopia 2018 appointed at Miss Grand International Ethiopia 2018.
2017 Selamawit Teklay Unplaced
2016 Genet Tsegay Unplaced
2015 Bethelhem Belay Unplaced
  • Top 36 – Miss Popular Vote
2014 Hiwot Bekele Mamo 1st Runner-up Runner-up of Miss Ethiopia 2014 appointed as Miss Grand International Ethiopia 2014.
2013 Helen Getachew Unplaced

Miss Intercontinental Ethiopia

  •   : Declared as Winner
  •   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
  •   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
  •   : Ended as special awards winner
Year Miss Ethiopia Placement at Miss Intercontinental Special Awards Notes
2019 Rebka Fikre Tesfaye Unplaced
2018 Bella Lire Lapso 5th Runner-Up
  • Miss Intercontinental Africa
Runner-up of Miss World Ethiopia 2018 appointed as Miss Intercontinental Ethiopia 2018.
2017 Feven Araya Gabreslassie Did not compete
Did not compete between 2012—2016
2011 Betelhem Hailu Legesse Top 5
2010 Rodina Kebede Gebremariam Unplaced
2009 Hiwot Assefa Tesfaye Top 15
  • Miss Intercontinental Africa
2008 Did not compete
2007 Hayat Ahmed Mohammed Top 16
2006 Mehrete Girmay Unplaced
2005 Sayat Demissie Unplaced
2004 Yordanos Teshager Bitew 4th Runner-Up
2003 Jerusalem Ketema Geda Unplaced

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Miss World 2010 what a shame ETV special investigation".
  2. ^ "Melkam Michael Endale Miss Ethiopia Listed as competing in Miss International 2012 does not compete". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Melkam Michael Endale Miss Ethiopia, Listed as competing in Miss Intercontinental 2012 did not compete". Archived from the original on 4 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "Dispute Leaves Miss Ethiopia Without Prize".
  5. ^ "Miss Ethiopia 2009 awarded 60,000 EtBirr diamond ring".