Miss Tourism Africa Namibia showcases ‘warrior queen’ mahangu-inspired costume in Nigeria

Miss Tourism Africa Namibia 2024 Ndinelago Emosho (27) showcased her national costume at the Miss Tourism Africa International pageant in Lagos, Nigeria, on Friday night.

The pageant celebrates various cultures, backgrounds and religions, with a dedication to beauty, tourism and community.

The finale will be held on 1 October.

With a specific focus on empowering women, those who take part in the pageant are exemplary leaders and inspirational figures, serving as role models in their communities and beyond.

Emosho’s costume, titled ‘Queen of the North, Leader of Nutrition’, was created by Exclusive Artworks and Wear.

Model, agent and fashion stylist Bobby Kaanjosa says the costume was inspired by mahangu and its rich cultural heritage, which also embodies strength and resilience.

“The costume was created to replicate a warrior queen, a leader. The crown was to show that the Aawambo people are royal and their loyalty to the harvest is unmatched. Ndina wanted to represent the importance of growth and stability mahangu has brought to so many homes.

“The overskirt has a print of a mahangu field, with a woman in the field, also paying homage to the role women play in the industry.”
Kaanjosa says as a child raised by a single mother, Emosho and the team wanted to highlight the importance of women as mothers, breadwinners and providers for their families.

“Ndina takes pride in her heritage as a young Ovambo woman, and as an educator she wanted the costume to be a story, more importantly, an educational moment. Mahangu is used for food, flour, beverages, animal feed, traditional medicine and soil improvement. It is also essential in a balanced diet as it offers a gluten-free alternative, provides essential vitamins and minerals, and supports overall well-being with its nutritional content,” he adds.

According to Kaanjosa, mahangu, also known as pearl millet, is a subsistence rain-fed cereal crop, which is a staple food for more than half of the Namibian population.

The winner at the pageant finale will walk away with US$40 000 and tourism endorsement deals in Nigeria and across the continent, as well as the opportunity to be a brand ambassador for the African Tourism Board, and to walk the runway at Lagos Fashion Week.