1986-1992 - Pageantopolis

From Neil C. of the Bahamas:

The pageant was started because there was not much interest from Nigerian women in participating in beauty contests. It was hoped that an international pageant would encourage them, as well as promote pageants in Nigeria. The Bahamas Director was involved, because during the Miss Universe 1986 pageant he met a committee member from Nigeria who was there, even though there was no Miss Nigeria in the competition. They came up with the idea of an international pageant in Nigeria. The Bahamas chaperone was invited to Nigeria to help organize the pageant. All her expenses were paid for.

The First Runner-up of the Miss Curacao pageant, Viennaline Arvelo, finished as the fourth finalist in the Miss Africa World 1986 pageant on 23 November in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of twelve candidates participated. The winner was Elizabeth Robison of Puerto Rico. The other finalists were from the Gambia, Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria.

Amigoe di Curacao published two advertisements promoting Joan Maynard's appearance that evening.

She is clearly identified as Miss Africa International in both.

The photograph was from when she placed third at the Miss Curacao pageant.

Joan Marie Maynard, who finished in third place during the last Miss Curacao pageant, has become the winner of the Miss World Africa International in Kenya [NOTE: should be Nigeria]. There were participants from about 25 countries. Puerto Rico ended in second place, third was Canada, fourth the Bahamas and Nigeria finished fifth. Joan Maynard is sponsored by the Curacao company Tik Tak which financed her travel to Africa.

Last night a reception was held at Naick's Place Discotheque for Joan Maynard who in Kenya [NOTE: should be Nigeria] was crowned Miss World Africa International over 23 other candidates.

Joan Maynard, chosen Miss Intercontinental last year in Lagos, departed to Nigeria at the invitation of the organizers of the Miss Intercontinental Pageant. She will be there on 4 December, for the election of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. The cost of this trip is fully borne by the inviting organization.

Sandra Foster, Miss Jamaica Universe 1989, did herself and her country proud on Saturday night when she won the Miss Inter Continental Beauty Pageant, held in Lagos, Nigeria. The Miss Inter Continental pageant is one the world's major international beauty pageants and is held annually. It is the largest beauty contest in Africa and features contestants from around the world. Many of the contestants are the same ones who represented their countries in the Miss Universe contest.

Sandra Foster will be l eaving Jamaica to be special guest of the Barbados Hotel and Tourist Association at their banquet, and thereafter to go on tour in Europe to promote the Miss Intercontinental Pageant.

Miss Intercontinental, Jamaica's Sandra Foster , returned to the island last week from Lagos, Nigeria, where she participated in a series of activities to mark the 10th Anniversary celebrations of the Pageant's parent company.

While in Lagos Sandra also did promotional work for the Miss Intercontinental Beauty Pageant in which Jamaica's current representative Nicola McLaughlin (1st runner-up to Miss Jamaica Universe) will be participating in March 1991.

While in Nigeria Sandra was busily involved in Silverbird's 10th Anniversary activities, the highlight of which was a fashion show that featured a number of celebrities including Sandra, beauties from a number of countries and a parade of Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant winners since 1962.

The first runner-up in the Miss Malaysia Universe, to be held Friday, will vie for the Miss Intercontinental Pageant 1991 in Lagos, Nigeria, next month.

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Semiah Faries, who was the first finalist of the Miss Curacao pageant, is off to Lagos, Nigeria, to participate in the Miss International Pageant [NOTE: should be Miss Africa International or Miss Inter-Continental] of 23 March. It is the fourth time that a Curacaoan is participating in this event.

From Oleg P. of Russia:

I have an old regional interview with a beauty from Chelyabinsk about her participation in Miss Friendship '91, organized by the Miss Germany Association. The final was on May 12, 1991 in Bonn, Germany. The contestants were only from the USSR (Estonia, Kazakhstan, Moscow, Siberia) and Germany (regional beauty queens), the winner was Alyona Ivanovna from Moscow.