> BY EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO
>
> I write from a profound background of experience as a child of a dark
> coloured mother and a husband of a black and beautiful wife.
>
> So this is about the milestones made globally by black African
> girls/ladies in just one year alone which should serve as a bedrock to
> urge all lovers of black Africa to push back on the drive by some
> modern day girls in Africa to bleach their original colour so as to be
> white.
>
> Are you a man of distinction if you are reading this piece? What
> colour tickles your fancy when you admire a female?
>
> For me, I am a worshipper of the idol of black colour not necessarily
> because I was incubated in the womb of a very black woman. But as a
> matter of intrinsic choice and for the purpose of holding in high
> esteem, that colour that the divine Being endowed myself with and my
> other like species of the human creatures.
>
> Come on! Emmanuel! Why all these poetic fantasies on the black
> coloured skin?
>
> Well, from the deepest consciousness of my being, I have decided to
> engage in this reflection motivated by the irony of the emergence of
> black winners in virtually all the most important beauty competitions
> for the female gender held this year ranging from the most glamorous
> Miss Universe, Miss World and to cap it all the most competitive of
> all Pageantries known as the Miss USA.
>
> Mind you, United States of America is the strongest nation in the
> world in terms of civilization and military advancements.
>
> Also, America is led by Donald Trump who is regarded as a sympathizer
> of white supremacy.
>
> To have a black American lady take the lead in the most strategic
> beauty contest in a nation like the United States of America led by
> Donald Trump who has the confusing notoriety as someone who is a
> racist, is to say that this year is not to be forgotten in a hurry but
> must be symbolically renamed as the year of black girls.
>
> Additionally, the emergence of a black South African girl as the
> winner of Miss Universe should send clear message to her compatriots
> to have a rethink and stop any further xenophobic violence targeting
> fellow black Africans only because they left their homes in other
> parts of Africa to settle in South Africa which as it were, was
> aggressively developed by the white racist governments of the past
> apartheid era. After all, it took black solidarity to get apartheid
> dethroned.
>
> We will return to that angle of the black South African involvement in
> xenophobia.
>
> First, let us look at the historicity of all the beauty competitions
> that have all been won by black girls so as to very clearly understand
> the wider ramifications of their victories then we situate these
> phenomenal feats by black girls to the craze by some Africans to
> bleach their black natural skin to look like white girls.
>
> By the way, this piece is not negating the essence of the colour white
> but is meant to tell black girls to be just the same way that white
> girls are proud of their beautiful skin colour which the divine
> creator gave them as their unique identity. I understand that some
> black men also bleach their skin to become whites. Michael Jackson did
> that. Many other men still do it. So it’s not the bad habit of only
> black girls.
>
> Reading through the report done by the British Broadcasting
> Corporation from the venue of the 2019 Miss Universe has clearly
> supported my assertions aforementioned.
>
> The BBC reports that the 68th Miss Universe pageant was held on
> December 8, 2019 at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, the
> United States.
>
> It recalled that Catriona Gray of the Philippines crowned her
> successor Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa by the end of the event.
>
> This is South Africa’s third win after their recent victory in 2017.
> This edition also saw the crowning of the first black woman winner
> since Leila Lopes was crowned in 2011.
>
> BBC statistically concluded that contestants from 90 countries and
> territories participated in this year’s competition.
>
> The pageant was hosted by Steve Harvey in his fifth consecutive year,
> with Olivia Culpo and Vanessa Lachey as backstage correspondents, and
> with a performance by Ally Brooke.
>
> The new Mouawad Power of Unity crown made its debut. Swe Zin Htet of
> Myanmar became the first openly lesbian contestant to compete for the
> Miss Universe title.
>
> Her emergence and it’s symbolism wasn’t lost to her even as he stated
> that: “I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my
> kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be
> beautiful.
>
> “I think that it is time that that stops today.”
>
> That’s the message from newly-crowned Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi,
> who is from South Africa.
>
> More than 90 women from across the world took part in the pageant
> which was held in Atlanta in the US on Sunday.
>
> Zozibini beat Puerto Rico’s Madison Anderson and Mexico’s Sofia Aragon
> in the final three to take the tiara.
>
> Finalists in the competition were asked a range of questions on topics
> such as climate change, protest and social media.
>
> In her final question, 26-year-old Zozibini was asked what we should
> be teaching young girls today.
>
> Her answer was leadership.
>
> “It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a
> very long time – not because we don’t want to, but because of what
> society has labeled women to be,” she said.
>
> “I think we are the most powerful beings on the world, and that we
> should be given every opportunity.
>
> “And that is what we should be teaching these young girls – to take up
> space.”
>
> Zozibini has been described as “a proud advocate for natural beauty”
>
> Zozibini is the first black woman to win the competition since Leila
> Lopes in 2011.
>
> The Angolan former winner congratulated her in a post on Instagram,
> writing: “Congrats girl you did us very proud.”
>
> Relfecting on her win, Zozibini wrote: “Tonight a door was opened and
> I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked
> through it.
>
> “May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in
> the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in
> mine.
>
> “I proudly state my name Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019!”
>
> The hashtag #MissUniverse was trending on Twitter and she even got a
> shout-out from Oprah Winfrey.
>
> What indeed is the history behind the yearly competition to crown the
> winner of Miss Universe?
>
> From documented records derived from the official websites of Miss
> Miss Universe, we are told that Miss Universe is an annual
> international beauty pageant that is run by the United States-based
> Miss Universe Organization.
>
> The contest is reportedly the largest pageant in the world in terms of
> live TV coverage, airing yearly in more than 190 countries worldwide
> to an audience of over 500 million people.
>
> Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, Miss
> Universe is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants, or so
> it seems.
>
> The Miss Universe Organization and its brand, along with Miss USA and
> Miss Teen USA, are currently owned by the WME/IMG talent agency.
>
> What about the other powerful contest in which another black
> professional career girl emerged as winner known as Miss USA 2019?
>
> It was reported that the Miss USA 2019 was the 68th Miss USA pageant.
> It was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada on May 2, 2019.
> Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey served as hosts, while Lu Sierra served
> as commentator, all for the second consecutive time. Additionally, it
> featured performances from T-Pain and Nick Lachey.
>
> Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska crowned her successor Cheslie Kryst of
> North Carolina at the end of the event. Kryst represented the United
> States at Miss Universe 2019 and placed in the Top 10.
>
> The 2019 competition served as the second consecutive time that the
> pageant has been held concurrently with the Miss Teen USA competition.
>
>
> If you think beauty contests is for the never-do-wells then think
> again. This is because Miss. Cheslie Kryst is a full-time attorney who
> is licensed to practice law in two states.
>
> She earned both her law degree and MBA from Wake Forest University and
> graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree from the Honors College
> at the University of South Carolina.
>
> This 28-year-old is a former Division I athlete, having competed in
> the heptathlon, long jump and triple jump on South Carolina’s track
> and field team.
>
> When Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was named Miss Universe on Sunday,
> her crowning signified a milestone: the first year that four of the
> major beauty pageants had simultaneously awarded the top prize to a
> black woman, so echoes an analyst similarly happy at this turn of
> events for black girls in the World.
>
> A modern historian recalled that pageants have long been criticized
> for their antiquated beauty standards and, in many cases, outright
> racism or gender stereotyping.
>
> The historian also stated that last year, the Miss America
> Organization announced it would scrap both the swimsuit and evening
> gown portions of the competition. And while black women have been
> winners in the past — notably Vanessa Williams, who in 1984 was the
> first black woman to be named Miss America — they have never been as
> successful as this year.
>
> Supporters of the women — Ms. Tunzi, Cheslie Kryst (this year’s
> Miss USA), Kaliegh Garris (Miss Teen USA) and Nia Franklin(Miss
> America) — say the recognition sends a powerful message that
> today’s beauty standards are evolving beyond Barbie-lite, or an era
> when contestants were prized solely for smooth hair, light skin color
> and thin lips.
>
> Toni-Ann Singh who is Miss Jamaica won the 2019 Miss World to crown it
> all for the black women of our time.
>
> BBC observed thus: “It is the first time in history that black women
> hold the titles of Miss USA, Miss Teen USA; Miss America, Miss
> Universe and Miss World. This comment by the British officially owned
> broadcaster should tell the remaining black girls who still go about
> bleaching their skin that now is the time for them to stop.
>
> Imagine the futility in the craze by some black girls to bleach their
> skin to be white; this is certainly a case of inferiority complex
> which is a psychological and an emotional disturbance that must be
> confronted.
>
> The other day, the social media celebrated a certain skin bleaching
> entrepreneur who was using chemicals and hot water to help black girl
> automatically bleach their skin to white.
>
> The thought of skin cancer and other medical conditions that can arise
> from such practice worried me.
>
> The regulatory agency in charge of food, drugs known as NAFDAC was
> proactive in moving to close down that semi-color changing laboratory
> in Lagos.
>
> NAFDAC had reportedly raided the facility of a skin bleaching
> professional – The attention of the agency had been drawn to the
> facility after a video of a bleaching process went viral – At the time
> the video surfaced, Nigerians were outraged by the length to which
> ladies go to have a fair skin, so reports a local online newspaper.
>
> The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
> (NAFDAC) reportedly raided the facility of a skin bleaching
> professional just as it was gathered that the facility belongs to the
> lady behind a viral bleaching video.
>
> Media had reported that a lady, who described herself as a bleaching
> expert, had taken to social media to brag about her work after
> Nigerians condemned a viral bleaching video she was responsible for.
>
> On Wednesday, December 4, the bleaching professional’s facility was
> raided by NAFDAC.
>
> It was gathered that the viral bleaching video had brought the
> attention of the agency to the lady. In a video shared online, the
> officials of the agency were seen removing products from the facility
> to carry out a quality test at their office.
>
> Can NAFDAC brief Nigeria about the update on this case. There is the
> need to reinforce our collective rejection of bleaching because of the
> side effects.
>
> Side effects and precautions of skin bleaching as medically reviewed
> by Cynthia Cobb, on July 22, 2019 just as it was written by Adrienne
> Santos-Longhurst (www.healthline.com [1]).
>
> This review has it that Skin bleaching refers to the use of products
> to lighten dark areas of the skin or achieve an overall lighter
> complexion. These products include bleaching creams, soaps, and pills,
> as well as professional treatments like chemical peels and laser
> therapy.
>
> The medical review aforementioned affirmed that there is no health
> benefit to skin bleaching. Results aren’t guaranteed and there’s
> evidence that skin lightening can result in serious side effects and
> complications.
>
> From a medical standpoint, there’s no need to lighten the skin. But
> if you’re considering skin bleaching, it’s important to understand
> the risks.
>
> Skin bleaching they emphasized reduces the concentration or production
> of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment produced by cells called
> melanocytes. The amount of melanin in your skin is mostly determined
> by genetics.
>
> People with dark skin have more melanin. Hormones, sunlight, and
> certain chemicals also affect melanin production.
>
> When you apply a skin bleaching product to the skin, such as
> hydroquinone, it decreases the number of melanocytes in your skin.
> This can result in lighter skin and a more even appearance to the
> skin.
>
> A number of countries have banned the use of skin bleaching products
> because of the dangers associated with them.
>
> In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Trusted Source also
> issued a notice that over-the-counter (OTC) skin bleaching products
> are not recognized as safe and effective. The products were deemed not
> safe for human use based on a review of evidence.
>
> Skin bleaching has been associated with a number of adverse health
> effects.
>
> Some skin bleaching creams made outside of the United States have been
> linked to mercury toxicity. Mercury has been banned as an ingredient
> in skin lightening products in the United States, but products made in
> other countries still contain mercury.
>
> In a 2014 study Trusted Source of 549 skin lightening creams bought
> online and in stores, nearly 12 percent contained mercury. About half
> of these products came from U.S. stores.
>
> AS we mark the year of the black girls, may I suggest to all the First
> ladies of African countries to lobby so their nations and the African
> Union can adopt a particular day in a year to CELEBRATE THE DAY OF THE
> BLACK GIRL.
>
> This is an idea whose time has come.
>
> *Emmanuel Onwubiko heads HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
> (HURIWA) and blogs @www.emmanuelonwubiko.com [2],
> www.huriwa.blogspot.com [3],www.thenigerianinsidernews
Links:
——
[1] http://www.healthline.com
[2] http://www.emmanuelonwubiko.co
[3] http://www.huriwa.blogspot.com
[4] http://www.thenigerianinsidern