Having a beauty queen on our interview platform is a rare treat. When Queen Teiya joined our virtual session, her eloquence and insightful understanding of women’s and societal issues immediately caught my attention.
Tung-Teiya Dahamani, hailing from a middle-income family, reminisces about a joyful childhood. Saturdays were special, filled with the South African TV series “Sarafina,” sparking her love for cat-walking in her mom’s heels and playfully earning her the title of Miss Ghana from her aunt. Additionally, she cherished reading all five volumes of bedtime stories.
Queen Teiya moved between schools, initially in Tarkwa and later in Tamale. Her Basic Education Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E) took place in Tamale at Alhassan Gbanzaba Memorial School. Following this, she attended Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School before enrolling at the University of Development Studies-Wa Campus.
Queen Teiya’s fascination with beauty pageantry grew over time. Her interest was sparked by watching Miss Ghana. She admired the support given to winners for completing meaningful projects, making these pageants ideal for aspiring young girls. During her National Service at Kotoka International Airport, Queen Teiya received inquiries and suggestions about joining beauty pageants. It was at this point that she decided to wholeheartedly pursue becoming a beauty queen.
In 2019, she took a significant step by joining Miss Intercontinental Ghana and representing Ghana in Egypt. The following year, in 2020, she participated in Miss Ghana and qualified as one of the finalists. The turning point came in 2021 when, while browsing the internet, she came across the Queen of the North pageant. She applied and emerged victorious.
Having honed her skills through these experiences, Queen Teiya felt ready for the biggest pageantry platform in the country. She auditioned for Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB) 2022 and not only stood out but delivered excellent performances from the first week to the grand finale.
Queen Teiya emphatically shares that the GMB experience is a comprehensive test of various aspects of one’s life. It challenges your emotional intelligence, ability to think on your feet, and even your faith. Participating in GMB provides a platform to voice your opinions, present a positive outlook on life, develop tolerance towards others, and undergo a transformative journey for the better.
Queen Teiya has spearheaded numerous projects, and among them, noteworthy initiatives include organizing clean-up campaigns in Tamale, providing free breast cancer screening for kayayes (head porters), donating food to women in Tamale, conducting sex education sessions for junior high school students on abstinence and the risks of unprotected sex. Additionally, she facilitated the distribution of sewing machines to ten women and arranged vocational training for 85 women through the Kaya Lahakani Project. Queen Teiya also commissioned a borehole for the people of Lungsi Fong and donated food items to children with autism.
Her dedicated efforts have garnered recognition, earning her prestigious awards such as NEXA’S 2023 Most Promising Young Northern Woman of the Year, Northern Youth of the Year by NYA, and Ghana Outstanding Women Awards (GOWA). Queen Teiya stands out as a remarkable GMB Queen, achieving these milestones because of her unwavering passion, her drive to do more, and create a serene environment.
Queen Teiya expresses, “International Women’s Day is a moment to acknowledge women’s contributions and shed light on their challenges. While women are being celebrated, there is still ample room for improvement in creating positive impacts.”
In our icebreaker game, Queen Teiya prefers music over movies, favours cold weather over hot weather, and opts for water over electricity.
Queen Teiya shares her final advice for aspiring beauty queens: “Don’t let compliments on your beauty distract you; focus on the prize. Beauty Queens embody confidence, perseverance, being well-read and informed, showcasing intelligence (social and emotional), and embracing compassion.”