MISS SIERRA LEONE 2008:

Gold for Gouldson

By Ahmed Sahid Nasralla (De Monk)

Tyrilla Gouldson has been crowned Miss Sierra Leone 2008 at a keenly contested national beauty contest held at the Family Kingdom complex on Friday, 20^th June, 2008.

Probably unable to accommodate the victory, the 24yr-old Comium employee dropped on the floor moments after she was declared winner. As panic showed on the faces in the jam packed hall, Tyrilla was helped to her feet by aides. She was in that unstable condition when her crown was placed on her head by last year’s winner, Ms Fatmata Turay.

Tyrilla, 6 ft 2, said it was not only a dream come true for her but she actually worked hard to realize it.

“I prepared my self for the contest for almost ten months and I spent more than US$ 3, 000 on costumes,” she told KES afterwards.

The Miss Freetown 2005 is now eligible to represent Sierra Leone at the Miss World 2008 beauty contest in Kiev, Ukraine on 4th October, 2008.

Tyrilla appealed to her colleague contestants to work with her with open minds so that they could put the country’s flag up and achieve their goal.

“We all are winners; that’s why we should work together to fight good causes in our country,” she said.

She talked about helping female children who are roaming the streets aimlessly. She also talked about her desire to help in the fight against HIV/AIDs and malaria, both of which pose a great threat to her country’s development.

Tyrilla fought off keen compettion from runner-up Lucy Peeler, a radio journalist who won the hearts and minds of many of the audience.

The organizers, Madam Yoko Entertainment, held regional contests to select qualifiers for this year’s Miss Sierra Leone. 

Deputy Executive Director of Madam Yoko Entertainment, Mr. Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay, said his group was honored to work with the Government and the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to stage the contest.

He said the rational of the annual Miss Sierra Leone beauty contest was to put Sierra Leone on the world’s cultural map.

“Sierra Leone stands to benefit a lot from the Miss World competition,” he said.

Profile:

NAME: Tyrilla Gouldson 

DATE OF BIRTH: 12^TH November, 1984. 

ADDRESS: 59 Dundas Street, Freetown. 

EDUCATION: WASCE/ Diploma in Public Administration/ Local Government Administartion/ Institute Management, Honors in Public Sector Administration (BSC. HONS.) HND International Business Administration at the Cambridge International College, London. 

HOBBIES: Modelling, reading, swimming, volleyball and dancing.

HEIGHT: 6 ft 2

ACHIEVEMENT:  Miss Convent Secondary School 2002; Miss Freetown 2005 and Miss Sierra Leone 2008