After battling it out with seventeen other beauties from all major financial institutions in Botswana, Mphoentle Motswagae from Botswana Building Society (BBS) was crowned the 2016 Miss Inter Bank Queen.
The 2016 pageant which is in its 11th year was hosted by the National Development Bank (NDB). The bank’s CEO Lorato Morapedi said the event was not simply about beauty and pageantry but rather an event “for our nation to collectively celebrate our milestones.”
The beauty pageant was the first of the four Interbank’s activities and it was not short of glitz and glamour. It was indeed a patriotic night as not only spectators came proudly bearing the national colours, but beauty queens were also dressed in Botswana colours made by local designers such as Lebo Merafe.
It is not often that big occasions like this can strictly commit themselves to all out local talent performances. However the Miss Interbanks pageant proved that Botswana is a bubbling pot of talent as guests were entertained by Mophato Dance Theatre, upcoming RnB artist Hanse and traditional music artists.
The judges spared no bounds and asked the ladies very challenging questions which mostly required the top 7 to reflect on Botswana’s progress these past 50 years. But it was however Motswagae’s take on gender violence initiatives and women empowerment that sealed her victory. The reigning queen was both poised and eloquent and received a standing ovation from the crowd as she reiterated on the importance of having female leaders in our country. “Women are born leaders, fighters but most of all empowered.”
Motswagae bagged P10, 000 and a weekend long stay at Masa Square provided by the sponsors. 1st princess Jennifer Jorowe from Standard Chartered and 2nd princess Tuduetso Modise from Bank of Botswana walked away with P7000 and P5000 respectively.
