Press
release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Subject: MISS ETHIOPIA WORLD 2003 YODIT GETAHUN SACKED
Date 8th February 2004.
The Executive board
of the Ethiopian life foundation wishes to announce the Immediate Dethronement, stripping of the title of Miss Ethiopia world
2003, and dismissal from this Organisation of Yodit Getahun, who up till now previously held the title of Miss Ethiopia World
2003, the decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting held recently, in light of her refusal to return to Ethiopia and
her education after her assignment to represent Ethiopia at the Miss International, and Miss Earth Beauty pageants since November
2003, and wilful disregard and repeated violations of the terms that she agreed to and that govern her conduct as Miss Ethiopia
World 2003, and several other factors that the board considers not in the best interest of the foundation or her future,
Miss Getahun was chosen by a distinguished panel for this organisation as
its goodwill and HIV ambassador, and as a positive role mode for young Ethiopians, however she has repeatedly failed to stick
to the aims and objectives and humanitarian goals that were assigned to her in to carry out in Ethiopia, in
favour of her own hidden personal agenda which involves her abandoning the country and the job the she was chosen to do for
this country, which is totally at variance with the objectives for which this foundation was set up,
As at the present time of this press release, Miss Getahun still remains in
the Philippines after her attending the Miss Earth Beauty pageant, which was concluded on the 9th of November 2003.
3 months ago and still refuses to return to Ethiopia, to resume her studies, which she secretly withdrew from at the ADDIAS
ABAB UNIVERSITY [with out informing us] despite repeated instructions from this organisation with whom she is under contract
to and has obligation to, to return to Ethiopia and her studies at the University, All the contestants from that contest have
long since returned home except Miss Getahun. We feel that she is unable to be Miss Ethiopia world and live in the Philippines
illegally.
We see her secret dropping out of University and abandoning her education,
her duties and obligations to this organisation and the Ethiopian people, as a serious betrayal of the trust and faith placed
in her by this organisation, whom she should have consulted on such an important issue, and the wrong kind of message and
example for a National Beauty Queen of her calibre who is known world wide to be setting for her peers and young Ethiopians
who look up to her. If we had known about this we would not have sent her to Japan or the Philippines, and she knew this,
and so concealed her true intentions till she was safely out of the country.
98 % of International beauty queens have at least a University degree or are
pursuing some academic course in higher institutions of education, and we feel very strongly that we cannot stand by her,
so long as she refuses to return to her education, which we feel is the most important foundation she requires in life, that
will guarantee her a brighter future in life.
Her primary responsibility as Miss Ethiopia World 2003 and role model is to
educate the young Ethiopians about the dangers of HIV and the benefits of a good education, over the quest for quick money
that often leads young Ethiopian females down the slippery and dangerous path to prostitution and other nefarious activities,
and we will not allow the Hidden personal agenda of one individual who has been selected by this organisation as a role model
to distract us, or hold this foundation to ransom,
With immediate effect the first runner up, Miss Muna Fikremariam, who remained
in her studies after the competition, is officially appointed as Miss Ethiopia World 2003 and takes over the reign, and will
execute the reign of Miss Ethiopia world 2003 for a further 5 months until August 2004 or when the next Miss Ethiopia World
2004 is be chosen.
We wish Miss Getahun all the best in her future endeavours, however we still
feel very strongly, that her education is far more important and beneficial to her, rather than her present personal goals,
of chasing elusive and secret movie and commercial deals in the Philippines, which is not known for producing any noteworthy
films, or her chasing other rainbows and butterflies around the world, at the expense of a sound education, when her pot of
gold is right here at home with her country folk. Further more she was fully aware of the responsibilities that were expected
of her, and she has been given every opportunity to succeed, and all the necessary guidance and assistance from this organisation
to enable her to carry out her objectives, and for us to guide her career alongside her education,
As negative as this decision may seem in the
first instance, we have to stress that we like any organisation have rules and objectives, and no one can expect to be
above the rules of their sponsoring organisation any more than Miss Getahun, anyone who fails to turn up for working any other
organisation or company for 3 months would have been sacked a long time ago, we have bee very patient with her, and we are
sure that this will be a clear example of what not to do when given the chance to represent your country
Her country and this organization require her services as Miss Ethiopia World
2003, but she is not wiling to give her services, due to bad advice from unknown individuals and her own personal belief that
her education is not important to her, but appearing in low budget movies in the Philippines and being seen on TV in the Philippines
is more important than her Education.
The title and crown of MISS ETHIOPIA WORLD is bigger than the head or any
ego of any one who wears the crown but sadly Miss Getahun seems to have forgotten this very important fact,
Miss Getahun in our humble opinion is a bright and talented girl who did a good job during the time she
held the office, but she lacks the discipline and commitment to this organisation, in favour of secretly exploiting the title
for her own personal agenda, with individuals not connected to this organisation, and as she was given more and more International
exposure by this organisation to help her future, her ego and belligerence got worse and worse, and we feel at this point
that we have to take a moral stand against her behaviour and actions, to send a very clear and unmistakable message to any
future Miss Ethiopia world Beauty queens, that we will not tolerate any from of disloyalty, or betrayal of trust, nor associate
with any person likely to bring this organisation into disrepute. And we will not hesitate to immediately disassociate from
any such person even if they have only 1 day left in their reign as Miss Ethiopia World,
Further more the recent incident where a beauty queen from Peru was lured to an unknown location under
false pretences highlights the need for Miss Getahun to be open and honest and communicate to us whom ever approaches her,
she steadfastly refuses to do this and pretends that she has no manager or organisation behind her, we feel that this is very
dangerous for her, considering before she was crowned she had never bee out of Ethiopia or experienced the real world of deceitful
and con men out there, who prey on naive young girls, especially a National beauty queen, and we cannot be responsible for
her actions which have the potential to embarrass her and this great country.
Any one seeking further clarification on this story or verification may contact us via email at missethiopiapr@diplomats.com or thelifefoundation@diplomats.com any other sources of official comments via email from any other email addresses not listed above are not to be relied
on
The Ethiopian life foundation
