Botswana’s Lesego Chombo is the new and 71st Miss World Africa. She shines in the Miss World spotlight and secured the spot in the top-4.
Chombo is a true gem as she dazzles with grace and beauty and earns the admiration of all. She is a queen who deserves a salute and as her journey inspires all.
However, a controversy with Miss World 2013 Megan Young has increased the rage among her Lesego fans.
Reportedly, Miss World 2013 has drew flak for touching the hair of Miss Botswana during the Miss World 2024 coronation night. Megan Young hosted the Miss World 2024 finals night in Mumbai, India on Saturday, March 09, 2024.
During the question and answer part of the competition, the Philippine beauty queen fixed a tendril of Chombo’s hair before they went for Chombo’s pitch.
The incident enraged fans of the African pageant, who took Young’s action as cruel, disrespectful, and culturally insensitive. Some even criticised Megan Young and commented on her Instagram post, saying that her action had jeopardized Chombo’s performance in the competition. Some people even accused the title holder of engaging in ‘witchcraft’.
Seeing this, some of Young’s fans came to her defense, they emphasised that she had meant well, as some netizens also took the chance to explain the cultural significance behind the hair of an African woman.
Following this social media war, Miss World 2013 Megan Young issued an apology after she drew flak for touching the hair of Miss Botswana Lesego Chombo, and said that she takes the full responsibility for the thoughtless and disrespectful act.
Addressing the incident, Young posted a statement on her official Facebook account on Monday, March 11, 2024, sharing a note in which she wrote that she ‘wanted to offer a helping hand but failed to oversee the bigger picture’.
She added to her note that, since the incident occurred, she had been ‘made aware that culturally, this is unacceptable.’
Young added that she sought Chombo after the incident and since then she has spoken and apologised privately.
Miss World 2013 continued and said, it was not her intention to ‘invade personal space or make anyone feel uncomfortable.’ Young extended her apologies to everyone who witnessed the incident and felt any kind of discomfort and confusion by her actions.
Megan Young said, “I deeply regret my actions and will strive to be more mindful and respectful in the future.”
Meanwhile, Lesego Chombo has also took to social media and asked her supporters to be ‘kinder’ to Megan Young and the winner, Krystyna Pyszkova of Czech Republic.
Chombo wrote on social media, “I appreciate that you all are looking out for me, but it really does not make me good when you bring the other people down in my name or for my sake.”
Miss Botswana finished as being part of the Top-4 along with the delegates from Lebanon and Trinidad & Tobago.
As per the sources, Megan Young remains to be the only Filipina Beauty Queen to win the Miss World crown.