Did you know she was the first ever winner of the fashion competition? Surely you’ve heard about the bikutsi singer Chantal Ayissi or Ayissi Leduc, the dancer and choreographer. Well, they are offspring to Ayissi Eyenga Julienne.
She is the first to wear the crown of Cameroon’s most beautiful woman. In 1960, Julienne was aged 16 years. While Cameroon was celebrating its independence, the then Minister of Culture, Charles Okala decided to organize a fashion party aiming at picking out the future Miss Independence Cameroon.
At the end of the competition which is said to have brought together a later on personality that is Françoise Foning, the Centre region’s miss overpowered her opponents.
On the runway: Honorine Julienne Ayissi Eyenga from the Centre region. She was followed by Françoise Foning, the Wouri miss of the Littoral region and Maïmouna Farida Njoya, miss Bamoun of the West region. For seven years, Miss Cameroon received financial assistance from Cameroon’s first lady at that time: Germaine Ahidjo.
She later on married the English boxer named Jean Baptiste Ayissi Ntsama. From this union came forth nine children. From glory to glory, that is, four years after her crowning (1964), Miss Cameroon got a job opportunity at Air Africa as stewardess.
Astonishment!
In 1978, Julienne is accused of introducing cannabis in the presidential plane. This crime will send her to prison till 1985; the year she was whitewashed.
But she did not get back her job. Meanwhile Ayissi Julienne saw five (still young) of her nine children taking a fly without a returned ticket unto their ancestors.
She was born on September 4, 1942 at Nomayos in Cameroon’s Centre region. This maiden competition set the pace for a series of other editions till present date, with any young lady having the opportunity to showcase her beauty and prowess.
