Miss Cameroon 2025 Dismissed ⁰

The reign of Josiane Harangada Golonga, elected Miss Cameroon on July 12, 2025, has ended abruptly. In a statement dated Feb. 25, 2026, the Miss Cameroon Organizing Committee (Comica) announced her “immediate removal,” citing “serious and repeated breaches of contractual obligations.”

Among the grievances cited were unjustified absences from several “major official events,” remarks deemed disrespectful toward the institution, the “unilateral cessation” of activities linked to her mandate, and the use of a personal manager “in violation of contractual clauses.” Despite “several requests for explanations, warnings and formal notices,” Comica said the titleholder remained in “culpable silence,” reflecting a refusal to honor her commitments.

The committee consequently stripped her of “all rights, privileges and benefits attached to the title of Miss Cameroon 2025.” The decision, signed by Ingrid Solange Amougou, president of Comica, took effect on Feb. 25, 2026, the date of notification. First runner-up Audrey Moutongo has been called upon to “ensure continuity of the function and preserve the image of the institution.”

The titleholder has implicitly challenged that account. Josiane Golonga is seeking two months of unpaid salary and the return of her official vehicle. She denies the accusations of “job abandonment” and breach of contract.

Before her removal, a final formal notice had been sent to her, giving her five days to appear at the committee’s headquarters or be considered to have resigned. The episode highlights recurring tensions between titleholders and the organization within a contractual framework that is regularly contested.

A pageant repeatedly shaken by scandals

The case is part of a series of crises that have marked the pageant’s recent history since its relaunch in 2002. In 2018, the Dec. 30, 2017 election was suspended following a complaint challenging the results. Caroline Aimée Nséké was ultimately confirmed in her role by the Yaoundé-Center Administrative Court of First Instance on July 3, 2018. The complaining candidate had sought 30 million CFA francs and the annulment of the vote.

In 2017, Julie Cheugueu Nguimfack, elected Miss Cameroon 2016, was removed for “indiscipline” and failure to comply with the code of conduct. Her crown was passed to her fourth runner-up, Ange Michèle Minkata, after several withdrawals. The former Miss denounced “maneuvers” by Comica in an open letter.

Over the years, allegations of embezzlement, harassment and disputes over sponsors’ prizes have also tarnished the pageant’s image, undermining its credibility.

State intervention: an attempt to regain control

In December 2018, citing “repeated incidents” affecting the pageant’s image, the state decided to “reclaim” the Miss Cameroon concept. The Ministry of Arts and Culture said at the time it aimed to “preserve the image of this event” and ensure its “efficient” organization.

Held under the high patronage of First Lady Chantal Biya and financially supported by the state, the pageant was presented as a national symbol. Comica resumed organizing the event in 2019 under the leadership of Ingrid Solange Amougou. Tensions, however, persist.

A structural crisis?

The recurrence of removals, legal disputes and public controversies raises questions about the pageant’s governance, including contractual ambiguity, diverging expectations, deficient communication or an imbalance in the relationship between candidates and the organization.

Presented as a showcase of culture and of “beauty, excellence and hope,” Miss Cameroon has repeatedly been overshadowed by institutional crises. The removal of the 2025 titleholder thus extends beyond an individual case and raises a broader question: can the pageant restore stability and credibility over the long term? Behind the spotlight, the issues now appear to lie in governance and transparency.

Source: Sbbc