Former Miss Antigua turns 100 today

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Ruth Emily Adjorlolo (née Henry) is a former beauty queen who later worked for the United Nations
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A former Miss Antigua becomes the country’s newest centenarian today.

Ruth Emily Adjorlolo (née Henry) was born at home at St Mary’s Street on October 3 1923 at 9.30am to Roland and Therese Henry. She was the eldest of eight children, the second of whom sadly died in infancy.

Ruth attended Antigua Girls’ High School from May 1930 to December 1941 and was a prefect. In December 1940 she passed the School Certificate at the level required for exemption from the matriculation of the University of London and obtained a distinction in English Language.

Ms Branch, then headmistress, wrote in her report: “Ruth was an influence for good during her life at school. She is honourable, industrious, courteous and helpful. She has a particularly bright and cheerful manner. 

“She showed a great interest in social welfare work while at school. In the last year of her school life she was awarded the prize offered by Lady Stockdale to the girl who had done most work for social welfare.  She has never lost this interest and has continued her work among the poorer girls of the community.”

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In 1948 Ruth was selected to be Miss Antigua. She has always said she didn’t choose to be Miss Antigua; it was a decision made for her by “the ladies”. However, no one has ever disagreed with the decision.

 Ruth later left Antigua for New York. She took up a position in the Social Affairs Department of the Human Rights Division at the United Nations. At the time the offices were situated at Lake Success. The headquarters later moved to midtown Manhattan. 

At the United Nations she worked with Eleanor Roosevelt and was involved in the draft of the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights. Something Eleanor Roosevelt used to say that Ruth has never forgotten is, “irrespective of race, colour or creed, people laugh and cry at the same things”.

It was in New York that Ruth met Eric Adjorlolo, a student from the Gold Coast (now Ghana) who was studying journalism at Columbia University. They married in 1952 and, following his graduation with two Master’s degrees from Columbia, the family moved to the Gold Coast in December 1955.

This was an exciting period in British colonial history as many of the now former British colonies were advocating self-rule and independence. The Gold Coast gained independence from Britain on March 6 1957.

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Eric Adjorlolo at the time was head of news at the then Ghana Broadcasting System. As such Ruth and her husband were in the frontline of all the activities; a once in a lifetime historical experience. 

Not long after independence, Ruth’s sister Gerda Hewlett and their two children accompanied her husband Cecil Hewlett, a lawyer who had taken up a position in the Ghana legal service. It was a time when many professionals from the Caribbean came to work in the newly independent country. Ruth enjoyed having her sister and family in Ghana.

Over the years Ruth has travelled extensively with her husband and on her own. The family lived in Montreal, Canada, for two years from 1964 to 1966. During this time Ruth undertook a course in philosophy at McGill University.

Ruth has worked for a number of organisations in several roles, mainly in public relations and media. These have included First Ghana Building Society, Shell (Ghana) Ltd, Union Carbide, and Texaco.

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In 1970, Ruth set up the first Zonta Club of Accra in Ghana. Zonta is an international organisation of professional women whose aim is to build a better world for women and girls through service and advocacy. The club has grown and gone from strength to strength. Ruth was invited to carry out a UN project set up to train ladies in southern Africa in skills that enabled them to earn a living and provide for their families.

Like many in her family, Ruth is a talented artist. Art and painting are among her passions. She set up the “Art Den” in an outhouse of their home in Accra where she offered art lessons.

“Ruth always made the most of every opportunity,” a family statement said. “There are always options and alternatives. She is enthusiastic about learning and every day is school day. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade.

“Ruth has a great sense of humour and a strong faith. These make life’s paths easier to traverse.”

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