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.  and still refuses to return to Ethiopia, to resume her studies, which she secretly withdrew from at the ADDIAS ABAB UNIVERSITY [without 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.

Yodit a universitry student was paid a monthl salalry of 2500 Ethiopian Birr [ Equivalent to a Bank managers salary in Ethiopia] and sent to 3 top International pageants to promote Ethiopia, however she has now decided to breach her contract and pursue her own agenda of trying to become an Actress in the Phillipines, all at the expense of her title and education.

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.

The need for Miss Getahun to be open and honest and communicate to us whom ever approaches her, is totally lalcking and 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 been 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 WHO ENGAGES IN ANY FORM OF BUSINESS CONTAC WITH MISS GETAHUN BELIEVING HER TO STILL BE MISS ETHIOPIA WORLD 2003, DOES SO ENTIRELY AT THEIR OWN RISK, AND NEITHER THE ETHIOPIAN LIFE FOUNDATION NOR ANY OF ITS OFFICERS SHALL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FINANCIAL LOSS SUFFERD AS A RESULT OF MISS GETAHUNS ILLEGAL MISREPRESENTATION AND IMPERSONATION OF MISS ETHIOPIA WORLD 2003.