‘I’ve Always Wanted to Put Smiles on People’s Faces’
An Anambra indigene, Chiamaka Chukwura, who emerged the 10th winner of the Sisi Oge 2017 Cultural Pageant contest organised by No.1 Heritage Solutions, in this interview with Mary Ekah, spoke about her many projects, including her pet project, Connecting
What has it been like wearing the Sisi Oge crown?
It’s been a lot of experience, work and learning, representing Africa in the last four months. Before Sisi Oge, what I’ve always had in mind to do is to put smiles on people’s faces in any way I could. This platform will however help me reach a wider audience. And that is exactly what I have been doing through my pet project, Connecting Smiles. Apart from that, I organised a Children’s Day event last May during which I had hundreds of children to talk to and put smiles on their faces. I also went to Dubai to inspire culture. On seeing me in my African outfits, the people there were so overwhelmed and happy. Same thing happened in the UK. The African culture keeps thrilling people everywhere I go. Those are some of the things I’ve been up to in the past four months.
Tell us more about your Connecting Smiles project?
The Connecting Smiles concept is a platform through which I aimed at reaching a wider audience and putting smiles on their faces. It comprises women empowerment and skills acquisition which will enable women feed their families. I’m a shoe designer so, in about two months, I also plan to give out over a thousand pairs of shoes to children. I believe doing this will be a landmark achievement for me. It’s a back-to-school project.
I do also have plans for youths and that’s a skills acquisition programme which I have in place for young girls. The idea is to empower and make them look inward, so they can realise that there are lots they can achieve. It’s not about waiting for somebody to give them jobs; they can be job creators themselves and that’s why I want to embark on entrepreneurship and skills acquisition programmes so they can be better equipped to become job creators.
How will Connecting Smiles be different from the existing empowerment programmes?
A lot of the empowerment projects we have out there are not result-oriented, and that is because people do not identify the needs of people before embarking on projects. The thrust of Connecting Smiles is to develop people, help them discover their talents, boost trade and entrepreneurship in the society. How? Whether we like it or not, we all cannot work in banks or other corporate institutions. The first thing will be to identify these people, know their individual strengths and who to connect them with. We find out that a lot of people do great things in different ways. So we will look at individual strengths, and come up with unique methods of doing those trades they are individually doing. They can then be stronger, more productive and in return, society in general will benefit. We will be working with local and international agencies who believe in these ideas. The project will also help to build trust amongst people.
What in the first place motivated you to contest in the Sisi Oge of Africa beauty pageant?
Sisi Oge of Africa pageant aims to promote African values, culture and identity regardless of ethnicity. It’s open to everyone regardless of your state of origin, so my tribe has got nothing to do with it. Over the years, the pageant has produced nine beauty queens before me and if you look at the demographics of these beauty queens, you’ll realise majority of them are not from Yoruba land.
What made you stand out to win the crown?
I put in my best. I said the things I needed to say on point. I think everything just worked in my favour and being intelligent also helps during a time like this. What has changed about you since you won the crown?
Nothing much; I’m still the same person that I was, even though it’s a little different since people always want to take picture with me and of me everywhere I go. Personally, nothing has changed. I try as much as possible to still be that person I’ve always been. I still study at the National Open University where I’m running a programme in Entrepreneurship. Coping with studies and being a beauty queen has not been easy but I am trying as much as possible to find a balance.
Was Sisis Oge your first time in a beauty contest?
I’ve participated in one and that was Miss Ambassador for Peace. Apart from that, I also model in fashion shows and on billboards. I also featured in ‘10 Days in Sun City’, a movie that premiered few weeks ago. That was my first movie experience.
Do you plan to build a career in acting? If a script comes and it’s good, I will take it.
Can you tell us about your experience growing up?
Growing up was fun. I grew up with my mother and sisters in Lagos. As a child, I was looking up to being a great TV star.
At what age did you first go on the runway?
At age 16 and that was when I participated at the Nigerian Television Fashion Show. That was my first modelling job.
Anyone wearing the Sisi Oge crown should be able to well represent the essence of the Sisi Oge pageant which is to promote culture. How will you relate your upbringing to your emergence as the winner this time?
My mum has always been particular about everything African. In fact, there isn’t much difference between Sisi Oge’s ideal and my upbringing. I’m used to being cultural, modest and African. I also speak my language fluently.
What is your advice to ladies who want to be a queen like you?
Be sure that this is what you want to do. It’s a lot of hard work but be confident, make sure you are intelligent and the sky will be your limit.