She had delayed telling her mother about
her entry in the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant, intending to only
break the news
to her if she was able to scale the regional screening to make the national
finalists.
However, to her utter surprise she got a
call from her mother even before the screening had even taken place asking
Akudo if she had entered for any competition.
A surprised daughter was forced to admit
that she had and then asked mum why she was asking.
“Because I dreamt that you won and I was
very happy for you!’
This was one of the startling insights
disclosed by newly crowned Miss Nigeria, Miss Akudo Ezinne Anyaoha during a very
frank down to earth chat with Daily Times at the very imposing Intercontinental
Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Still only 23, the Abia State University
law graduate, came across as very witty and mature beyond her years as she spoke
on a variety of topics including her reaction to being crowned Miss Nigeria
2013.
Akudo said after her mother’s phone call,
both of them decided to put it in prayers and leave it to the Almighty to
decide the outcome of her sojourn, which as we now know ended in triumph.
“Since my victory my mother has been
receiving even more congratulatory phone calls them even I the winner,” she
said with a big smile.
Turning more seriously, she said she knows
that being crowned Miss Nigeria has transformed her and she intends to use her
new found status to push one of pet causes – violence and rape against women.
Explaining that she has had a close
experience with rape, having had one her friends subjected to the harrowing
ordeal last year, Akudo said she would be using the Miss Nigeria platform to
draw attention to it.
“I hope to get other finalists involved to
because it can happen to any woman and we need to stamp it out. After seeing
what my friend went through I would not wish any person to also have to go
through the same ordeal,” she said.
Clearly a religious person, Akudo said as a
leader in the church she hardly attended social gathering which young girls of
her age usually do while in school because she was aware of the responsibility
she was carrying by virtue of her position in the church.
“I knew I had to be a role model I couldn’t
afford to be caught up in any scandal as church leader, which was why I usually
stayed away from most social events. It was mostly class and hostel for me.”
Second in a family of three girls and a
boy, Akudo confessed that she was still in dream land following her Miss
Nigeria triumph.
“It still hasn’t quite sunk in to be
honest. I never expected that I would be crowned because there were so many
other pretty contestants but God in his infinity mercy decided that I would be
the one!”
And her advice to other youngsters, Akudo,
who intends to go to law school after her Miss Nigeria reign, said: “They
should follow their dreams. They shouldn’t let anyone run them down. Passion
should be their guide because it is only God that knows what is in store for
everyone.”
Meanwhile, organisers have once again
extended there sincere appreciation to all the sponsors who made the show
possible including Vlisco, whose designer, Mrs Ogunsanwo of House of Jasmine,
clad the girls in 21dresses, a feat that took 24 hours for the House of Jasmine
to accomplish.
Vlisco, whose designs were eclectic, from
slinky streamlined designs to stylish bulbous frocks, has promised to keep Miss
Nigeria, true to her African roots with their 2013 collection of vibrant prints
throughout the year of her reign.
Daily Times
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