Modeling and Pageantry going to the next level in Nigeria and Africa

                                                                                    By Emmanuel Esegbue Bertrams

Nwa Ada Ndokwa Organization is a socio- cultural organization set up to promote the social and cultural heritage of  Ndokwa people who occupy Ndokwa East,  Ndokwa West and UKwuani Local Government Areas of Delta State.

A principal focus of the non governmental organization (NGO) is to project and promote the social and cultural values of the Ndokwa woman, using beauty pageantry as a vehicle toward achieving the goal.

The organization also is concerned and proactively involved in protecting the rights of the girl child, fighting cultural practices against women, such as female genital mutilation and oppression of widows etc.

Behind this human and societal developmental institution, is a young woman, whose antecedent easily defines her as a woman living a purpose driven life.

Queen Valeen Oseh combines beauty and brains and she has gradually emerged as one of Ndokwa daughters who are determined to add value to her father’s land by ensuring that her education and brand identity as a model and beauty queen with multiple awards in pageantry are utilized to provide a voice and direction for the coming generation of Ndokwa Youths, especially ‘woman and the girl child’.

Queen Valeen Oseh is a First Class graduate of Computer Science, of the Delta State University, Abraka. She is currently rounding up her National Youth Service programme at the Taraba State University, Jalingo where she is currently lecturing. After participating and winning various laurels in pageantry, she established the Nwa-Ada Ndokwa Organization in 2012, to organize the annually Nwa-Ada Ndokwa Cultural  Beauty Pageant which she has organized annually since 2012.

She is currently putting resources together to host the 2016 (5th Edition) pageant with a promise to move the pageant to the next level.

Queen Valeen Oseh granted this interview to Emmanuel Esegbue Bertrams, a veteran Journalist and media consultant.

Below are excerpts of the interview.

Introduction

I am Queen Valeen Oseh by name, a first class graduate of Delta State University (Delsu) I read Computer Science in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Computer Science Unit and graduated in 2014.

I am rounding up my youth service this October 6th 2016, and I am currently serving in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Taraba State University where I lecture.

           

I am the CEO Tisova Relief Concepts, organizers of the annual Nwa-Ada Ndokwa Cultural Beauty Pageant which is a traditional pageant designed to rekindle the cultural values of Ndokwa people & empower the girl child.

Asides being a First Class graduate, I am a Model, Actress, Presenter, Fashion Designer, professional make up artiste, motivational speaker, writer, Editor of articles of any kind, Farmer (currently thinking of starting my personal farm), project manager, Events planner, and a Giver. The list looks endless but it is what it is.

When did you host the 1st pageant?           

The 1st Pageant was organized in 2012. By that time, it was Nwa-Ada Ukwuani Cultural Beauty Pageant and it held annually till year 2014 when we changed the name to Nwa  Ada Ndokwa Cultural Beauty Pageant to reflect the nationality of Ndokwa Nation as one unified ethnic nation with one history and one future.

What inspired the vision to organize the pageant?

First and foremost, Nwa Ada Ndokwa was a dream I had for somebody else. As a growing child, I was fortunate enough to have schooled outside my Local Government which includes my nursery, primary, secondary, diploma and degree education which I did in Delsu and that exposed me to a lot of events and concepts. These exposures made me think, first of my origin, which is Ndokwa and how they could benefit from social events like pageantry.

At that time there was a tall pretty girl I always admired and wished she could start up events like this. I held on to that dream for her for years until after I attended a Pageant in 2012 and emerged Second Runner Up that I personalized that dream. I realized being tall, pretty and beautiful wasn’t just enough. We have dreams for other people yet fail to put ourselves in that dream, its just like individuals expecting so much from the Government without thinking of what they can do for themselves and also the Government. With that understanding, I decided to start and not wait for manners to fall from heaven as I believe that Ndokwa can produce the next MBGN and MISS WORLD.

As a student I contested Miss Ndokwa Delsu Chapter in 2009 and Miss Ndokwa (NUNS) National. Actually I am the first FUNS National Queen. I also won the Miss Ndokwa Delsu Chapter.

I also contested Nwada Anioma and emerged Second Runner-Up. This was 2012 and Miss Peace Delta State which I won that same year. Also, I participated in Delta Talent Quest Acting Reality TV show; a Project of the Delta State Government and I was the only Ndokwa person out of the 10 persons that were selected among thousands that auditioned for the event in Warri, Sapele and Asaba; that made it to the house where we were camped for one month and I eventually emerged the 3rd position in 2011 with Three hundred thousand naira cash prize from the state Government. I have been a State Ambassador since 2011.

           

All these experiences I gathered gave me the knowledge and inspiration to come up with the Nwa-Ada Ndokwa Concept and it took a cultural dimension to change people’s mindset towards pageantry.

           

How were you able to combine your academics with these pageants you participated in and organize?

Actually, at that time I started, it was very challenging but I didn’t lose sight of my academic pursuits because my priority was coming out with a First Class. I was able to juggle both of them in such a way that there wasn’t a clash between both.

My events were usually scheduled to hold during the holidays, December to be precise. The ones I participated, I ensured they were not during school time, I also read ahead.

Can you give us a clear picture of the objectives of the Nwa Ada Ndokwa which you desire to achieve?

NWA-ADA NDOKWA is not just a pageant, it is a vision. It is a voice for the girl child. The pageant was conceived to showcase and promote the cultural heritage of Ndokwa people.

It is to promote the growth and development of Ndokwa tourism industry. It is to train and groom young and talented Ndokwa daughters with the aim of promoting the cultural and traditional values of womanhood.

           

We are using the pageant as a vehicle to fight social vices like Prostitution, rape, female genital mutilation, gender equality, etc. This we will achieve through female rights Advocacy and demonstrating the power and values of women in our family system and community lives.

It is also designed to serve as a serious voice for the womenfolk of Ndokwa nation especially the girl-child, female and women in general. We are interested in promoting feminine gender. We are the voice against rape, female genital mutilation, prostitution, human trafficking, cultural practices against widows and relegation of women generally in relationship, politics and business.

What reform(s) do you have in place to address the general perception that pageantry is a morally depraved event?

We don’t actually encourage undue exposure of cleaverage, because of the general outcry against such practice. But it is wrong to completely dismiss the bikini culture because it’s foreign and English. If you look back into the mainstream African Cultural heritage, you will notice that what we call mbenuku is actually the English swimsuit. It merely covers the breast and pelvic region.

           

Even in the earlier times, take the time of Adam and Eve for instance, when they became conscious of their nakedness, they covered their breast and pelvic region with leaves and felt dressed.

           

However, humanity has moved and gone a long way in terms of fashion and moral values. If we criticize indecent exposure in pageant, what do we say about the new fashion wave that sees people supposedly fully dressed, but with their breast and pelvic regions exposed by handless tops and skirt slights?

So, considering that our culture frowns at immorality either in fashion or language, we now tailored our pageant in conformation with the ideals of our cultural heritage.

What are your major challenges in your effort to organizing the annual event?

My major challenges have been funding and inability to get sponsors to partner with us.

Another challenge would have been inability to attract contestants but this is minor because it’s subject to finance. Contestants want to be sure of what they would get when they win, so good sponsorship with attractive prizes would motivate beautiful girls with talent to come out to showcase their natural endowments.

 Also, we have parental factor. Some parents would not want to allow their children to come out to contest due to the wrong perception that pageantry is an indecent art. I also want to use this medium to appeal to parents to allow their children come out and participate because their fears is actually the reason  Nwa-Ada Ndokwa is in existence.

If you have the needed funds, what improvement would you record in your future editions?

With needed funds, we will do more research on our cultural heritage, give the events a wider and more intensive publicity, and get great (attractive) prizes both materially and financially to attract contestants.

Also, we need fund to put the pageant on the world stage by giving it national and international coverage so that Ndokwa Culture and identity will get world attention.

We will be able to get professional consultants to tutor and groom our contestants as resource persons during their camping period.

We would also be able to purchase a bus to convey the contestants and crew members to strategic locations during camping as well as get a branded car for The Queen to enable her carryout her pet project during her one year reign.

Checkout for the publication of part 2 in a week time… stay connected with us till then.