How do you react to some negative
reports about you?
First thing, I just laugh about it.
Really, it hits me and it's funny. I think about it that people can actually
sit down and create stories out of nothing. I guess Nigerians are very
creative, maybe that's why our Nollywood is thriving. People just make up
stories from thin air. I have read stories about other celebrities and these
stories have an atom of truth one way or another. But when it comes to me it's
always stories developed from thin air. People just like to think- what is she
doing? What is she up to? They don't understand me so they try to figure me
out. And because they have no information they just try to develop something
that is possible with her image. Or, somebody that is beautiful and an ex
beauty queen, therefore that's what she can do. So all of those things are out
of their imagination and probably what they would do if they were in my
situation. That's what they bring up and that's what they try to create. Glory
be to God that they always come back and apologise to me about most of these
false stories. I am just grateful that most of them are always cleared up. Even
the ones that are not cleared up with time people eventually realize that they
are all lies. I guess I am an easy victim because I am a young lady, an
ex-beauty queen and I am responsible, but people don't want to see you in that
light. People want to see you in an irresponsible light; people want to see you
in a negative way. Meanwhile, deep down inside they know you have the most
positive vibe that a woman can offer. Even if you go for a business meeting,
any man you are seen talking to automatically you are dating. Even friends I
have that are male, automatically people just feel I am dating them while I am
not. I am a woman. There are only two breeds of human beings in this life-women
and men. And I would have friends on both sides-women and men, so I can't say I
am going to keep only women as friends. I have brothers. I have my dad and
uncles; people that are part of my life. So I won't say because of society I
will stay away from opposite sex. It's just unfortunate but God's will shall
prevail. People eventually see that these things are not true because of the
type of person I am-my upbringing, family and personality.
Can you mention some of those negative
reports against you?
Someone once lied that we were dating.
He lied that we were in a relationship for years. A journalist actually
interviewed him but later on they found out that it was a lie; that he just got
caught up in the situation and wanted to claim. So he came back and apologised
through the same paper saying that he was sorry, and that he was an impostor. Even
the paper apologised because they had written a list of men that I have been
dating. These people happen to be friends with my father, mother. Some are
uncles to me, even my pastor in church. Recently they said I am in a
relationship with someone in Aso Rock, Abuja, a person that I don't even know.
As a matter of fact, it is not me. I don't even know where Aso Rock is. I
really wish I knew, but I don't. Maybe they are talking of someone else. It
must be mistaken identity. So I think people should really check and confirm
these stories but if they are not careful they would be sued to court because I
am not someone that anyone should mess with because I am a scandal-free person.
I have a very clean image. For people to start imposing scandals on me, I think
it is very offensive and very insulting. I have finished doing my Masters and I
have heard about five different ways I paid for it. Why do people want to
create unnecessary confusion and negativity about such a positive thing in my
life. As a celebrity, people will always write that you are dating one man or
the other. This is normal. In fact I think the only person they have not
mentioned is the president. They are even only making me more popular so I
don't care. Even Jesus Christ had false accusations so who am I?
Some even said you dropped out of
school. How true is this?
Imagine that. I went to school,
University of Lagos with thousands of students, walking up and down, and they
see me. My lecturers were amazing people that supported me. They were very
happy for me because I represented the department well. For me to hear that I
dropped out was very fascinating to me. I never dropped out of school. As a
matter of fact, usually most beauty queens go abroad immediately after their
reign, but I went back to UNILAG, and as tough as it was, I dealt with it. I
had to stoop to conquer, and glory be to God, I came out with a Second Class
Upper from UNILAG. I studied Geography. Quite unusual I came out with a high
GPA. I finished and went for my Master at Kings College, London where I studied
Environmental Modelling Monitoring and Management.
So, what exactly are you doing now?
I have rounded off my programme. I have
gone into environmental consultancy. We are into mopping as well. GRS is a new
software. People are just getting used to the system in Nigeria, but globally,
it is a fast selling industry because people are using it for navigation,
location and analysis. There are many other things that I am coming up with
that would unfold as time goes on.
How is life after crown?
It's been amazing and wonderful. It's
been one thing or the another. I went for Miss Tourism in Ukraine and won that.
I went to Miss World. It was an amazing experience. I have done a lot of things
in different countries.
What lessons did you learn during your
reign as MBGN?
I learnt about people; dealing with
human beings. There are different kinds of people and they have different
purposes in life. So the way you relate with people is different so you have to
learn good public skill to survive in Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of people;
It's about skill, ability and capacity to deal with the people.
What are life challenges you have faced
so far?
Everyday is a challenge. It's not easy
to point them out. Everyday there is one challenge or another as a human being
but God has been faithful and He has gracefully carried me through every
challenge I have faced in my life, and I have overcome every challenge.
How?
It depends on the challenge. There are
so many challenges everyday. Living in Nigeria is even a challenge.
What does life mean to you?
Life means living in your full
potentials and achieving your purpose. To so many people, life is enjoying and
living it. But to me, it's about purpose. It's about defining yourself and
maximizing your potentials. Every human being is like a time bomb waiting to
happen. If you don't maximize your potentials you will never take off. So, for
me, life is about fulfilling your purpose and maximizing your potentials.
Who is a successful person?
A successful person is someone that
values his life and values people around him, and achieves his goal. Everybody
has different goals. Some people have the goal of having money and private jet.
And they achieve it. That's success to them. Some people have the goal of
getting married and having children. Success is what you define. They say
beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. That's how success is. Whatever you say
is your success is success. To me, it's not monetary terms, because you can
have money and not be successful. And you can be very successful and not have
money. All these people that win Nobel prizes, activists, such people that are
celebrated, are successful. There are people in this country that have money
more than Nelson Mandela, but he is successful because he has made a
difference. But some other people have all the money in the world but they are
not successful. So, there is a big difference between just having money,
properties, private jets and adding value to people's life and they praise and
celebrate you. That is a true success.
What drives you in life?
What drives me is knowing that I am
doing what God wants me to do; I am following my path. I wake up everyday
thinking, "I am following my path". There are popular things to do.
There are popular things where you feel you make money from. There are popular
things you think you get popularity and fame from, but that might not be your
purpose, because when you are doing your purpose, when you are doing what you
should be doing, all those things will come. So, for me, it drives me to know
that I am not a mistake. God has put me in a position. Everything that has
happened in my life has been through the grace of God. I never compromised
myself to get to where I am. So, if that can happen, that will tell you there
is a purpose. As long as I am on the right path, I am good to go. So that
drives me. Do I get joy from what I am doing? Am I feeling fulfilled and
satisfied? Go and get it. That's what drives me.
What particularly do you have passion
for?
I have passion for people. I like to
see people do well. I like to encourage people especially women. I have passion
for children as well. My name is Omowunmi, which means, "I love
children". When I see children in pains I get teary eyes.
Are you in a relationship?
I am not in a relationship. I am very
single.
How best do you like to dress?
Very simple, elegant and sophisticated.
That's my style. I don't wear so many things. I wear outfit; I don't like the
outfit to wear me. I make sure my personality shines through what I am wearing,
so when I am overloaded, I don't look good because my beauty is in my
personality. If I smile when I am wearing so many things, you may not even
notice my smile. You will just be looking barely at my physical. But my charm
and grace, all form my beauty, and they form into what I wear. So, I am very
simple and classic.
Are you a designer freak?
Not actually, but yes again, because I
have a lot of things that are not designer, and at the same time I have many
things that are designer. Yes, I am a bit of designer freak, I must confess. I
love it but I am very classic. I am very vintage in the designer things. For
instance, the things I have from Channel are very vintage. So, that's where my
craze for designer things come up.
Can you count your shoes?
No, I can't count them
Are you a trend follower?
No, I don't follow trend. I am more of
a classic person. I am a little traditional in modern ways. I wear trendy things
but I don't necessarily follow trend because I know that the trend would be out
of style by next month. So there is no point investing in such item when you
know that in the next few months it would be outdated. When something is in
trend, I don't wear it because it will look like I made so much effort to get
it and wear it, and to say that I am around. No. But when you wear things that
are timeless, you look fantastic, so when they see you, they won't understand
why you look so good.
What's your beauty routine like?
I wash my face before I sleep at night.
The rest is a secret. If I tell you it won't be a secret anymore.
Sound responsible.
ReplyDelete