by okoye oyinye sandra

Last year, she emerged Miss Tourism, Imo State and she is dreaming of winning Miss Tourism Nigeria crown. Welcome to the world of 18 year-old Chisom Ashley Nnadozie, reigning Miss Tourism, Imo State. In this chat with Entertainer, Chisom opens up on her challenges, growing up without a dad and how she clinched the crown.

Tell us about yourself?

I am a 200-Level student of History & International Relations of Imo State University, Owerri. I love singing, dancing, shopping, art works and reading but my passion for music has no limits.

How was your growing up like?

Growing up, for me, was fun. I come from a family of  three and I am the first. I grew up with my mum because my dad is late. I live in Port Harcourt. Growing up wasn’t easy because it was only my mum who was taking care of my siblings. After my dad passed on, I had to support my mum one way or the other. I learnt to be a grown-up overnight.

How did you get into modeling?

I’ve always had eyes for modeling, even as a kid. When I was much younger, I looked up to Agbani Darego and always wanted to be like her. I was always watching  runway shows on TV and mimicking them. Sometimes, I would call my family members and entertain them by cat-walking, singing and dancing before them.They believed in my passion for modeling and like I said, I became  the first queen of my school.

Who inspired you?

It was Agbani Darego because I have seen a lot of her. She has always been my role model. She was literally the first person I looked up to. At some point, people  referred to me as Agbani and my aunt would always call me Miss World and mum was in full support of my carrier.

What other things  do  you do aside modeling?

I do Red Carpet events and I’m a presenter.

What challenges did you face in camp?

I faced a lot of challenges. Sometimes, I would have  exams to write and you could imagine  how stressful it could be but God in his infinite mercies did it. Also, sponsorship wasn’t easy because of economic recession but God proved me wrong again. Contesting wasn’t easy because there was competition. However, my confidence helped me to pull through.

So, how did you get into the contest? 

A friend  of  mine encouraged me because I wasn’t  really  interested initially. He was like ‘go and audition Ashley, I believe in you.’ Even at a point I was close to giving up but he said I should  try and that was how I got in.

There is this belief that models sleep with their sponsors  or judges to get to the peak of their careers. Is that true?

I would say it is not true as far as I am concerned because I feel if you want to do something with anybody, it is your decision, your choice. Nobody has to push you. I won my crown genuinely.

Are you saying you were never approached?

No! I have never been approached by any judge or sponsor.

Did you see your self winning?

Well, I had this massive confidence in myself and I believed I was going to win. I would say belief and confidence in myself helped me.

How did you feel winning?

I felt good. I almost ruined my makeup with tears. I wasn’t expecting it at some point so it was like a dream come true. Now I am looking forward  to what  the future has for me and my crown.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I see myself in a better position. I would be contesting for Miss Tourism Nigeria  this year, hoping  to achieve greater things.

What advice do you have for your colleagues out there?

They must remain focused, polite and not be in a hurry to jump into anything because there are fraudsters around. They should be sure of what they are going into and make sure it is real.  They should also have it in mind that what is theirs, will be theirs.