‘How I cope as former MBGN winner’
‘I can have another shot at marriage’
BY CHRISTY ANYANWU
In the late 1980s through early 90s many Nigerians would remember Omasan Buwa as that delectable lady who took Nigeria’s entertainment scene by storm when she won the 1987 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Beauty Pageant. Thirty years down the line, the Delta-State-born ex-beauty queen have gone through it all; schooling, marriage, separation, social work and Politics. Currently, the single mother of three and former Executive Assistant to ex-Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on Issues with Disabled People is a socio-political analyst on radio, and a columnist. Graceful while aging, Omasan still has flashes of those traits that made her the adorable queen of pageants, several years back. In this interview, she speaks about her current endeavours, plans for the future and lots more.
After serving in Delta State, what are you into currently?
After my service in Delta State, I returned to social work. I went back to my first love, the media. I am a presenter of Amazon, a TV talk show. I featured in one or two movies after which I found myself on radio. I’m a public affairs analyst. I started with W.F.M, I had one or two shows on Classic FM. Currently, I’m with Radio Continental. I also found myself doing a lot of monitoring of kids. During International Women’s Day for instance, I was a compere at a film show. Perhaps you had forgotten, Ben Bruce and I used to compere Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Morning Ride with Danladi Bako. These are things that come to me naturally and easily.
So, you are based in Lagos now?
I still travel to Asaba but I’m in Lagos.
How long did you stay in Delta State?
I was there from 2009 to 2016. That was six years.
You are naturally a bubbling person, how were you able to cope in those six years in Delta State?
When you say bubbling life, I enjoy my company. I found it very difficult to even get up and go out. Most of the time, I stayed indoor in Asaba. I toured all the local government areas. I visited the creeks, I took pictures of the creeks. Perhaps, I would retire to bed at 2am. Have it in mind that I was the Executive Assistant to the Governor for Persons with Disabilities, I only digressed to deal with women in the grassroots. I was also on the environmental team. I visited the markets on assignments. It was quite fun. People often said that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was stingy with money, but you had to work for your money. Returning from overseas, I had to learn to relate with the people. We enjoyed learning to fit into the system like the people who were there before us. I want to thank God and the former Governor for that and I’m happy to be back in Lagos too.
You’ve had a feel of what politics in Nigeria is all about. Ahead of 2019, what are your plans?
After I completed my assignment here, I could have returned to the U.S. I have a degree in Law from a university overseas.To be honest with you, my friends read on Facebook that there’s no light in Nigeria for instance. They advised me to return to the US. What are you doing there? They often asked but I told them that I had not come this far to serve and give up here. I love this country. I monitor youths every day. You walk into restaurants or somewhere else, you would see the young lady at the counter not smiling. When you ask her why she’s not smiling. It was then you would observe that the youths of today hardly smile. Even when you pay them a compliment, they are aggressive in their replies because we rarely talk to them.That is everyday mentoring.Thank God nobody has money anymore, nobody can sell or buy votes as it used to happen in the past, I also want to encourage more women to come out
What has life taught you as a person?
You’re aware that the older you become, the better you understand what being spiritual means. We all grew up going to church but the older you become, the better you understand what spirituality and grace is all about. Currently, I pray for the grace to make the right decision. When I was younger, I would have done that but now, you have to look at what you have put down. Except things get so bad maybe there’s no light for one whole year and I got tired of the noise of the generator. These are the little things that matter to me, I am not moved by wealth. You can afford to go on holidays once in a while. Whether it is first class, business class, economy, we are all heading toward the same destination. I am 51 now. I had attended the burial of old school mates. At this juncture, I should start thinking about what people would say about me when I’m dead.
You still look beautiful. Do you do anything special
Flattery oh! People say that. One lady and I really appreciate being offered compliments because we Nigerian Women don’t give compliment to one another. It is not competition. When you come across a fine person, tell her she’s fine. That lady shouted, you are beautiful! I looked behind me, I thought she was talking to someone else. My looking good is just God’s grace but I try and take care of my skin. I drink so much water, I exercise my body. I’m actually hyperactive, I exercise, I sit all out, I don’t eat too much. I lost my mother in December 2016 and I noticed that since then, I have been eating stuffs I don’t usually eat. Meanwhile, I have gone back to fruits and vegetables but I still work out. I have to look beautiful, I will be a judge at a beauty pageant soon and before people look at me and start saying how can these one be a judge?
This is coupled with the fact that you were formerly, a beauty queen?
That thing puts on me, a lot of pressure. People don’t even know that I have a law degree. The fact that I write, I act; all they remember about me is that I was a Beauty Queen (people no know say I know book).
How are your children doing?
They are all in school.They are going to complete their education next year. I have to be honest with myself. Marriage is not in the horizon right now. Having said that, I don’t want to grow old all alone but when the time comes, maybe I will pack my load and go to Australia (laughs). Even as a single. I’m still vibrant, I don’t even have a domestic help now, rather my friends and relations come over to my house. I don’t have anybody staying with me. However, there’s a lady who comes around to clean my house. About settling down, if the right person comes along why not? But having said that, I’m doing fine.
Can you tell us five fashion items you cannot do without?
I consider my hair as a fashion item. I wore my natural locks way back then. Nigerians called it Dada but they have all embraced it now. So, be on the look out for Omasan Natural Products. I consult for a lot of lock sisters I use my lemon home products now. I love my hair. I do a lot of things with it, I colour it, I shave it at the side. I cannot do without perfumes. I love fragrances. I have wrist watches. but I lost a good number of them when I returned to Nigeria. Somehow, they disappeared. I don’t lock my doors even when I keep a full house, the things get disappeared, including my gold.. I like shoes. I don’t know why shoes don’t last in Nigeria. I don’t know if it’s the heat or A.C. I pay a lot of attention to my sport wears because I work out often and you need good sneakers to do that. I love sneakers. I am very athletic. Even last year I ran in London 100 meters.
All the schools in Nigeria came together our government colleges lay college, Queens College etc. allget together. This year am training for it because my school got to win. Our Lady of Apostles Methodist Girls High School.