A common proverb says “curiosity kills the cat.” However, it is not in this fashion. People are naturally attracted to success and successful people to know so much about an individual.

US-based Nigerian model, Joseph Water has been one of the revelations of the international modelling circle, which is why his life would interest anyone.

He is a Nigerian whose real name is Babalola Otitoju Joseph and doing well in the fashion and modelling business in the United States of America, where he had relocated to, for the fulfuillment of his purpose in life.

At an early age, Joseph Water understood time and season, and, was bold and courageous enough to age of 20, leave his comfort zone in Nigeria and relocated to the US to chase his modelling dream.

Back home, Joseph Water knew he would be a victim of the bleak future offering little or no opportunities; which many Nigerian youths are decrying today. Determined to preserve the seed in him, he moved at the right time, with readiness to pay the price for the top he had always dreamed of.

Like marriage, it was not a bed of roses for Joseph Water, but focus helped him keep his eyes on the ultimate prize despite combining education with his career.

At the onset of his career, he suffered rejection, stereotype, racism, ethnic profiling and even sexual harassment for a male model. But he is always reminded of his background, which provided the extra-motivation he needed to succeed.

“My worst experiences so far were issues of sexual harassment and assault. Sadly, they happen often. I remember an instance when I was shooting and a stylist touched my crotch. It was an ugly incident but I waved it off because it was a quick shoot. I’ve also had to undress in undesirable and uncomfortable public places, but over time I’ve gotten used to it”, Joseph Water recounted in an interview.

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Continuing, he said, “My best experiences are getting model casting calls, getting my headshots, and just creating my portfolio. I revel in these and it gives me a relief that I interpret as self-care.

“When some Americans get to know that I am Nigerian, they profile me as a fraudster. The preconceived notion comes mainly from the many Nigerian emails and romance scams that are sadly prevalent.

“My big lesson about racism in America borders around how some White people act as if they are oblivious to the existence of racism, and how they are passive regarding conversations that are particular to racial inequality.

“I find it utterly disturbing as they refuse to acknowledge their white privilege and how it has been institutionalized. I’ve learned to deal with rejection. Rejection feels awful but it is a basic part of human relationships, and we must adapt to receiving rejection in a healthy way that doesn’t militate our esteem.

“I can’t miss out on the importance of believing in oneself. The modelling industry has taught me that you need to believe in yourself before anyone else will. Self-worth and confidence are infectious — once you fiercely believe in yourself, a lot of things will align. It doesn’t matter who likes your style, others will just love you because people love where worth is exuded”, added Joseph Water.

He was forced to change his name as one of the ways to adapt to his new environment and the demand of his profession.

“The reason I changed my social media name from Joseph Walters was that I discovered that someone else has that name with a huge following. And changing it would exponentially increase my chances of being verified as my new name doesn’t have any other user.”

“People here (America) find it difficult to pronounce and spell my name correctly, and that informed my decision to change my name. More so, Joseph Walters (now Water) has represented my brand for six years now.”

Like a dream come true, things have taken shape for Joseph Water. He has featured on the runway of the New York Fashion Week, and most recently, the Atlanta Fashion Week Show. The Nigerian has also graced the covers of glamour magazines such as ‘Krave’ and ‘Slay’.