By Emeka Anokwuru
The greatest challenge facing tourism in Nigeria is how to generate inbound traffic to the various endowments that abound. This is the area that Ifeoma Anya, Miss Tourism 2015 feels challenged about and as the reigning queen, she plans to deploy everything at her disposal to market these unique sites to the world. In this interview, Anya highlights some of the steps she would take to encourage tourists and visitors to come and explore what she called ‘the most beautiful country in West Africa’. Excerpts…

WHAT inspired you to contest Miss Tourism?
The thing is that I love traveling, I like visiting new places and seeing new things. While I was in London, during one such trip, I toured the city and I visited some other countries like the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Morocco (Casablanca) and Italy where I saw beautiful things. Everything about them, their tourism centres and attractions are lovely and mind blowing. I said to myself we can actually have things like that here, we can have a pageant here, there should be a pageant in Nigeria like Miss Tourism that can help promote tourism in the country. I asked my friends about it and they told me there’s something like that so when I came back I decided to contest for this because I wanted to do something for tourism here in Nigeria.
What were the qualities that enhanced your performance? How did you edge out others?
I’d say my composure, the way I answered questions and my charisma, all these actually brought me out and took me away from other contestants.
What level of encouragement did you get from your parents during your preparations?
My parents have been very supportive. God blessed me with understanding parents. They told me whatever I want to do in life; they’d be behind me so I got a hundred percent support from my family, especially my brother.
Now you have been crowned, what do you intend to do during your reign?
I’d like to go to some rural communities in Nigeria and donate boreholes because there are some communities in Abuja, most especially away from the big city that do not have water or light, no amenities. I’d like to donate boreholes, and also renovate bus stops. We have bus stops in Nigeria but people don’t really know them. All they do is just come somewhere and stand. I want to make something fanciful, recreate something beautiful for the bus stops where people can come, sit down, and read, while waiting for the bus. I love kids. I won’t say I just want to go to the orphanage home and visit only, no, I want to go there, take them out, show them some lovely tourism centres in Lagos. For instance we have La Campagne Tropicana Resort, Ikegun. It is a beautiful place. I’d take the kids and let them feel life there and show them a new life, that place is great. Let them know actually that Nigeria is a beautiful nation. We are working towards all these in partnership with the government.
What’s your pet project as Miss Tourism? Is it only designating bus stops?
Not at all. My core pet project is about promoting tourism in Nigeria through entertainment, culture (as a way of life) dressing, food, anything that has to do with tourism promotion I would come in, in festivals, pushing it out through the social media, print and electronic, everywhere somehow.
How do you intend to generate funds for your project?
I’m looking at working with top dignitaries in Nigeria and also the government. I pray and hope they will support me because this project is not about me at all; it is about the whole country.
What are the challenges you envisage during your reign?
The mistake people make about all the pageant is that they think you have to be skinny, very thin before you can be a queen. When people see me, they say oh, she’s fat, she’s so this and that. That is one of the challenges. I just want people to know that my crown has a purpose, and I have to fulfill it. I did not come out to show my pretty face or tell them I’m fat or big, I’m actually a queen that has something to do for Nigeria. I just want people to know my story. A lot of young, upcoming models have approached me. They tell me you are big how did you manage that? Right now they are taking drugs to slim down, or be lean by jogging to stay trim and fit. No. I told them that is not the way forward. They should be confident and proud of themselves and come out and do what they have to do.
Before you became Miss Tourism, you had friends. How do you cope with them now?
I still have my friends around, though I have met new people and new lovely girls, all beauty queens. I still have my old friends around. You need friends in your life. You can still use their advice, good or bad to work on yourself. So I try my best to listen to everybody, I don’t push anybody. Even now I am Miss Tourism, I like working with people. When different people come together, they generate new ideas so I still have them around.
What else inspires you, what else do you want to do?
I see myself as an entrepreneur. I’m an all-rounder. I am young; I try really hard to do a lot of things. Generally, I love working and apart from working as a shipping operator, I also have passion for acting. Very soon, and by God’s grace, I will get into Nollywood and if possible Hollywood just to showcase my talent, I’m very good at that.
So, what would you describe as your memorable moments?
I have a lot. I’d say the most memorable was when I won Miss Igbinedion University pageant. My first pageant was Miss Ebonyi, I was first runner up in 2008, when I got into school, I was in my 100 level in the university, I contested with final year students, so I never expected I was going to win in any way, I went there to have fun because I love pageantry so when they declared me as winner, it was the shock of my life. I didn’t even tell my parents, you know as a young girl getting into school, you need to focus and bring your head down for academics, but you went to contest, so I was scared to tell them but when they announced me the winner, I was shocked but very happy.
Before this time, as a young girl, who would you say has been your role model?
Oprah Winfrey is my model, because I see her as a leader. She is really a strong woman, she is mother to a lot young girls in every part of the world, and so I look up to her. I love her so much. I see her as a strong entrepreneur, she knows what she is doing, and she knows how to carry people along as a leader.
Apart from Oprah Winfrey, what about the local scene in Nigeria where you reign?
I’d say my mother. It’s not been a smooth ride all the while, because I’m the only girl. Some other parents would expect their daughter to go and read medicine or do other things, but she has been behind, everything I asked she has been able to provide. She is my local role model.
What advice do you have for those who aspire to be like you?
I’d say to them, don’t give up on your dreams. We are the youth, we have a lot of ideas, a lot of talents and potentials to show to the world but a lot of us are scared of what people would say outside, as a guy, you know you are good with your legs, you can play football, when you say because your father will beat you or lock you up because he wants you to read law or medicine, or something else, stand your ground. Chase your dreams; stand for your dreams because there is nothing like doing what you love. It’s what you love that would make you successful. You don’t have to lock up yourself in the office, with a tie and suite just because you want your parents to see you as “cut out for the office”, focus on your passion, and chase your dreams. Don’t give up. I’m thinking of organizing a conference soon to talk about ‘Giving up on Dreams’. Fear is one of the greatest enemies in life.
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/nigerias-a-beautiful-country-miss-tourism-2015/