SOJWORLD.COM had an interview with the new Miss Okota 2018 on how she was able to make it among numerous contestants who contested with her. Miss Isah Barakat Abiodun won the beauty pageant tagged, Miss Okota 2018 held in *arigidi akoko* in Ondo State in the month of July 2018.
THE INTERVIEW
 Q: Could you please tell us about yourself?
A:Â My name is Isah Barakat Abiodun, a student of the Polytechnic Ibadan, Department of Science, and Laboratory Technology.
Q:Â Â Are you still a student?
A:Â Â Â I just started my National Diploma after waiting for eight years, actually my dad wanted me to go the University, but did not get admitted.Â
Q:Â Â Â Are you saying after eight years! are you sure you are qualified?
A:Â Â Â Yes of course, I got all my relevant five credits in WEAC and NECO
Q:Â Â Â What led you into pageantry?
A:Â Â Â First of all, I started as a model
Q:Â Â Â Was it after you gained admission into polytechnic or..?
A:Â Â Â No, I started before then
Q:Â Â Â Did you registered free of charge?
A:Â Â Â No
Q:Â Â Â How much was it?
A:Â Â Â It was N5,000
Q:Â Â Â How did you get it?
A:Â Â Â My dad gave it to me.Â
Q:Â Â Â You mean your day was interested in what you are doing?
A:Â Â Â Yes, I registered with one agency like that and my dad paid N25,000 to register with that agency and nothing happened.
Q:Â Â Â That means your daddy is interested in what you are doing?
A:   He is the kind of person who doesn’t like saying no to me
Q:   That means you are daddy’s pet?
A:Â Â Â I am the only girl in the family @ that time, its like anything I want he will do it for me.
Q:Â Â Â What led you to this current Miss Okota beauty contest?
A:Â Â Â I was invited as a judge in a pageant @ Gbagada in Lagos. At that audition I met a lady called Avater,she told me about *Miss okota*Â
Q:Â Â Â How was the contest?
A:Â Â Â The contest was the best, one of a kind
Q:Â Â Â Was it because you won?
A:Â Â Â No. I have participated in different pageantries that I was not emerged, I was OKay with it, they do trow a party for the contestants, I don’t allow that to get me, I dance like never before ,not winning is not the end of the world, I learn from my mistakes and contest in another pageant, with the help of my parents, Mr Isah Abdul-Azeez and Mrs Isah.
Q:Â Â Â What are the challenges you faced before, during and after the Okoto beauty contest?
A:   I don’t think I faced any challenges.
Q:Â Â Â How many contestants?
A:Â Â Â We are 15 contestants that participated
Q:Â Â Â There has been this impression that people had about beauty pageants and models that they are not good as housewives, how would you react to this?
A:   No, models are not prostitutes; they should not believe this, modeling the way I understand it modeling can be defined as the people who wears other people’s designer outfits to showcase. It is our profession, we are trained to do. Maybe some people wear bikini and people believed they are prostitutes. No. I am a Muslim, I cover my hair, I pray.
Q:Â Â Â Did you participate in the Muslim fasting
A:   Yes I participated, but female we do not complete it for one reason that I think you will understand. People shouldn’t say
Models or beauty pageants are not prostitutes.Â
 Q:  It is not for you to say this, if somebody is spoiling or blackmailing you, you need to create awareness. How do you convince the people out there that models are not prostitutes?
A:Â Â Â We created awareness in Lagos; we had a road walk with banners that models are not prostitutes. We also produced a movie to support it two years ago.
My special thanks goes to Almighty Allah, my parents, Mr and Mrs. Isah Abdul-Azeez for believing in me and Aare Gani Ige Abiodun Adams, the 15th Aare OnaKakanfo of Yoruba Land for given me the opportunity of being one of his queens – Miss Okota 2018.
 www.sojworld.com (c) August 24, 2018
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