As far as beauty queen, Chiamaka Chinwuko, is concerned, style is peculiar to a particular person and how the person does things. And this is because style is permanent but fashion fades; it comes and goes.
Chinwuko, who in 2017 made history as she was crowned Miss Tourism, however, says she never planned to put in for the beauty pageant, if not for her friend’s insistence.
She says, “I was doing my National Youth Service here in Lagos; a friend of mine told me about the competition. I got to know two weeks before the closing date. My friend practically pushed me to go in for the competition, because she knew that I was a very shy person. She was on my neck until I signed up, and eventually, I won.
“I participated in a contest before, but it was not something this big. I was convinced to sign up because my friend kept pushing that ‘I am tall, beautiful and slender.’ So, I bought that. When I got to the camp, I told myself that I could not make the top five because of my shyness and also because of other pretty girls.
“When I eventually made it to the top five, some of the contestants were nice to me. They were telling me I could do it; that I needed to smile more and keep my shoulders and chin up. Those words from them helped me. The shyness has not left me, but I am working on it. I will fight it so I can carry this crown the best way I can.”
The Anambra State-born model contested in the Miss Enugu Trade Fair and Miss Entertainment Nigeria pageants in 2016. She started modelling officially in 2015, having been brought up in a strict and conservative Christian home.
This lady with a can-do-spirit defeated Ishmael B Tracy, who was the first runner up and the present Miss Tourism International, and Precious Charles Ehanire, the second runner up, who became Miss Globe Nigeria. Chinwuko succeeded Ogenna Ekwubiri from Abia State.
And talking about fashion, this graduate of Imo State University, Awka, says she is very comfortable in casuals.
“I love wearing t-shirts and jeans. They are very flexible to wear. But what you won’t catch me wearing is a full monochrome outfit. I don’t like plain coloured clothes,” Chinwuko said.
The beauty queen has worked with some talented and well-known fashion designers and stylists in Nigeria and she’s currently in a fashion school.
She also just concluded her charity project called “Better Education.”
