La Mode: Can we meet you?
Blessing: My name is James Blessing Edidiong. I’m 23 years old. I’m the winner of Queen of Nigeria World Beauty Pageant. I’m a model, singer and a fashion designer. My statistics are 33, 28, 36. I love travelling, exploring and discovering new things in life.
La Mode: Tell us about your background?
Blessing: I am the first child of a single Christian parent of 3; have 2 lovely brothers. I was born and have lived most part of my life in Lagos. Growing up was not been easy for me and my family because we were in a very terrible situation where my father left us stranded in the hospital after my birth. We had neither money nor a home to stay. We had to sleep in a friend’s kitchen for 5 years. We lived through hawking of fruits on the streets. But thank God, today that’s a changed story. I graduated from Vessel of Honour Secondary School, Lagos. I have a National Diploma in Insurance from the University of Uyo. I’m currently studying Business Administration at the University of Lagos.
La Mode: How did modeling start for you?
Blessing: I have always had that passion for modeling since i was a child. There was this commercial for Indomie i wanted to put in for, but my mum didn’t approve because I was so young then and she wanted me to concentrate on my education. I think i started modeling full time in 2013. Also, my crave for fashion made me to learn how to design and sew fashionable outfits and trends for my friends and clients.
La Mode: Who is your role model?
Blessing: My mother has always been my backbone. She’s God’s gift to humanity. Even as a single mother, she’s strived hard to make us (her children) all successful in life. She is diligent, hard-working, religious, strong and ambitious – some qualities that keep us going irrespective of the outcome.
La Mode: What is the role of a woman in nation building?
Blessing: Women are one of the most wonderful creations God has made since the ages of Adam and Eve. We are in existence for the major objective to be supportive to the male gender and our immediate society.
The place of women in any endeavor cannot be over emphasized and given their enormous contributions to socio-economic development, there can be no meaningful advancement where women are excluded. In Africa, the vulnerable conditions of women are more critical, given lingering gender inequalities, domestic violence, lack of social protection, among other issues, that exacerbate injustice and privation. These and many more limit their ability to reach their full potential. Nigeria is one of the countries where women have faced challenges and discrimination for reasons of their sex and wrongful perception that women belong to a lesser class than their male counterparts; a perception strengthened by traditional and cultural practices. Be that as it may, Nigeria has continued to develop and implement national strategies and plans for the advancement of women in leadership and managerial roles in the form of amending legislation, policy and institutional framework as it affects the full promotion and protection of the rights of women. To ensure coordination and sustainability of all initiatives in this regard, Nigeria has Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs with a mandate to bring about speedy and healthy development of Nigerian Women, Children and the main-streaming of their rights and privileges in national development process. Thus, women are influential in nation through carrying out various roles from the home, to their various offices. They also, stand as an instrument of peace and prosperity in the nation. Mrs Aisha Buhari, Dr. Ngozi Iweala, Mrs Dora Akinyili, to mention a few, are notable names of women that have stood up for positive causes in nation building in Nigeria.
La Mode: How did you feel when you won?
Blessing: Well, i felt good when i was awarded the title of the 1st Runner-Up but i felt greater when i was appointed the Winner of Queen of Nigeria World Beauty Pageant. It’s a great honour and privilege. Like they say, “With great responsibilities, comes great achievements”. I’m willing and ready to use this platform to affect the lives of people positively through various pet projects that have been scheduled for the year.
La Mode: Tell us about your pet project?
Blessing: Queen of Nigeria World Beauty Pageant was born out of the desire to alleviate poverty and to empower the less privileged, the youth and young women especially. We have a couple of projects scheduled for the year, most of which are directed towards elevating the educational lives of students in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos and some other states in Nigeria.
La Mode: Where do you see yourself in five years from now?
Blessing: I’m a fashion-oriented entrepreneur, thus, in five years time; I would have my own fashion label/line and use the platform as a means of jobs/employment creation, which is also one of the objectives of Queen of Nigeria World Organization. Also, I’d love to improve on myself greater in the acting and modeling sector since I’ve always got great love for it.
La Mode: What is fashion for you?
Blessing: Fashion is about expressing your identity, showing someone who you are through your fashion choices and using your clothes to tell someone something about you. Or at least for me – I suppose for some people, clothing is just about comfort or utility but for me it’s expressing myself. In the eloquent words of Coco Chanel, “I don’t do Fashion, I am Fashion.” And also as Ralph Lauren expresses, “I don’t design clothes, I design dreams.”
La Mode: What is advice for aspiring models?
I will advise aspiring models to work hard in what they do, believe in themselves, never give up and take every good opportunity serious. Bad experiences do occur, like one I had in Abuja, but don’t let people kill your dream(s). Thus, I’d love to thank Queen of Nigeria World Beauty Pageant and its Organizers for giving me this great opportunity. Yes, life isn’t all that rosy but since there’s life, there’s hope and always think before you act or take decisions that matter.
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