My passion for pageantry came from my parents

By Christy Anyanwu

Ebele Enemchukwu is a multifaceted personality – a former beauty queen, entrepreneur, and tourism advocate. In this interview she speaks about herself, career, marriage and life as an ex-beauty queen. 

What do we need to know about you?

I am a woman of many parts, even though somewhat inter-related. Apart from being a corporate compère, I am also a Learning and Development Consultant, and what that means, is that I help organisations with improving the knowledge, the skills, the performance and productivity of their employees. I am a London-certified Professional Makeup Artist, and I run a makeup school here in Lagos. I am equally a tourism consultant, Mrs. Nigeria United Nations and Mrs. Tourism United Nations World 2015/2017. So, I am an ex-beauty queen.

What sparked your interest in pageantry, and how did you become involved in the Mrs Tourism competition?

Interestingly, I never at any point said, now, I am going into pageantry. Matter of fact, growing up, my mum always had this thing about anybody who goes into pageantry, or models, as being morally loose. Becoming an adult and thinking now, it’s easy to understand what her concerns may have been. She seemed to have painted everyone with a single brush in a bid to protecting her four girl-children, I believe. It was a stereotype (sometimes not unfounded) that I sought to change, among other things, when I entered for the patent. I believe I answered along same lines in my on-stage response to AY the Comedian’s question, who I recall was the host of the pageant in Nigeria. 

So, my interest in pageantry came from nowhere. I use the word from nowhere because, it had been forgotten until NYSC camp when I was ‘forced’ to represent my platoon as one of the 14 contestants for Miss NYSC 2005. I did. I won.

So, I went back to my happy shell, until 10 years later, in 2015. Haha! I was married, in full employment, and had just arrived the office to start the day’s activities when I heard as the last thing on my radio, the call for entry for the pageant. I took the website address, ran it by my husband, he okayed it and that was how it all started and what has earned me two additional crowns, first as Mrs Nigeria United Nations, and later that year in 2015 on the world stage, as Mrs Tourism United Nations World.

As a former Mrs Tourism titleholder, you’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively. What’s your favourite destination in Nigeria, and do you have a favourite international destination?

Yes, I have indeed travelled quite a bit. My favourite domestic destination would be Enugu State, and I’m not saying that because I am from Enugu State. In fact, I would not have given you this response this time in 2023, but, in the last one year, I have done quite a lot of travelling to Enugu, and have made amazing discoveries in terms of the hidden tourism gems which this state boasts of. Relax, the world is not ready for what’s coming. Tomorrow is here, and you’ll understand even better real soon. For me, Awhum Waterfall is simply magical and my best tourism site as of today. For the international, my best destination, I would have given you somewhere in America or the UK if this question had come six, seven years ago. But that has ceased to be the case, since visiting this beautiful resort in West Africa. Give it up for The Royal Senchi, Akosombo, Ghana. That is my favourite international destination as of today. 

You’re known for your exceptional skills as a compere and MC. How did you develop this passion, and what’s been your most memorable experience in this field? 

I believe the passion came from my parents and upbringing. As you know, being a great compere involves among other things, a good use and command of the language, in this case, English Language, great communication skills, a healthy dose of humour, great stage presence, a pleasant personality. I saw these at play in my parents while growing up. For my mum for instance, even though she wasn’t a professional compère, she was almost always in front of audiences, speaking, whether as a classroom maths teacher in the early days, to a guidance counsellor, to a vice principal, to a university lecturer, to her job in the Ministry of Education, from where she retired as a Permanent Secretary, to events she had to attend and give speeches. I was exposed to all these parts of her life from a young age up to adulthood. All my siblings and I were close to our parents, but as the first daughter of the family, I believe I was the most exposed to her, and naturally, modelled her to a large extent, even without realising it.

On the English side of things, my dad was my greatest influence. I remember those days when I would go to him and say, “Oh daddy, please what’s the meaning of XYZ,” and how he would shout back saying, “I have told you people to always read the news, read newspapers. This is how you improve your grammar. I bought you a dictionary.” He would make me find the word and come back to tell him. So I believe all these came together in generating my interest in the things I do today, including being a professional compère. It was that same interest in learning and teaching that caused me to apply for the job as a training specialist in Globacom. It wasn’t a role most women applied for because there was the rumour that females hardly ever got the job. There were other negative voices that should have stopped me, but I ignored them and tried. I got it. It was that same role that exposed me to hosting events within the organisation. That’s where seeing event hosting as a job outside paid employment developed. 

Regarding my best experience so far, it would have to be hosting the event where Africa meets the world, literally. Hosting the event known as ONLY international travel expo in West Africa. Think of all the heavyweights in travel and tourism from across all of Africa under one roof in Eko Hotels and Suites, and you are the one with the microphone guiding the event smoothly from one segment to the next. Coincidentally, it holds in less than two weeks, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part of it. It’s Akwaaba African Travel Market, now in its 21st edition. So, that has got to be it for me. 

In addition, my role as presenter and chief host for Multichoice during the annual Calabar Carnival and Festival, is always memorable. 

Did you face any opposition or challenges when pursuing the Mrs Tourism title, particularly as a wife and mother? How did you balance your responsibilities during your reign?

Opposition, I would say, no; challenges, yes. What may have been an opposition would have probably been my husband, bearing in mind that at the time, I was married and already had three children. Recall as I mentioned, that once the pageantry opportunity came, I ran it by my husband, and he okayed it. The only question which if yes, would have been a deal breaker was “is there a swimsuit segment?” by my husband, to which I answered no. In that regard, we were aligned, because on my part, the swimsuit part of pageants is one that I had always shied away from. I was therefore grateful that it wasn’t part of the pageant system that I competed on.

So instead of opposition, I received tremendous support from not just my husband and my immediate family, but also from my work colleagues, friends, and extended family, especially my parents. My mum was my number 1 fan. 

Challenges, naturally yes. I mean, I was a wife, my last child was only three, I was in full-time employment with a demanding role as a training specialist at Globacom Ltd. I had so many balls in the air, but at the same time, this new ball which was about to get added, was equally important, going by the clarity of purpose I had for considering entering for the pageant.

As I always say that when the vision is clear, decisions become easier. I didn’t go in simply because I wanted to grace the pages of newspapers and TV screens. Maybe as a teenager or a younger lady, those would have enticed me. But for that more mature lady at that point in life, my reasons were deeper. I had always believed that I had so much in me that needed to be shared with the world. I believed the difference I could make in the world was beyond the confines of a telecommunications company, even if it was one of Nigeria’s biggest. I felt like God would have a special kind of problem with me on Judgement Day if I failed to use/share my talents. I knew this voice had to be used beyond, “Good morning, my name is Ebele, how may I help you?” I knew I had a message. I knew it had to be heard. I knew I needed an audience. With those in mind, when the opportunity came by way of pageantry, I immediately recognised it as that platform that would check many vacant boxes. So, I went for it, and what did this our great God do? He crowned my effort with resounding success, not just nationally, but on the world stage. 

So my ability to balance my responsibilities and these many areas life can easily be attributed to the solid quality of the support system I had around me. My children might have been young then, but the impact of their prayers and love were far in reach towards my journey and reign as Queen. Add that to the fact that I am a very disciplined person, and able to start a thing, focus on it, and finish it. I have a good grasp of time management skills, and able to manage that delicate balance between what’s important and what’s not, and how to prevent important things to slide into the realm of being urgent. I am quite organised too, especially with matters on my mind. Naturally, that skill helped me in achieving physical organisation with the many areas of my life demanding attention at the time.

You have a successful marriage. What strategies do you attribute to a good marriage, and could you share some insights from your personal experience?

I’d start by saying, as with anything, its success would have so much to do with the foundation laid. If the foundation is right, it is likely to stand the test of time. It’s the same way I look at marriage. I won’t refer to these success factors as “strategies.” I mean, marriage is not Big Brother Nigeria. So you don’t sit and say, “let’s strategise.” No. Marriage is deeper than that. In fact, strategizing only makes it appear like a game, and at some point, you’d burn out or it becomes a case of who wins and who loses. Marriage is a partnership. So for starters, I would say, marry your friend. Marry someone who believes in you and supports what you do. Marry someone who is not uncomfortable with, or threatened by your success, your personal journey.  Even as friends or Siamese twins, you would misunderstand each other, you  quarrel, in anger, you might even wonder what you saw in this human, but in the end, real friends find ways to sort issues out and come back together. Right? 

Let me add that by saying the foundation should be right, means hinging your relationship on God. Which is why I always say that most successful marriages rest on the three pillars of God, you, your spouse. In fact, with you and your spouse becoming one, you might as well say two pillars. The moment you increase this number by way of person or thing, you inadvertently invite trouble. 

Remember, every union is unique. This includes the interplay with other family members, both nuclear and extended. You hear that in-laws are sometimes the issue, even if when they mean well. Couples were all members of families before coming together. It means they understand those family members more than their spouses. It therefore rests on couples to protect their marriages from external influence of even family. Have there been times when I have been tempted to share something unpleasant my husband did with my mum, as an example? Yes! Did I eventually? No. Why? I know my mum, and know that to see her devouring tigress side, play with any of her children, even as the thick madams they have all become. Now, knowing this side of her, to protect my marriage, I won’t tell her. Now, it would be a different case if say, I was being abused and facing life-threatening situations at home in the hands of my husband. In that case, I would need saving. So by keeping our issues away from them, you eliminate the risk amplifying or worsening an already bad case. A lady who knows her parents would simply hug her and not take the matter up with her husband, may be more inclined to share. So you see why I said that what works for one marriage may not work for the other. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to it. That said, it’s important to be both mindful and discerning to the things that cause cracks in your union.

In summary, I would say, marry your friend, make God the captain of your union, respect each other, and keep ‘external forces’ away. The list is not exhaustive, but these are definitely proven success factors.

How would you define your personal style, and what inspires your fashion choices?

I would describe my personal style as effortless. What that means is that whatever I wear has to be comfortable. Any style or fashion that makes me feel that I have to do too much to look good, then no, not for me. Has it happened once or twice? Yes, but what really informs my style is something that is both comfortable, and visually, looks effortlessly put together. Simply put, irrespective of how sophisticated and in fashion a piece of clothing is, it has to be elegant. It has to fit. I won’t wear a piece of clothing simply because that’s what all the ‘happening people’ are wearing, or what ‘women of substance’ or celebrities wear. I won’t sacrifice my identity in trying to align with a trend that is alien to me, or attempting to be like someone or everyone else.

For instance, while some people look and feel great in shredded jeans, you’ll never find me in them. Just not my style. 

Matter of fact, the fact that everyone is wearing it, is why I won’t wear it. If it aligns with my personal style and signature, why not? Otherwise, no thanks.