Patra John Egbor is the Face of CandyCity 2017 Miss Photogenic. She emerged top five in the beauty pageant contest. In chat with Journalists, the student of UNIBEN speaks on her experience at the pageant as she plans to help children become useful to the society.
How does it feel being crowned Face of CandyCity Nigeria 2017 Miss photogenic?
Wow! It’s an awesome feeling. I’m still trying to come to terms with it because FCCN is such a prestigious pageant and being one of the crowned queens is amazing.
Can you give us a brief introduction of yourself?
My name is Patra John Egbor. I hail from Edo State, Esan to be precise and I am very proud of my origin. Both parents are Esan so I am full blooded (smiles). I am the last child among three children. I am a student of the great University of Benin (UNIBEN), studying Social work. I’m entering my third year now. I am a business woman and I also write songs. I also did a little bit of acting before I got into school.
How was the competition like amongst other contestants?
The competition alongside other contestants was a tough one. All the finalist are beautiful, smart and they all brought their A game. So, it wasn’t just a piece of cake for me to emerge amongst the top five and be crowned Miss photogenic. I worked hard for it and I thank God, I came out successful.
Did you think you would win?
Yes, I believed I would win because I always have faith and believe in myself at all times. I put in my best in whatever I am doing so I had high hopes I would win.
How will this platform change your life?
Being Face of CandyCity Nigeria 2017 Miss Photogenic will change my life a lot in many aspects. I am already getting some positive treatments and attention and gigs are already coming my way and by God’s grace,bigger ones will come.
What do you hope to achieve with this status?
I hope to achieve a lot with this platform. First of all, I was planning on setting up an NGO that will cater for children specially. I absolutely adore children and it’s my opinion that children who are not well developed grow up to be social miscreants and this results in us having a bad society. Because let’s face it, our leaders of today were once children and children of today are leaders of tomorrow. So, I want to focus on children in the formative years from nine to 18 years and I am hoping this platform,Face of CandyCity Nigeria (FCCN) will open doors for me to pursue that cause successfully. I am hoping to get sponsors and good willing Nigerians to support me. Also, I want to develop my singing career and I am also open to acting jobs.
What are your life dreams?
My life dreams are to be a successful actor and musician, going round the world doing a lot of good with my foundation, helping people to help themselves. Above all, being a wonderful wife and amazing mother and living in a hate free world where we’ll all love each other.
How will you describe your personality?
Hmmmm, I will describe myself as an extrovert, an easy going and lively person. I am a fun loving person, always advocating for peace and just like to be without hate. I am a witty, smart observant person and I can be quiet at times. I am a hard worker, I do not believe anything is impossible. I love trying new things and taking risks for without risks, life would be boring. I am a queen at starting over and I never ever get weighed down by a setback, I always come back strong.
Do you think women are being empowered enough in this part of the world?
No,I don’t think women are being empowered enough in this part of the world. We are still in that era where women are viewed as having no say and their only roles are to bear children and look after the house. Even in the political and economic sector, the gap between men and women is wide. We need to work towards bridging the gap because women have a lot to offer.
How do you think beauty pageants like this can make changes in the society?
I think pageants like Face Of CandyCity Nigeria (FCCN) and others can, and have already started making some changes. FCCN aims at empowering women of all kinds and the contest doesn’t just focus on slim, runway model type bodies alone. If you look at the past queens and the ones of this year, you’ll see the pageant appreciates all body types. This is a way of encouraging girls and letting them know that regardless of anything, they can be who they want to be. This goes a long way to build self-esteem amongst girls and give them that driving force to work and achieve their dreams. Look at Ese for example, the FCCN miss personality of 2016, she is making waves in the entertainment industry after being in Big Brother Naija contest and doing the FCCN pageant proud. I believe if you empower one woman, you have empowered a generation and that’s what pageants like FCCN and others are doing. Also, I am proud to be one of the queens this year that will also inspire girls to work hard and let them know that even in a male dominated society, women can and will still make waves.
Do you have a love life?
Well, as regards my love life, I am not in any relationship for now. I am single
Will this new status change it?
I don’t know if my new status as MISS PHOTOGENIC of Faceof CandyCity2017 will change it, I really can’t tell what the future holds. I am just doing my thing and keeping an open mind.
How do you intend to ward off more male advances?
I will politely decline male advances if it’s something I do not want.
LEADERSHIP.