Toyin Otun, winner of the just concluded Most Beautiful Girl in FESTAC 2021, lists her strategies to boost Nigeria’s showbusiness and create impacts on the sector
By Bright Ewulu
The winner of the just concluded Most Beautiful Girl in FESTAC 2021, Miss Toyin Otun has said that she’s out to boost Nigeria’s showbusiness, saying that she would use her various skills to make critical impacts on the sector.
Miss Otun who hails from osun state but grew up in Eastern Europe (Hungary and Austria to be precise) said she’s back” to settle down in her number one home, Nigeria, ”adding” I’m an all-round entertainer from Tv presenting, modelling, beauty queen pageantry and many more.
Chronicling her rise to fame, she revealed that she was” a teacher for quite some time was teaching both in primary school and secondary schools …funny enough students came up to me and told me to go into modelling and people would stop me in the streets randomly asking if am a model or an entertainer really telling me I have the height and have nice facial structure and glowing skin.
”So, I decided to give it a try and here we are. It’s been wonderful. It’s been God all the way. When I was a kid I would stay glued to my TV watching fashion shows and beauty contests all that stuff. That really inspired me when I grew up to try modelling and pageantry”.
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According to her ”Modelling means a lot to me. It’s a form of expression- it’s an art and allows one to feel confident, look at people more in the eye it helps you face the camera and I have been in really nice places due to modelling and TV presenting.
” My role model is Naomi Campbell. She is very professional and consistent in whatever she does whether its modelling, acting she gives her 100%. A lot of things inspire me- my love for clothing is one. I do like to try on different style of clothing, fabrics, materials hence why I also studied fashion design and love modelling cloths and all that. There are so many sides of me”.
Speaking further, Toyin maintained that she has achieved a lot after winning the beauty pageantry,” like I said, it’s been a very busy year for me going for shoots, appearing in music videos, advertising for some brands, attending a couple of fashion and runway shows. Remember I told you about my skills acquisition programs and a lot more. It’s really been a great year for me also working on setting up my brand Tolizott empire which is hair\clothing line you can find us on Instagram @tolizott_empire.
She further disclosed; ” I’ve just been selected to be on the cover (the front page) of an international company ‘s calendar for 2022, which am very happy about, going through the selection. I can proudly say this journey is leading me somewhere. Am also hoping to achieve a lot in this year, embark on projects that will encourage the girl child. I am also planning on visiting some motherless babies’ homes because the value of a mother in a child’s life is indispensable”.
The Beauty Queen harped on the fact that she has experienced various challenges, which she says are a part of life, stressing, ”When one door closes, another one opens but it’s been great all the way.
”To be celebrated its amazing but there are a lot of responsibilities that come with it. You really have to be cautious of what you are doing. The content you are putting out there whether online or offline because you’re a role model, there are a lot of people looking up to you. So you have to keep that in mind”.
On whether modeling is now respected in Nigeria, her answer was “Well the Modelling profession is now respected in Nigeria unlike before but there’s a lot that still needs to be done in the modelling sector of the Nigerian entertainment industry. Nigeria is so blessed with a lot of beautiful talents and wonderfully made people. I’m grateful for all the support from my friends and family especially my mum. She has been encouraging me to do more as a TV Presenter, Voiceover Artist because she always loves to watch me on those TV shows I anchor and even when I’m modelling on the Runaway.
” I’ve modelled for some big brands like Palmers bodycream, Goge Africa, House of Moesha, Gibohinc, Modela couture, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, Greenage, Nike Art Gallery etc and I’m still praying for big brands to find me. I love entertainment and I love Yemi Alade. She inspires me a lot. I love how she always showcases the African culture in her music videos, dances, hairstyle and fashion sense.
” Modelling is all about showcasing. It could be, culture, fashion, it depends on the direction. Winnie Harlow is also an inspiration to me. Despite her skin condition, she is still confident and she has strutted the runway for many designers. Her condition didn’t stop her from believing in herself and chasing her dreams”.
