Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Cross River State Council, Comrade Archibong Bassey, has shared a deeply personal story of how family responsibilities prevented her from pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a beauty queen, even as she pledged to support young girls who are now daring to pursue the dreams she once had to abandon.
Bassey spoke when the management and queens of Face of Teen Beauty Pageant International, FT BPI, paid her a courtesy visit in Calabar, where both sides had a meaningful interaction centred on youth development, leadership, beauty, confidence and the importance of creating opportunities for young people.
The visit was led by representatives of Face of Teen Beauty Pageant International, a youth development platform committed to empowering teenagers through leadership, education, confidence, character, culture and community service.
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The organisation also formally invited Bassey to serve as a Special Mentor and Leadership Advocate for the second season of the pageant.
According to the organisers, the role would involve inspiring and guiding contestants through mentorship, leadership talks and personal development while encouraging them to become confident, responsible and purpose driven young leaders.
The platform operates under the theme, “Beyond Beauty: A Celebration of Identity, Intelligence and Inspiration,” with a broader vision of using pageantry as a tool for developing young people beyond physical appearance.
Responding to the invitation, Bassey expressed gratitude to the organisers and the young queens for considering her worthy of such a responsibility.
She, however, turned the occasion into a powerful reflection on a dream she once carried as a young girl.
Bassey revealed that she had always desired to become a beauty queen from a very young age but could not pursue the dream because of the family circumstances in which she was raised and the responsibilities placed on her as the first daughter.
She recalled that when the wife of former Cross River State Governor, His Excellency Donald Duke, introduced a maiden pageantry programme, she saw it as an opportunity to finally pursue her long held dream.
According to her, a lecturer who recognised her potential even encouraged her to contest for Miss Cross River State, but family responsibilities and the need to support her mother made it impossible for her to take the opportunity.
She explained that as the first daughter, much was expected of her and she had to place family responsibilities ahead of her personal aspirations.
Bassey further recalled that when an opportunity later emerged for her younger sister, she was determined to support her sister in achieving the dream she herself had been unable to realise. However, she said circumstances once again prevented the opportunity from materialising.
Her story, she said, has strengthened her resolve to encourage young girls who have the courage to start early and pursue their dreams.
Addressing the three queens who accompanied the delegation, Bassey commended them for their courage and confidence, stressing that beginning their journey at a young age could open doors to greater opportunities in the future.
She encouraged them to see pageantry as more than the pursuit of a crown, describing it as an avenue for developing confidence, leadership, discipline, intelligence and a sense of responsibility to society.
She told the young queens that their decision to start early could position them for remarkable achievements by the time they attain her age.
Bassey also expressed her willingness to support the initiative whenever the opportunity arises, adding that she would be happy to see her own daughter participate in the programme if she chooses to do so.
Her words struck a particularly emotional chord as she reflected on the opportunities she once lost and the possibility of helping another generation of girls avoid having their dreams cut short by circumstances.
The NUJ Chairman described the young contestants as courageous for stepping forward at an early age and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to personal development.
She assured the delegation that the media would continue to play its role in promoting initiatives that empower young people and provide platforms for them to discover their potential.
The courtesy visit ended with a photo session involving the NUJ Chairman, representatives of Face of Teen Beauty Pageant International and the participating queens.
For Bassey, however, the encounter represented more than a courtesy visit. It became a moment of reflection on a childhood dream that family responsibility once denied her and a renewed opportunity to help young girls pursue the crown she once hoped to wear.
