“..I hear people say everyone is into modelling, so why would I want to join
the long queue. Truth be told, the market is only saturated at the bottom.
I’m just about the top spot, no time for crowd. I will push myself till my
last breath; babe, it’s all about winning big..” – Ikhana Anne

There are several aspiring models I speak to and from the tone of their
voice, you could sense the uncertainty that engulfs them about this
profession but this lady isn’t one. Ikhana Anne is not confused all at, she
sees modelling as her thing and will move mountains till she’s achieving
her goal and smiling to the bank.

It’s rare to see a young lady in the early part of her career that has a heart of a lioness, acts like a lion king and marks her territory with little regard for naysayers that want to discourage her. Standing five feet, nine inches tall, with other statistics
that reads hips – 35, waist – 26, bust – 32, this indigene of Edo state, a
300 level undergraduate of University of Benin, studying Biology is one
with all her eyes fixated on claiming a place on the top ladder of the
modelling industry. We recently sat for a brief conversation…

“Have you ever felt so excited about something that you look forward to
doing it every time? Well, that’s how I feel about modelling. It’s
something I always knew I would do right from the time I heard about Agbani
Darego being the first African to win Miss World.’ – She started talking to
me.

“Seeing Mayowa Nicholas win the Elite Model Look 2014 strengthened my
resolve to go into modelling full time so I started following models on
Instagram, watching catwalk videos on YouTube. I knew I needed something
extra but I really didn’t know what it was till I joined a modelling
academy in school – Gemians Modelling Academy. There, I got the required
training and personality development class to help me excel as a model.

“I must say, it wasn’t easy combining schoolwork with the academy, which
included rehearsals; fashion shows but to be truthful It was all worth it
because I derived joy from it. I have lots of people who inspire me in the
industry but I’ll mention just three whose impact have played a great role
in my career. They are Agbani Darego, Mayowa Nicholas and Lohis Aruya who
is the CEO of Gemians Modelling Academy. Their passion and dedication for
what they do is admirable and inspiring.

“I hear people say everyone is into modelling, so why would I want to join
the long queue. Truth be told, the market is only saturated at the bottom.
I’m just about the top spot, no time for crowd. I will push myself till my
last breath; babe, it’s all about winning big, I am not being contented.
Like I said, it’s all the way up. I’m currently signed to ISIS Models
Africa. I look forward to walking for more fashion shows, starring in
editorials and various campaigns. I also plan on carving a niche for myself
in the industry and I know that with dedication, hard work, discipline,
commitment and God on my side, the sky will definitely be my starting
point. I am Ikhana Anne; you all should remember my name.”

– Sesan Adeniji

Culled From the latest Mystreetz Magazine ( Photo tale edition )