Anita Igoni is an entrepreneur, creative director, event planner and popularly known as the CEO of Miss Africa International. Passionate about women empowerment, she has dedicated her career to supporting and uplifting women in Port Harcourt and across Nigeria.
Anita’s entrepreneurial and event planning journey has been marked by creativity, innovation and a deep dedication to showcasing the beauty and talent of African women. Through her work, she has created a platform that not only celebrates women’s achievements but also provides opportunities for them to grow and succeed in various fields. In this interview, she speaks about the importance of women empowerment and how her creation, Miss Africa International, has become a well-known platform to promote culture, tourism and entrepreneurship among young African women.
Tell us about the Miss Africa International project that you founded and what prompted you to create it?
Miss Africa International is a quintessential pageant that promotes culture, tourism and entrepreneurship among young African women. It was born from a passion to promote African culture to the world. Africa has diverse cultures and when I say Africa I mean every part of Africa from small villages to big cities. In Nigeria for example, we have a variety of beautiful cultures from different tribes and ethnicities and we want to promote this to the world. The world needs to know the beauty of this amazing continent. So this pageant promotes culture, tourism and entrepreneurship among young African women.
My inspiration stems from the belief that every citizen of the African continent knows the importance of knowing the diverse cultures and traditions of our people, and of making all aspects of our diversity known to the public. It’s all fueled by a desire to promote African women in the most positive light.
What are some of the success stories you have documented with the Miss Africa International project?
We held the inaugural competition at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana and it was a huge success. It is a great record for us that the winners and runners-up have gone on to work in their local communities and empower more women, and it gives me great joy and satisfaction to see the winners take on projects that impact other women in their neighbouring communities and around the world.
Why are you passionate about women empowerment?
I know how hard it feels for a young girl to struggle when she doesn’t have access to help from anywhere. If there were more empowerment schemes for women, the world would be better and a hope for all. As the saying goes, “Educate a girl, you educate a nation.” Women’s empowerment is crucial because it addresses the systemic inequalities and biases women face, such as limited access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and decision-making roles. Women’s empowerment can bring about positive changes in society, including economic growth, improved health outcomes, and greater gender equality. Supporting women’s empowerment is not just about promoting women’s rights. It is also about creating a more fair and equal society for all. We believe that women’s empowerment makes the world a better and more productive place.
Tell us about your journey into entrepreneurship and event planning and how this career path has helped you highlight the beauty and talent of African women.
I started my brand as a pageant producer when I produced my first event while I was Miss Tourism Nigeria in 2016. After my first pageant, I was given several event planning assignments (birthdays, conferences, concerts, pageants for other brands, weddings, etc.) which helped me transition smoothly into event planning and management. And thus, the brand Dollybirds Events was born.
You’ve built platforms that not only celebrate women’s achievements but also provide opportunities for women to flourish and succeed in various fields. Can you tell us a bit more about some of these platforms?
We have the QLOPHA (Quintanilla Port Harcourt Women Awards) which recognises contemporary women who have excelled in various fields and from the platform of this competition various outreach and projects have been generated that directly contribute to the development of the society. These include the Sabi talent search and scholarship awards, free medical assistance, child protection, provision of shoes to children, skill acquisition, recycling, provision of pads to girls and many more.
How has your work inspired women to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in their communities?
I have used the pageant as a tool to invest in and empower young girls by providing them with the tools, funding and platform to take their projects and causes to a larger audience in their communities, thereby touching lives and empowering the next generation.
Which woman inspires you and why?
I am inspired by many women who are doing great things in the world, but I would like to mention Mo Abdu and Agbani Derego in particular. Their careers are similar to mine and they are a source of inspiration to me. I am also fascinated by what they have achieved and done in their fields despite all the obstacles they have faced.
Can you talk about this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Investing in Women: Accelerating Progress”?
This year’s theme highlights the critical importance of investing in women and girls to achieve gender equality and accelerate progress towards a more inclusive and sustainable world. Investing in women means providing equal access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and leadership positions. It also means challenging the stereotypes and biases that hold women back and supporting efforts that advance women’s empowerment and gender equality. Investing in women helps us realize their full potential, drive economic growth and build stronger, more prosperous communities. I like this year’s theme because it recognizes the value and contributions of women and highlights the importance of taking concrete action to support and empower them.
What is the importance of girl child empowerment and what are its ripple effects on society?
The importance of girl child empowerment also includes reducing poverty rates. When girls are empowered with education, it helps break the cycle of poverty. And when girls are empowered with healthcare, they have more knowledge about healthcare practices, including reproductive health, leading to healthier families and communities. When girls are economically empowered, they are able to contribute to household income, leading to poverty reduction and economic growth at the community level. Simply put, whatever you give to a girl child, she gets it twice.
Do you have plans to implement more women empowerment programmes in the future?
Yes, we are always doing some kind of support for girls from time to time. With time, we will also consider supporting girls from middle school to postgraduate level. We also want to financially support more women so that they can start their own business and become independent. We have a lot of plans, but we will take it one step at a time.
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