AfroVibes sat down with Olutosin Araromi and discussed her journey to becoming a beauty queen.

Omose Ighodaro: I am sitting here with the beautiful "Tosin," the former Miss Nigeria USA. Miss Nigeria USA; that’s huge, tell us your journey...what was it like?

Olutosin Araromi: I started off in pageantry at seventeen. I initially wanted to do pageantry just because I was very low on self-confidence. I was bullied. Being an African in America is not easy. So, I went into it just thinking it was going to be fun but I didn’t realize how much pageantry would change my life. So, now that I was Miss Nigeria USA, I was able to use my platform to be a women empowerment advocate, as well as advocate for breast health and many different things. I was very happy about the platform and the things I’ve done after the platform as well.

Being Bullied as a Kid

Omose Ighodaro: I didn’t know your journey started off with being bullied. So, did those bullies see you and see your title? What happened afterward when they saw how beautiful you‘ve become and the crown?

Olutosin Araromi: Some of them are in my DMs now. So, I think my story is just a story of grace. God really blessed me and put me through this journey to put me in this position now. I feel everything I've been through is preparing me for the next level of life. Am I upset that I was bullied? No. I'm actually happy because it made me the woman I am today.

Accepting the Reality of Being a Nigerian

Omose Ighodaro: What do you value most about being an African?

Olutosin Araromi: Honestly, I'm not going to lie. Until college, I didn't value being Nigerian as much. Now, I love being Nigerian. When I was younger, I think every Nigerian American goes through a phase where they want to fit in. So you want to cut down your name, you want to...you know, fit in with your “akata” friends. But now I say my full name, I mean some people call me Tosin or Olu, but Oluwatosin; that's my full name and I'm proud. It means “God is worthy to be worshipped“ and I think we need to, as Nigerians, be proud of our culture. It wasn't until about college that I started going to different Nigerian mixers and I actually went to a Wizkid concert in 2012 with my sister.

Omose Ighodaro: Where was that? In New York?

Olutosin Araromi: It was in New York; changed my life.

Omose Ighodaro: Oh, Wizkid changed your life?!...Changed your life with the music?

Olutosin Araromi: No, God changed my life but [Wizkid’s] energy...him just coming from humble beginnings and now look at him—he’s on tracks with Drake and [he’s just] a pillar within the Nigerian music [industry] after Fela. So definitely that just made me say, okay, if he can do that, what can I do? I can't sing really but what I can do is promote my culture, I can be an advocate for different causes. So that's why I got into [pageantry].

Promoting the Nigerian Culture

Omose Ighodaro: How do you feel when you hear negative stuff about our country. Yet alone, the whole continent?

Olutosin Araromi: Obviously, it makes me angry like any other person but then I think it's our duty as first and second-generation Nigerians and Africans, in general, to show the beauty of Africa. Don't leave it up to the Western world to depict Africa. We need to do something about that. That's why I always try, especially when I go to Nigeria. I show people the different sceneries...I have a lot of White friends, I have a lot of Spanish friends, and they're able to be like...”That is Africa? Where you at?” And I'm just like, this is Nigeria. Now if you're hearing “shit hole” and then you see that you're like, there's obviously a lie [somewhere].

I think we also need to promote the good. There are Nigerian scholars; do you know Nigerians are one of the most educated in America? Not just in [America], probably worldwide. We cannot eliminate the negatives of Nigeria but we can at least promote the positive and be a part of that change.

Omose Ighodaro: Do you feel as if all of us in a way are ambassadors of Africa, especially if we live [in America], would you agree with that?

Olutosin Araromi: I would say we should all be ambassadors regardless of if you're Miss Nigeria USA or just the regular Nigerian; you need to promote your culture.

Life After the Crown

Omose Ighodaro: What's life like after the crown? You’ve passed it off and you're doing big things I'm sure.

Olutosin Araromi: Honestly, I thought it was going to be a little bit boring because I'm like, okay, the crown is off but the work just started. I was able to be in different magazines, fashion shows, as well as host different things. I'm really an advocate for women empowerment so I was able to host the 2017 Women Gala in New York. It was at NYU and it was a beautiful event. I've done so much and now I‘m going to take it back home. Definitely, a Nigerian business trip coming soon. Regardless of [if I have] a crown or not, I say with or without a crown, I'm a queen.

Omose Ighodaro: I love that. Just be humble and be happy. I love that you said you were a queen before the crown. Meaning, even if [others] don't have a crown, it doesn't mean [they] shouldn’t be able to promote Nigeria the way that you do or even bigger and better. People need to look at people like you and be motivated because like you said, it's not the crown that makes a queen, it’s you.

Thank you so much for being with us at AfroVibes.

Olutosin Araromi: Thank you.

After this interview, Araromi went on to place 2nd in Silver Bird’s 2019 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant. This led her to represent Nigeria on the most prestigious stage - the 2019 Miss Universe pageant which was held in Atlanta, Georgia. In doing so, however, she overcame many challenges including the sudden loss of her mother while she was preparing for the MBGN title.

Below is what Araromi wrote on her Instagram page:

"I never thought in my life I would be writing this but with a very heavy devastated heart, I’m here to inform everyone of the untimely passing of my sweet Mother Elizabeth.”

”...My whole life changed in less than an hour. Those who are close to me know how close I was to my mother. She was my friend, my mentor, my spiritual prayer partner, my motivation, my confidant, my everything. She sacrificed her life to help me pursue my dream. The marathon will continue...I will still compete in [Silver Bird’s MBGN pageant] to honor my mom and her legacy.”

The strength Araromi has despite her many hardships in life is what makes her a worldwide inspiration - most especially to young women of color who continue to sacrifice so much for their dreams to come true.

Olutosin competing in the 2019 Miss Universe pageant