Twenty-year-old Miss Chioma Grace Egboh is the reigning Miss Ambassador for Peace Diaspora. She is a 400-level student of social works, Benson Idahosa University, and she has this burning desire to affect her generation and the Nigerian society in a very positive way through the promotion of the girl child education.

In this interview with our correspondent, the Ambassador for Peace Queen reveals how she intends to actualize her dream of ensuring that as many disadvantaged young girls as possible across Nigeria and indeed Africa receive quality education.

 
Really, who is Grace Chioma Egboh?
As you already know, my name is Grace Chioma Egboh. I am a  400-level student of social works, Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa University, Edo State. I am the last of six children of Mr. and Mrs. Ngozi Egboh, and we are from  Amurri, Nkanu West LGA in Enugu, State.

 
Are you the only female child?
No, no, no, we are five girls and a boy. I happen to be the last born of the family.

 
How did the journey to your crown begin?
Well, I can say it was by the grace of God.  Actually I have been hearing of Ambassador for Peace Agency from my school mates, but I never paid any attention to it.  However, in September last year, some of my mates kept putting pressures on me to contest.  They said to me, Chioma you must register.

You have the qualities. You can make it. One of them even offered to register me. So after much persuasion I agreed to give it a trial.  But when I went to pick the form, I discovered that it was Miss Peace Ambassador for Diaspora and I became disillusioned.
Why?
Because I thought that would be more competitive.  I wanted  to register for Miss Peace Ambassador, but now they said it is Miss Peace Ambassador Diaspora, which to me, was too ambitious. But my sponsors insisted I must enrol and out of compulsion I did.
How do you feel now that you have won?

 
I feel great and happy. My confidence level has grown astronomically. I now know that as a youth what you need is encouragement and determination and you can achieve a lot.  In the last few months I have been dreaming great dreams which I can’t wait to transform into realities.
What kind of dreams?

 
A lot of them, but the one that is uppermost on my mind now is to promote girl-child education in Africa. But I want to start first from Nigeria.
How do you intend to go about it?

 
I intend to work with all the three tiers of government; Federal, State, and Local Governments, to raise as much as N100 million, so as to enable me institute a foundation for girl-child education so that our young girls can access quality education up to tertiary level.
How much progress have you made in this regard?

 
I have just started to make contacts with some state governments and organisations and the response has been encouraging.  My first port of call was Edo State which is the host state to my University.  I paid a courtesy visit to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and I am glad I started with him.  You know his background.

He has lived a life of struggle all his life. So he immediately understood my dream. As an activist, Governor Adams has always had passion for the cause of the ordinary people, the less privileged.  So he granted me audience and assured me of the State Government’s support.

In fact, that meeting added tonic to my zeal to march on.  He spoke to me like a father and gave me quality advice.  My morale and confidence level got a great boost.

 
Which other states have you visited?
I have made contacts with a number of states. I have gotten responses that are encouraging, but the challenge has been that they all have tight schedules now because of the elections coming up. Yobe State has assured me of support but that should come after the elections.

Of course you know Enugu is my State and I have no doubt that the governor, Barrister Sullivan Chime, will support me.  I have also made contact with the state and I am expecting a response soon.

 
You are Ambassador for Peace. Why girl education?
One would expect you to talk of Peace programmes instead. This is a very good question. A lot of people have asked me this but my answer has always been that peace starts from the home front.

I believe, in every girl, there is a mother, and we all know the roles mothers play in building homes and child upbringing. So if you give a girl quality education, you have built a quality family.

I also believe that over 90 percent of the crises we experience today, the world over, stems from poor upbringing of children who end up as street boys and school drop outs.

 
How will you describe your experience as a queen; and what would you say is your major challenge?
The experience has been tremendous.  It has exposed me to so many personalities, and as I said earlier, my confidence level has grown. As for the challenge, I don’t have a life of my own any more because I  see myself as a role model.

I have to mind how I talk, the company I keep, and the places I go, in order not to send wrong signals to the young ones who look up to me. Sir, if you would permit me, I wish to use this opportunity to thank the organizers of the pageant, the Ambassador for Peace Agency, for giving me the opportunity.

I particularly would like to appreciate the Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Kingsley Amafibe, for giving me all the support and encouragement which have propelled me to move on.  I also would like to say that the man and his team are silently rendering a lot of help to shape the society.

The organization, as the name implies, is peace-driven. Its singular mission is to positively impact the young ones, and they are reaching out to a lot of people and forming movement of school leavers across the country. The Ambassador for Peace Agency also has a vision to promote Peace in Africa through pageantry and peace education, and it is partnering with schools and faith-based organization in this regard.