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Top: Chuna Okok (left); Chuna Okok with 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up (middle); Chuna Okok (right).
Bottom: Pictures of all 20 contestants in the 2009 Miss Ethiopia Pageant (Photos Courtesy of renowed photographer Antonio Florentie)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 8, 2009 (Ezega.com) – The 2009 Miss Ethiopia beauty pageant was organized by the Ethiopian Village Adventure Playground and held on January 18, 2009, at the new Intercontinental Hotel in Addis Ababa. There were 20 finalists in the competition. Chuna Okok, a 22-year-old Addis Ababa University student, won the Miss Ethiopia contest, beating off the other 19 finalists. Unlike the other pageant contenders, Chuna Okok came from the Gambella region of Ethiopia and gave the competition a different and beautiful color.
This second year Business and Economics student at Addis Ababa University and the 2009 Miss Ethiopia winner, Chuna Okok, held an exclusive interview with Ezega.com reporter, Eden Habtamu, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Addis Ababa. She talked about her childhood, her family, her schooling, how she got into the Miss Ethiopia contest, how she felt when she won the title, and more. Here is the full interview with Chuna Okok.
Ezega: First of all I want to congratulate you for winning the crown.
Chuna: (With warm smile) Thank you!
Ezega: How did you get into the pageant contest?
Chuna: At the beginning, it was a push from my best friends that led me to think about it. They believed that I have all the inward and outward beauty. So, I gave it some time and I finally decided to participate in the competition.
Ezaga: What about your family? Did they support you for the contest?
Chuna: I would say my father didn’t want me to get into any extra-curricula activity that could take my time and attention away from my study. But when he heard that I won the pageant crown, he just told me that he can’t control me anymore but advised me not to divert my attention from my study completely.
Ezega: Where was your family at the pageant ceremony?
Chuna: They didn’t know anything about my involvement as the contestant. They just heard the story the next day. I called to tell them that I won the 2009 Miss Ethiopia pageant. However, they had already heard the news a few minutes earlier from my cousin.
Ezega: What did your parents say?
Chuna: My father said “this must be God’s will and we shall accept it”. And my Mom was crying continuously. She would have very much liked to see me on that stage, but she missed it.
Ezega: I heard, you were born in Jimma, stayed in Gambella, and grew up in Addis Ababa. How was your childhood?
Chuna: Wow, I have such a wonderful childhood memories. My twin sister, Mella, and I were born in Jimma. The Doctors believed that we were triplets, instead of twins. So, they sent my mother to a referral hospital in Jimma. But it was only the two of us, just twins. Our childhood was full of good memories; especially the time I spent in Gambella which was so much memorable. When I came to Addis Ababa, I suffered from homesickness for some time. I was in Gambella until my fourth grade. My father insisted that I go to Addis Ababa for a better education. So, I started again at 2nd grade in Addis Ababa. For my 3rd grade, I transferred to the ‘School of Tomorrow’ and continued there until my high school graduation.
Ezega: How do you describe “beauty”?
Chuna: Beauty to me is the cumulative outcome of internal and external beauty. One will not be complete without the other.
Ezega: The last 20 contestants spent a month together. What did you learn from the other contestants and how do you see the experience?
Chuna: It was a wonderful chance to get to know each other. Though most of us are students and spent insignificant amount of time together, we learnt how to live with one another. The time we spent in Babogaya resort was especially memorable one. In addition to that, we visited Abebech Gobena’s orphanage. And W/o Abebech gave us great lessons by discussing the ups and downs of her journey in achieving her goals.
Ezga: Have you ever participated in similar competitions or took any training for such a competition?
Chuna: No. I didn’t participate in any similar event or training. But I took the catwalk, photo shooting, and swimming lessons during the one month stay in this competition.
Ezega: What was the most difficult challenge that you faced before, during, and/or after the contest?
Chuna: Yah… (Showing off her unique face) it was the day before the contest. I had my Examination in my campus on the eve of the competition. I didn’t have enough time to study and I only managed to sleep for less than two hours before I went into my exam. That was so challenging.
Ezega: Let me take you to your victorious night, what was your feeling when you heard that you were the winner?
Chuna: Wow! I was shocked, completely shocked, and I didn’t believe it until the next day.
Ezega: What was your childhood dream?
Chuna: (Humble smile)…. Actually I wanted to be a cabin crew member, just for the sake of traveling around the world. But after I grew up, I changed my mind and I wanted to become an Economist. I believe people avoid the study (Economics) because of its hardship, and I want to face that challenge.
Ezega: What do you believe helped you beat the other 19 contestants: your beauty or your internal confidence and strength?
Chuna - I believe my confidence took the first and major place. Next to that, I believe my different and black color played an enormous role.
Ezega: How are you going to play your responsibility as Miss Ethiopia 2009 and as a sophomore student at the same time?
Chuna: That will definitely be difficult. But I will do whatever it takes to play my responsibility on both sides.
Ezega: Would you please tell me your award?
Chuna: Oh, Yah, it is a diamond ring that is worth 60,000 Birr from Zoskales Diamond shop owner, Ato Ezanna; and 10,000 Birr in cash from Cosmo Trading.
Ezega: In addition to the Miss Culture World Heritage 2009 that will be held in Namibia, you are going to represent Ethiopia in the upcoming Miss World pageant. What is your expectation?
Chuna: Although it is a huge responsibility, I have the confidence that I will be victorious in these upcoming contests too.
Ezega: As you know, you have a responsibility and duty to promote the good image of Ethiopia. How do you plan to fulfill that duty?
Chuna: Like I said, it is a big responsibility but I will try my best to promote Ethiopia and the harmony of the different nations and nationalities of Ethiopia, through the display of its culture, dressing, food, and our way of living. I would also like to introduce our rich natural and historical sites and heritage to the world.
Ezega: Before we end the interview, let me give you an opportunity to thank those who played a big role in your life and success; and to send a message to other youngsters who have similar dreams like yours but don’t know how to do it.
Chuna: Above all I want to thank God for his kind support. Next, I would like to thank my family and my friends who supported me in various ways. In addition, I want to tell my Ethiopian sisters that they can do anything they wish if they keep on trying and don’t ever give up.
Ezega: I want to thank you for your time.
Chuna: (With a smile)… You are very welcome.
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This article was written by Eden Habtamu reporting for Ezega.com from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She can be reached by email at News@Ezega.com. The article can be reprinted in full or in part elsewhere but only by giving full credit to Ezega.com. If reprinted on a website, we ask that you place this active link: Ezega Ethiopian News, pointing to http://www.Ezega.com.