Models of Diversity interviews Ngoli Onyeka Okafor

June 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Let’s find out what drives this ambitious man who took the time to answer some questions for Suzanne Fatta of Models of Diversity on 5 June, 2011…

SF: Thanks so much for your support of Models of Diversity! I’m sure our community would like to get to know you more, so can you tell us about yourself - where were you born? It sounds like you had a very stimulating and diverse experience growing up.

NGO: I was born in Massachusetts in the United States. My dad was getting his PhD at Harvard University when I was born. When he was done, he wanted to use his knowledge to help develop Nigeria and he also wanted his children to grow up in Nigeria and learn the culture.



SF: You’re famous for being the most downloaded black male model, but can you explain what that means? Is there a governing board out there that keeps track of such things, or do you have assistants counting up YouTube views?

NGO: The term ‘most downloaded’ is determined by the search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing etc. They track articles, images, mentions and website traffic regarding a person. I have more articles, images and more traffic to my website than any other black male model. With regards to YouTube views, I have worked hard to put forward videos that stimulate people and make them want to share them. My YouTube channel has over 600,000 views. Once a video goes viral, the rest is history.



SF: Your devotion to fitness led to modelling work, which led to acting. Do you find it hard to juggle the demands of three careers at once? How do you prioritize?

NGO: I don’t find it difficult to juggle all three facets of my career. They are all performing arts, so each one helps the other. Practice is key. When I am doing workshops in acting class, it helps my modelling. When I’m working out in the gym, I work on relaxing while strengthening my body which helps both modelling and acting.


SF: You’ve been featured in Vogue, Fortune Magazine, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Vibe, The Source, ESPN Magazine, and W, among others. What advice would you give to aspiring male models out there?

NGO: My advice to any aspiring model is to recognise what your strengths are. Find out what separates you from everyone else and perfect it. That is what will give you longevity in the business. Hard work, focus and perseverance are very important as well. This is not an overnight business. It takes time. There will be a lot of rejection before you get a ‘yes’.

SF: Do you find your academic and business background helps you in your career choices?

NGO: I do. My computer savvy helps me in my business because it helps me to edit my images and my videos. It also comes in handy when doing marketing, both online and off.

SF: Have you ever experienced racial prejudice in the sports or entertainment worlds? You mention that you met some adversity in the early stages of your career.

NGO: Of course I have. For example, I have worked on dozens of issues of a particular men’s magazine, but have never been offered the cover. They would rather give it to a white model that is nowhere near the shape that I’m in.

SF: You are very generous and honest, sharing your story with your fans on Twitter and your blog. Have you been told you’re an inspiration to your community? What do you think the importance of inspiration or mentoring is?

NGO: I believe that we are born with talents and gifts. My gift is to inspire and motivate people. I’m happy to see that I am able to use my gift to influence people and change lives. It is important to inspire and motivate people looking to get in the business because although it is tough, someone has to show that with hard work, anything is possible.

SF: You’ve been in the UK a few weeks now – do you notice any differences in the modelling and fashion industries on either side of the Atlantic?

NGO: I definitely see a difference. It is very clear. In America, every other commercial (print or TV) has a person of colour in it. Most corporations do a commercial geared to wards the white market and they also another one to cater to the non-white community. Here in London (and the UK in general), you can look at several print ads and commercials and not see one person of colour. There is just no colour representation. No one is fighting for us except you, Models of Diversity!

SF: Are you involved in any social causes or charities? And what do you do for relaxation?

NGO: I involved in a charity program that I created which will provide under privileged kids in Nigeria and Africa with boxing equipment. This process will be filmed as part of my documentary which I’m currently working titled ‘The Triumph Of The Will’. This film will be available on DVD when it is completed.

SF: OK, so you’ve risen to the very top of the heap in athletics and modelling, and are climbing up as an actor. Any more dreams, goals or ambitions? What’s next for Ngo?

NGO: I would like to add ‘filmmaker’ to my list of titles. As I mentioned above, I’m working on my documentary, titled ‘The Triumph Of The Will’. It is a film that will chronicle my journey from Nigeria to United States and on to the top of the modelling and boxing world.

SF: Thank you so much for giving us your time and support. We wish you all the best and will be cheering you on all the way from the UK!

NGO: Thank you so much for having me. I truly appreciate all the love and support.

www.getingo.com
www.youtube.com/user/NGOTV
twitter.com/catchngo

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MODELS OF DIVERSITY is a London based nonprofit organization which advocates for more diversity in models and demands that the fashion and marketing industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all varieties! www.modelsofdiversity.org