A model, fashion influencer and digital creator, Monday Matthew, has said that winning the Mr Nigeria International pageant helped in shaping his life.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, he said, “Winning the Mr Nigeria International pageant helped a lot in shaping my life. Pageantry is not all about one’s physical appearance. After that pageant, I became more confident, and that has made a big impact on my career. I started to see and feel how talented I am, knowing there are no limitations to what I can achieve.”
Reeling out other highlights of his career, Matthew said, “I am very proud of every project and everything I have achieved so far, but there was a particular show I did for Valentino, which required the models involved to show a lot of expression and attitude during the runway walk. It was really an amazing show. Working with organisations such as Gucci, Wired Magazine, Grazia Magazine, Esquire Magazine, Atlantis Hotel are also highlights of my career.”
Reacting to the perception of many that there are lots of sexual harassers in the industry, the model said, “There are a lot of abusers in the industry. While it looks glamorous to the outside world, it could be dark sometimes behind the scenes. When a model is just starting out, a lot of those sexual predators try to offer them stardom, by inviting them for shows and giving them jobs, provided they do what they ask. When I was starting, there were certain people who did not book me for shows, because I refused to be used for their sexual desires.”
Speaking on the inspiration behind his clothing brand, Olobs.NG, Matthew said, “It represents my native name— Olobo-ojo, which means ‘God’s gift’ in Igala language (Kogi State) tribe. I was inspired after seeing some collections from a Louis Vuitton show in 2019, I wanted to create something unique that would fit the urban world and the high fashion scene.”
