When eight-year-old Janine Nneoma Obasi steps onto the stage in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, in March, she will not just be wearing a sash and a smile.

She will be carrying the hopes of a nation and the vibrant spirit of Nigerian culture. From March 28 to April 4, young contestants from across the continent will gather in Nairobi for the prestigious Mini-Miss Africa pageant.

Among them will be Janine Obasi, who would be representing Nigeria as the current Mini Miss Africa Nigeria and Miss KAT (Kids Are Talented) London.

For Obasi, the crown is more than a glittering acces sory. It is a platform. “I want to be a role model for kids in Africa and to promote African and Nigerian values and culture,” she said with confidence. Being a star in the making, Obasi, who hails from Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, is as energetic as she is ambitious.

When she is not rehearsing her catwalk or practicing her poise, she can be found swimming, dancing, running, or perfecting her gymnastics routines. Her natural grace and love for performance have been evident since early childhood. Interestingly, her journey into the pageantry was not meticulously planned.

It began with a spark, which her mother initially hesitated to fan into flame. She said: “As her mother, I noticed her interest in modeling when she was about five or six. “At first, I ignored it. I did not really like all those things. But when I saw her passion growing stronger, I decided to look at the positive side of it and that decision changed everything.”