LAGOS – Emmanuel Ikubese, Mr Nigeria, who recently came second at the Mr World Pageant in England, has said that he would use his position to fight domestic violence.
Ikubese gave the assurance on Friday night in Lagos during a reception organised in his honour by the Silverbird Group, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
“This has always been my passion and I will start a foundation to help to draw attention of the world to it.
“I will continue to fly the Nigerian flag. This is huge, but I know where I am from,’’ 25-year-old Ikubese said.
He told his audience that it was an honour to represent Nigeria on the world stage, adding that the country was well represented with a great sense of responsibility.
“I went to England to represent Nigeria. It was an honour to represent my country and I am ready for the responsibility that comes with my position.
“I am Mr Nigeria and I am the second most-desirable man in the world at the moment but it is not about me, it is about my country, Nigeria,” he said.
He thanked his parents, who were present at the occasion, for supporting him all along, and promised never to disappoint them.
His father, Mr Austin Ikubese, thanked the Silverbird Group for giving his son the opportunity to represent Nigeria.
“We are from a humble beginning, and I have been married to my wife for 27 years.
“I was determined never to allow my children suffer like I did in my own childhood so I will support them in all their projects; my project is my children,’’ he said.
The father urged parents to support their children’s endeavours and not to discourage them.
“If you follow up your children and support them, the amount of crime in the country will reduce. When you make a good family you make a good society.
“If you don’t encourage them to use what they have positively, they will use them negatively, and it will affect the country,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mr Guy Murray-Bruce, the Vice-President of Silverbird Group, congratulated Ikubese for making Nigeria proud.
“Despite all the problems in the country, you made us very proud; we are proud of you,’’ he said.
Murray-Bruce said that this was the third time in four attempts that Nigeria was in the top 10 of the Mr World Pageant.
NAN reports that Ikubese earned the rights to represent Nigeria at the Mr World Pageant when he won the Mr Nigeria 2014 contest in Lagos on April 26 after defeating 19 other contestants.
The Mr Nigeria Pageant is organised by the Silverbird Group.
Ikubese emerged first runner-up and Most Stylish Contestant at the Mr World contest which held at the Riviera International Conference Centre, Torbay, England, on June 15.
Ikubese came second behind Denmark’s Nicklas Pedersen, while Mexico’s Jose Pablo Minor took the third position.
Ikubese, who is also an actor, had played notable roles in a number of movies, including the award-winning HIV/AIDS series, “Shuga”, sponsored by the Urber-music channel, MTV Base.
He hails from Kwale in Delta State and studied International Relations at the United States International University, Nairobi.(NAN)
