Lola Beke
Lola Beke, a girl from the Nigerian descent whose dream was to become a model. She faced
many challenges in her way but always lived by the quote “No matter where you come
from, you matter and the sky is the limit”. Facing many difficulties in her life, she eventually
blossomed into a strong and beautiful lady, making her achieve her dream of becoming a
model and winning multiple competitions. This is Lola’s story through her interview:
What is Lola Beke’s story?
At a young age in Nigeria, my sister and I were responsible for managing a grocery shop
owned by my mom to support the family. While my mom focused on other businesses to
help the family and gather money to move to the US, my sister and I were responsible for
running the store every day after school and early mornings on weekends. I was only 8 but I
had to grow up at a very young age.
My father was in the US making sure he could prepare for the rest of family’s move to the
US. At that age, I learned the importance of team work, pulling my own weight while
prioritizing education at the same time. I never thought about why those responsibilities
were placed on me. I quickly adapted and immersed myself into helping my family and our
hope for a better future.
Do you feel that your childhood has shaped you in some way?
Looking back at it now, I appreciate those lessons I learned as it has shaped the woman I am
today. I am very determined to continue to pursuing the goal of a better future, no matter
the obstacles along the way.
What inspired you to become a model?
My inspiration to be a model came from watching television and movies in Nigeria, making
me hope that I would become a model someday. My parents enrolled me in a pageant
competition as soon as they realized that this is a dream of mine. I won the first pageant in
my town then went on to other local events and navigated my way into winning multiple
competitions.
When did your journey become challenging?
When my grandmother passed away, it caused us to relocate untimely and this made it very
difficult to pursue my dreams as a model. Being an immigrant in this country made me feel
unwanted and unwelcomed. I faced struggles in middle school as people referred to me as a
“monkey”, “midnight” and so many other words. This made my self-esteem go downhill as I
began to question myself and my worth. I began eating as a way to cope with stress and
depression.
How did you change your challenge into an opportunity?
During my junior year in high school, I used prom as a motivation to lose the weight and be
the healthiest version of myself. With that, my confidence came back. I began auditioning
for the local casting calls in the area and scored my first runway! This was the biggest
accomplishment I’ve had.
What do you do to showcase the best of Nigerian beauty?
To showcase Nigerian beauty, I take proper care of my skin, body and health; perform daily
workouts, eat balanced diets and have plenty of water!
What advice would you like to give to all the girls from the Nigerian descent who are
aspiring to become a model like you?
My advice to all the girls from the Nigerian descent who want to become models, is to never
give up! Keep striving for success and believe in yourself! It is very important to me that
young girls who look like me understand that they are beautiful, they are smart, they are
the epitome of love and Grace, and their challenges does not define them.
What is your definition of beauty?
Beauty is more than this, it includes how you treat those around you, how you overcome
obstacles while staying graceful and remembering your background. For me, I continue to
use my knowledge to purse better education as I go after my Physician assistant degree
while representing Nigerians.
What is the one quote that you live by?
No matter where you come from, you matter and the sky is the limit!
Lola’s story is nothing but an inspiration in its true form and is a guiding light for many more
girls who dream of being a model like Lola one day.
Written by Sonz
Model: Motilola Beke @olorilolaa_
Photographer: Samuel Adeniyi @adeniyi_jr
Photographer: Mayker Duran @mduranstudio