How I was Crowned Miss Philanthropy Queen despite my disability- Mohammed Taibat Janet

Miss Mohammed Taibat Janet, a Deaf graduate with B.Sc/E.Edu Tech from University of Ilorin has just become the first deaf model to contest with hearing models and got crowned a queen on 1st October.

She shares an inspiring story of her challenges and how despite her disability, she overcame obstacles to be crowned Miss Philanthropy Central African Queen in an exclusive interview with Inclusive New Network.

Read her story below..

“I hail from Ogbagi Akoko in Akoko North West area in Ondo state.

I became Deaf in 1995 while in primary school, and since then I have been trying to have a productive life worth of living.

Becoming deaf was my biggest challenge, as adjusting to life was very hard.

I thank my mother for sending me back to school.

The journey was wrought, challenging with many hurdles on my way.

But with persistence and hard work, I have not allowed my hearing incapacity to weight me down.

I did well in school and got admitted to Federal College of Education (special), Oyo in the year 2008, where my journey to the deaf world began.

I learned sign language and got to know myself better. Then I began my first degree at University of Ilorin and graduated in 2014.

My passion for modelling began to take significant shape in my second year in the University. I wanted to be a model, but considering my hearing challenge, it seemed to be an impossible task, but I did not give up.

I ventured into modelling in 2013. In the following year, I was nominated to represent Miss Deaf World and Miss Deaf International in the United Kingdom. However, I was faced with a lot of challenges as I could not get a sponsor for my flight ticket. I was so discouraged then.

But I didn’t loss hope.

In 2017, I was urged to contest for Miss Philanthropy pageant 2017 alongside a crop of hearing models.

I was quite afraid of losing because as a person living with disability, we are always relegated to the background, and are always marginalized, but within me, i wanted to challenge these stereotypes. I wanted to challenge those hearing models.”

“I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to remind the world, once more, that there is ability in a disability. In the end I did the best I could and won.” Miss Janet remarked.

Janet was among the six contestants that were selected out of ten, each representing a region in Africa. Having represented Cameroon, she was crowned Miss Philanthropy Central African Queen.

The pageant took place from September 23 to 30, a week activities including visiting orphanage, hospitals etc.

Janet intends to kick start her pet project in advocate and empowerment of people who are less privileged soon and will need the support of good Nigerians

INN congratulates Janet on this beautiful accomplishment. We hope other persons with disabilities are heartened by this remarkable feat.

Check out more pictures below..