Nigerian woman, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, has shone in Accra, Ghana, as she rose above her speech impairment to win a keenly contested international speech competition.
Bongos-Ikwue, member of the Abuja District of Toastmasters, an affiliate of Toastmasters International, a worldwide nonprofit educational organisation empowering individuals to be effective communicators and leaders, defied her congenital stuttering challenges to achieve this feat.
Her winning speech, entitled, “Release it”, focused on the themes of bravery, passion and generosity, which she used a moving story to illustrate that “we only receive extraordinary things when we let go of the average, or ordinary ones.”
The speeches were judged on content, organisation, gestures and style.
Speaking on what inspired her victory as a public speaker, despite her speech impairment, she said “when it comes to connecting with an audience, Toastmasters, as an organisation has taught me how to be confident and focused. In fact since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers/communicators. It has shown me that every speaking opportunity is an opportunity to inspire people in an unforgettable way that a host of other Toastmasters have always inspired me”.
With this victory, Bongos-Ikwue is poised to secure a spot in the World Championship in Public Speaking holding at the Toastmasters International Convention, on August 25, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. She will compete with 105 winners from districts around the world.
The elated Nigerian woman said representing her district at the contest “feels like the decisive stamp of victory over my speech impediment”, adding that she is “looking forward to competing on a much larger stage in Chicago.”
Bongos-Ikwue is Public Health editor for E-Proofers, based in Abuja.
The Toastmasters International Speech Contest began in 1938, and is the world’s largest speech contest, involving 30,000 participants from 141 countries. It culminates in the World Championship in Public Speaking held yearly at the organisation’s International Convention.