Gabriel Shikongo captivated the hearts of the judges with his impressive skills and charm that landed him the prestigious title of Mr Teen Walvis Bay.
Shikongo was crowned last month during the Miss and Mr Teen Walvis Bay pageant.
The Miss and Mr Teen pageant offers contestants a platform to demonstrate their confidence, intelligence and overall appeal. It also promotes personal development, cultural awareness and community service.
The highly anticipated pageant was organised by the Junior City Council, where 17 contestants – 12 young ladies and five young men participated. The judges were Miss Namibia finalist 2023 Aina Nghipuilepo, Miss World Namibia Leona van Jaarsveld, councillor Richard Hoaeb and the owner of Trends Boutique, Albertina Nyoni.
Shikongo spoke to The Namibian about his win and plans during his reign.
Born and raised at Walvis Bay, Shikongo is a graphic designer and a boxer.
He has taken part in five pageants and is the reigning Mr Freshmen for Kuisebmond Secondary School.
His motto in life is to work hard and always treat people the same way he would want to be treated.
“This platform is one of my happy places. Winning feels amazing. It is like no other experience. To me, winning means learning and evolving, because there’s always more to come after each level,” he said.
Shikongo said he was motivated to enter the contest by a member of the Junior City Council (JCC). Every year, this opportunity is open to Walvis Bay teens.
“A JCC member from my school approached me and asked if I would like to take part and without a doubt I said ‘Yes’. I decided to enter because from a young age I have desired to show off the fashionable side of me and this was just another opportunity I took,” he said.
Shikongo said through his journey so far he has learnt that you must never stop working hard as there is always someone ready to take your spot. He said being part of the pageant has taught him the importance of always being polite, always wearing a smile, always holding the door open and being a positive force to the world.
“As Mr Teen, so far my time has been great. This is truly a beautiful journey and I’m ready to explore more. I’m always focused on achieving my goals as they bring me closer to my future dreams as we all desire living the extraordinary life,” he said.
During his reign, Shikongo wants to help out the soup kitchens in his community.
Shikongo said although the pageant industry is dominated by females he encourages men to also enter.
“I urge men to take part because I believe we are dominated by women in this activity and it stops men from showing their lifestyle. I’m a person with a lot of unseen potential, I work hard and always aim big. I’m basically a different breed. My hobbies are playing games, designing flyers and music,” he said.
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