The model Mubarak Bakare shares his story with the hosts and how he started his career at such a young age.
Bakare Mubarak has held the title of the tallest model in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2016 and is a towering 6ft 9in tall.
Meet Mubarak Bakare, The Tallest Model In Sub-Saharan Africa | Exclusive Interview
Bakare claimed that in 2020 when he was 20, he was the same height as the tallest model in the world at the time ‘Evelyn Eve, and then the record switched, three years afterward, he grew taller as well and the record switched to Russian model, Ekaterina Lisina who previously held the Guinness World Record for her 52-inch-long legs.
Meet Mubarak Bakare, The Tallest Model In Sub-Saharan Africa | Exclusive Interview
How has that been growing up?
It has been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences. I would say the bittersweet. I could remember the bullying part of it.
There was this particular senior, he would tell me not to be taller than him or shorter than him so I had to like condescend. I had a lot of people who bullied me because I was bigger than they were in those days.
Mubarak also spoke about his modeling career as well as the downsides of being really tall.
“My foray into modeling began in 2015 after I partook and won the Mr. Kwara 2015. Pageantry is synonymous with modeling and that’s when I started getting trained.
“I was adjudged the tallest model in Nigeria by the modeling scouts and practitioners in 2016 and it was based on the evaluation. It’s not an award or expedition, it’s a record, the tallest model record.
“Well, in the modeling industry, it’s a whole lot of challenges. When I go for casting sessions, sometimes I get rejected because I am too tall.
“If not for special recognition from a designer, the casting directors tend to reject me because when they make outfits for me, virtually no one can use them afterward.
“It’s really tough. When you are as tall as I am, you face a lot of rejection in the Nigerian modeling industry. Right now I am just trying to create my own sunshine.
“I’m a revolutionist because I like to always be unique. My outfits also cost a lot higher to make obviously because of my height and because of the number of yards required to sew a simple outfit for me.”
Meet Mubarak Bakare, The Tallest Model In Sub-Saharan Africa | Exclusive Interview
Where and where have you been around?
I have only seven continents in Africa but I intend to do all 54 African countries before I clock 45.
One thing I always say is that Africans are very hospitable unlike what the media has done to us (The Media propaganda) the western media most especially. Africa is one of the most genuine continents on the planet.
“If I can change anything in the industry, it would be African time syndrome. You go for a TV commercial casting and your time gets wasted. Anytime I go for casting for a TV commercial, I zero my mind that it will take an entire day.
“The government has a whole lot of roles to play. They need to create more infrastructure like fashion schools, homes for fashionistas and designers, and models.
Having featured in top-rated commercials for brands like Top-tea and Globacom, Mubarak said his best is yet to come.
See the video below for more!
