It’s an arduous feat thriving as a black model globally – Eric Akoa 

Every successful celebrity has a story to tell about his/her struggles. For 28-year-old model and actor, Eric Akoa, it’s a different trajectory for black models or people of African descent to thrive in the global fashion scene, especially in the Middle East where it is very lucrative.  

As one the highest paid African models in the Middle East, Eric Akoa did not just find himself at the top overnight. He claims hardwork, and a cold shoulder towards rejection, as the key pillars that piloted him to his current positions. 

“I moved to Dubai on my own, pursuing the Dubai dream, but the dream turned quickly into a nightmare. I was a waiter for a year with a salary of 300 euros, after that I resigned and went to the Fitness industry as a personal trainer. That is where my passion for the gym started. I was a personal trainer for two years until the coronavirus happened in 2020. I lost my job and ended up on the streets for a while until a friend helped me out. And it’s in that dark moment of solitude that I decided to go after what I love the most, which is Acting and Modeling.

“I wasn’t really put on the spot but today the Middle East is very open now and the fact that I couldn’t express myself properly in English, I was driven by that passion of Acting, Influencing and Modeling and I think that helped me a lot. Today I am one of the highest paid Influencers and Models in the Middle East,” he narrated to Weekend Beats. 

Now, a role model to many young people, especially his followers on social media, Eric Akoa advice to young people is to find something they love doing and stick to that until they are the best at it and make sure they get paid for it.