Miss Universe Nigeria

Last updated

Miss Universe Nigeria Organization
Formation1983 (Original run)
2023 (Revival)
Type Beauty pageant
Headquarters Lagos
Location
Membership
Pageant organiser
Silverbird Group
Website missuniversenigeria.org

Miss Universe Nigeria - abbreviated as MUN - is a national beauty pageant in Nigeria to select a Miss Universe delegate. 2023 marked a revival of the original contest organised by Silverbird Productions, Nigeria's Miss Universe franchise holder since 1983. The winner automatically becomes Nigeria's Miss Universe delegate, while the 1st runner-up is the Miss Supranational representative. Although Hannah Iribhogbe occasionally used the Miss Nigeria Universe title during her reign before crowning her successor, she had actually competed in MBGN 2022.

Contents

The current titleholder is former MBGN winner Ugochi Ihezue who represented Imo, and is the first winner since Omololu Ojehomon in 1983.

History

Daily Times - MBGN's rival pageant Miss Nigeria organisers - originally owned the country's rights to Miss Universe, but ceased to send winners after their only representative Edna Park's onstage ruckus at the semi-final. [1] In 1983, following heavy publicity, [2] [3] Omololu Ojehomon won the 1984 edition of the newly established "Miss Universe Nigeria" competition, but this maiden edition was considered a failure as Ojehomon was ultimately dethroned before she could compete abroad. [4] Fashion model Yemi Fawaz, who placed third, described the contest as "highly controversial" owing to the selection of two contestants as second-place winners, and lambasted the judges' bias against mixed-race delegates. She also criticised Silverbird for ignoring contestants who had competed in the organisation's first-ever pageant. [5]

Three years later, Silverbird president Ben Murray-Bruce relaunched the pageant as Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, with Law student Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu winning the contest and becoming the country's first Miss Universe representative in 23 years. [6] MBGN soon acquired more franchises including Miss World, Miss International, and later Miss Supranational, with MBGN titleholders automatically became representatives. Computer Science and Mathematics student Agbani Darego - who would later win Miss World - became the first Nigerian to place at Miss Universe in 2001. [7]

In 2005, Silverbird created different titles for MBGN runners-up, including MBGN Universe, while MBGN's overall winner was renamed "MBGN World" and sent to Miss World only. Human Science student Roseline Amusu became the first MBGN Universe, but Nigeria failed to place until 2019 when Health and Human Services student Olutosin Araromi reached the Miss Universe top 20 after an 18-year drought. [8]

In 2023, Silverbird revived Miss Universe Nigeria, with Murray-Bruce's brother, Guy, stating that owing to Miss Universe's evolving criteria, MUN would take on a new format from MBGN, making them two entirely different entities. Unlike the latter pageant which focused on mostly Westernised beauty standards, MUN is all-inclusive, irrespective of marital status, body type, shade, height or weight. [9] [10]

In 2023, MBGN 2017 Ugochi Ihezue became the first woman to win two Silverbird-organised pageants since Bianca Onoh (MBGN and Miss Intercontinental) in 1989.

Titleholders

Original edition

YearStateMiss Universe NigeriaPlacement at Miss UniverseSpecial AwardsNotes
1984 N/AOmololu OjehomonDid not attend1984 edition held in 1983

Revival edition

YearStateMiss Universe NigeriaPlacement at Miss UniverseSpecial AwardsNotes
2024 TBA
2023 Imo Ugochi Mitchell Ihezue [11] Unplaced

Miss Supranational Nigeria

YearStateMiss Supranational NigeriaPlacement at Miss SupranationalSpecial AwardsNotes
2024 Zamfara Sectra Okundaye [12] TBA
2023 Anambra Genevieve Ukatu [13] Unplaced

Miss Universe Nigeria under MBGN

From 2005, MBGN runners-up competed at Miss Universe. In 2023, MBGN Universe was replaced with Miss Universe Nigeria, breaking ties with MBGN.

YearStateMBGN UniversePlacement at Miss UniverseSpecial Awards
2022 Edo Hannah Iribhogbe [14] Unplaced
2021 Anambra Maristella Okpala[ citation needed ]Unplaced
  • Best National Costume
2020 Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no representative in 2020
2019 Taraba Olutosin Araromi[ citation needed ]Top 20
2018 Lagos Aramide LopezUnplaced
2017 Sokoto Stephanie AgbasiUnplaced
2016 Anambra Unoaku Anyadike Unplaced
2015 Ebonyi Debbie Collins Unplaced
2014 Edo Queen Osem Celestine Unplaced
  • Miss Congeniality
2013 Imo Stephanie Okwu Unplaced
2012 Cross River Isabella Ayuk Unplaced
2011 Bayelsa Sophie GemalUnplaced
2010 Niger Ngozi OdaloniUnplaced
2009 Delta Sandra OtohwoUnplaced
2008 Taraba Stephanie OforkaUnplaced
2007 Bayelsa Ebinabo Potts-Johnson Unplaced
2006 Delta Tienepre Alexandra OkiUnplaced
2005 Lagos Roseline AmusuUnplaced

Notable contestants

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Miss Universe Beauty from Around the World
  2. ↑ Guy Murray-Bruce
  3. ↑ "Ben Murray Bruce". MTVBase Meets. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Contesting Nationalisms: Gender, Globalization, and Cultural Representation in Nigerian Beauty Pageants p.43
  5. ↑ Why I Have Never Been Married
  6. ↑ Who Fathered Lynda Chuba's Twins?
  7. ↑ Agbani Darego Marks 20th Anniversary of Winning Miss World
  8. ↑ Silky Olutosin Araromi at Miss Universe
  9. ↑ 35 Years After, Silverbird Group Unbundles MBGN
  10. ↑ Miss Universe 2023 Now For All Women
  11. ↑ "Ugochi Mitchel Ihezue Crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2023". Okay. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Miss Supranational Nigeria 2023". Instagram. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "MBGN 2022 winner: Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Ada Eme and odas wey go represent di kontri for Miss World, Universe and oda international competitions". BBC News Pidgin. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Meet Montana Felix - The Miss Universe Nigeria 2022". NewswireNGR . 26 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
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