| When our own Agbani Darego, was crowned Miss World in far way South Africa in 2001, the world stood to salute not just a black woman who was entering the Guinness book of world records as the first in the history of the pageant, but a woman who stunned an unprepared world with her not just her beauty and elegance but her intelligence. Her achievement also heralded the arrival of her sponsors the Silverbird on whose platform,  Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Adaeze Igwe Agbani had made the nation proud.
Perhaps it was on the strength of it all, that the organiser of the world most glamourous pageant agreed to host the event in Nigeria. Although the event didn’t quite hold as a result of the betrayal role played by the Western world and supported by their media, Nigerian still went down history lane as the country with the best potential to host a world class event.
Come November, the 2008 edition of the pageant will be hosted by South Africa and the question on every body’s lips is, will history repeat itself?
Current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Adaeze Igwe on whose frail shoulders rests the big question belittles the challenge.
“Nothing matters to me until I return the Miss World crown to where it belongs, Nigeria” she assured. She spoke to our roving correspondent Bridget Amaraegbu and here’s the result of that encounter. Enjoy.
How is Nigeria’s number one beauty doing today? (Laughing) I’m very okay and feeling great today, thank you. How do you feel as the Most Beautiful girl In Nigeria? I’ll say it’s a privilege and it’s been fun. It is also a big responsibility but basically I’m having fun as the Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria. What are the challenges you face as a beauty queen? I’ve not really had any challenges; I can say I’m still having fun. Your reign so far has not been as prominent as that of your predecessors, why is it so? First, I think it’s because I don’t stay in Lagos where I can be having all the publicity, secondly it’s because I want to keep it low until I win the Miss World title as that’s what is really bothering me for now. Another reason is because I’m aware of the fact that fame has good and bad side, some people will love you and others will not. So as long as I keep it low for now, I’ll only have friends. Why do you choose to stay in Abuja? That is where I stay with my parents. I contested for this crown from there so I wouldn’t want to live my parents and begin to stay alone just because I’m a beauty queen. Even though I school there, I had to defer my education until after my reign as queen. As a queen, are there certain things you do before that you can no longer do now? Nothing, I still go to places I used to go, eat whatever I like to eat, do things I want to do, but the difference now is that I can not do them in public places even though I was never really used doing  Current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Adaeze Igwe things in public.What sacrifice did you make to be able to wear this crown? I didn’t have to make any sacrifice to win because I was myself all through. I didn’t fake anything. As a matter of fact it is something I’d planned all my life. I was never scared of loosing because I had confidence that I will win the crown and move forward to bring back the Miss World crown to Nigeria.. My family have always prayed about it and God had already made that promise to me which he has started fulfilling and will complete what he started. What impact have you made on other people since the inception of your reign? Initially I wanted to start with a talent haunt contest but on a second thought I felt that people should be alive for them to be able to use their talent. So for now, I’ve been able to go int some remote villages in Abuja to teach people on how they can prevent and treat malaria. I equally gave them some insect treated nets and malaria drugs. The first village we went to is Kadokuchi and the second one is Mpape village. I did that with the help the of Society For Family health organisation. I also visited a motherless babies home in Enugu. I have so many other projects that I intend to handle before the end of my reign. Do you still have a rapour with your friends? I still have a blissful relationship with all my friends. Nothing has changed yet and I pray they do not change as they’ve always been there for me. Back in my secondary school days, my friends all knew that I had this dream so when I won, it was more like a dream come true for all of us. I love them and I know they love me too because they still visit me and pray that I win the Miss World title. What about your boyfriend? I’ve never had a boyfriend because I just see it as a distraction for now, maybe I’ll need one later. For now I don’t want anything that will limit me from being what I want in life. Lets talk about the Miss World crown, how are you preparing? I’m putting all my profile together which is part of the project I’m handling now because I’ll be doing so many things there like talent haunt, dancing , cooking local and continental dishes which I know I can do very well. I have the ability to different Nigerian languages which may not be very important but I want to show them that Nigeria has got the most intelligent women in the world. With God on my side to strengthen me and with the support of Nigerians, I know I’ll come out as the best. Who are your sponsors? La casera, Hyundai, Amigos, Visafone, Momo coutoure, Lufthansa German Airline and the Silverbird are the major sponsors. That means we are expecting history to repeat itself in South Africa, because that’s where Agbani Darego was crowned... Yes. Nigerians should keep faith because I’m bringing the crown home just like Agbani did. I’m going to have double of the favour she got to do that. We know your mother is also very pretty, how does she feel knowing that you are a crowned beauty? She is very happy, she feels it’s an opportunity she missed in her own time because of her family background and that is why she is giving me all the support I need. For her it is like, a do or die affair especially that of Miss World. She has always called me queen, since I was a kid. For my mother, MBGN is a certificate for me to rule the world as Miss World. She keeps telling me to go and get the world crown so she can confirm that I’m really beautiful. How does your father feel having too beauty queens in the same house? My father is very happy and having fun with the fact that his daughter is the Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria. Initially he was not in full support of the idea because he was having some doubts, but he didn’t say no completely because if he did, I wouldn’t have contested at all. He just said I should go ahead with my mother, when I won he became very proud, and told me to keep my head high and make sure I become Miss World. So who does he now see as the real queen between you and your mother? I guess I’m the one since my mother wasn’t crowned As a beauty queen, how do you cope with numerous advances from men? I’ve not really had much advances because I haven’t got the time. Another reason has to do with the kind of places I go to and the type of people around me but for the ones’ who find time to approach me I just treat them the way they come. How do you mean the way they come? Some of them will say they want to marry me and I’ll reply that we should talk about that later when I’m ready to get married. I treat them just the way they come. What about the big shots who just want to boost their ego and brag about sleeping with the queen? I’ve not had advances from those one’s because they do not have the opportunity to do so. I don’t really go out on my own. What is your philosophy of life? I don’t have a particular philosophy about life, it changes as I move forward in life. Right now I can say it is keep dreaming Big and Never stop Dreaming.” Never get comfortable with any particular achievement’‘. What are you telling all the women in Nigeria, what should we expect? Adaeze Igwe doing her thing hopeshe wins To all the women out there, keep dreaming big, never limit your dreams because you don’t know where God wants to take you to. Always pray and read the Bible, be able to tell your heavenly father what you want and he will hear and answer you as long as you keep asking and live according to his instructions. Finally, never let your family background or anything intimidate you and avoid whatever that will limit you from achieving whatever you want in life because nobody is too young to achieve big so “go out and achieve big” I love you all and I’ll bring the crown to Nigeria. |