Models From Nigeria

"Since I left MBGN, my sister and I started a beauty business. We are rebranding so I cannot release the full details now. I also wrote an anthology, ‘Woman like the Sea’ it is about the struggles women go through. I also have a podcast titled 'Feminine Expressions' coming out soon"

"People always think I am biracial especially, in Lagos but, I am not. I cannot tell if there is light-skinned privilege. I know there is pretty privilege because people would want to talk to you if you are pretty"

"Because my family is in South Africa living in Lagos during the lockdown dealt with my mental health negatively. I always thought I was the sort of person who loves to be alone just in my corner writing how I feel but, the lockdown taught me that you need people around you"

"I think what is common nowadays is people trying to attach themselves to the light-skinned complexion by bleaching"

"I had put my mind to doing the very best I could. I wanted to tick their boxes as much as I could. I knew I had to be articulate and smart, and I set my mind to do that"

"Yes, I am, though I do not like to subscribe to labels because sometimes we get hung up on the labels and forget the cause. Although, I am an advocate of women empowerment and gender equality"

"My older sister always keeps tabs on Nigerian news and celebrities. She wanted me to contest for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria or Miss Nigeria, she later decided on MBGN. So she bought the form for me and filled it out for me"

"Plus, dark skinned people are getting more representation is music videos and movies now and that is great"

"My parents inspire me to treat people selflessly. I am also inspired by hardworking and determined people, Mo Abudu from Nigeria is an African woman who is surpassing the limits set by society to conquer and pave the way for others to conquer, that is inspiring. When people achieve and help others get there, that inspires me"

"Even after the lockdown, I realized that you need friends and people you can count on"

"There were times in South Africa when I told someone that I was from Nigeria and their countenance will change. For the most part, I tried to surround myself with positive people and, I did have some friends"

"It is encouraging, women should support women, our strength lies in our ability to give a helping hand to a sister in need. The best thing is helping others to achieve once you arrive at your destination. We go through so many similar difficulties and challenges that should make us want to work more together instead of fighting each other. A supportive circle of successful women will always thrive against all odds"

"I was so surprised I made the top five and finally declared the first runner up. It is a game so you never know who is going to win"

"I am so grateful I got to be the first runner up and represent Nigeria in the Miss Universe contest. I met so many wonderful people there who I still talk to today. We even have a Whatsapp group. When someone gives birth or gets married, they post it on the group. I love it"

"No, I do not think pageants are shallow. All pageants pass an important message through a beautiful person or face. It is always a combination of beauty and intellect"

"Basically you are more than any situation you find yourself in, because you’re a human being; constantly becoming a better version of yourself"

"When I was younger, people would try to put my sister’s beauty against mine and say things like 'you wouldn't be pretty if you were dark-skinned' or tell my sister she would be prettier if she were light-skinned. We need to accept people the way we see them"

"It has opened a lot of doors for me. I have met and rubbed shoulders with a lot of important people and world leaders, and not just in Nigeria but also across the world. I would always cherish those moments. I learnt that life is about meeting people, traveling, networking and building bridges so that we could have good and lasting relationships with people"

"I will advise every young girl who wants to go for MBGN, and whoever wins MBGN to just be herself. Be yourself; don’t try to be me or any other person. Don’t try to be any other person that went before you. Yes, these people can be your role models, but please be yourself and enjoy the moment. Be cool and don’t get carried away by what happens in our society nowadays. Just maintain your values"

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. What is ugly to you may be handsome to me. I don’t think there is anything like dating an ugly man. He might be ugly to you but he is handsome to me. It is basically beauty from the inside; that is the most important thing. If your inside is as beautiful and amazing, what is on the outside is of no consequence, so it is your inside that matters"

"This platform has given me the opportunity to help create awareness about endometriosis in Nigeria. It’s a disease that so many people don’t know about which affects the female child, so, I intend to go round, starting with secondary schools, to create awareness about endometriosis. I want young girls to know about this disease and try their best to get checked early enough. It is a disease that is fast spreading in Nigeria and it has to be checked; we can easily control it when everybody, especially young girls know about it."

"My ideal man, first of all, has to be God fearing. Everybody could say that is a cliché but it is really important. I have to be attracted to him though, its part of it. And you have to be a hard and smart worker. I don’t like lazy men; you have to be on your feet. You have to be loving and caring as well. I don’t care about height. He could be short or tall and I don’t care about age, but he must be attractive. However, what matters for me is what is inside"

"I have learnt to develop a thick skin. I am thankful for my family who has been my backbone and my fiends too who have been very supportive. So, you see negative things and you just laugh it off, because if people are not talking about you, then you are nobody; you are not relevant. You see negative reports and you just laugh and move on with your life"

"I have learnt to be a bit more patient and a bit more understanding. Before being queen, you were relating with people but you can’t compare it to you being queen of a big country like Nigeria, and everybody is looking up to you, to see the next move you make or your next mistake or that good thing you do. So, that is the difference. I have learnt to be more understanding and careful of things I say and do, because people like to misinterpret things. What you mean may not necessarily be what will be interpreted, so you have to be careful of what you say and things you do. You are relating with people and everybody is not going to be how you want them to be, so you need to be smart, you need to know how to work with people, because if you can work with people and you can build relationships and be more understanding and patient, you will go far"

"“I started Koko By Khloe Beauty as a response to limited quality skincare products in Africa. Unfortunately, there [are too many] hazardous skincare products in the African market. I wanted to go against the status quo and launch a cosmetics line that embraces different skin types and shades, providing them with well-trusted and patented products that nourish and promote healthy glowing skin.”"

"“I call myself the jack of all trades and muscle [to mean strength] of everything,”"

"“My business is all about making sure that all black women feel comfortable in their own skin.”"

"... Honestly I think am still processing the things that happen. I felt that I was going to make it to top thirty and was really ok with it, I put it on my heart I'm happy I'm going to be top thirty, when I make top 12 I was like 'oh my world' like, I made it this far? And I was actually really happy because I have to go to the evening gawn night, and I had no any expectation for any reason to make it to the top five. So, for me to hear my name in the top five I was like 'oh wow' like this is real and this is the main thing. The question now is 'what actually determines the winner"? and I didn't prepare myself to say I'm going to answer questions..."

"You know being a girl is natural but being a lady is something that has to be imbibed and I guess I learned a whole lot about being a lady."

"Anybody can say whatever pleases them with their mouth."

"There’s no such thing as impossibility. It is very important to remain humble, work hard, be good and keep trusting in God."

"I have never been one to believe in limitations. It’s the glory of God that makes me stand out from the crowd."

"There’s no excitement that can compare to that feeling and passion, the adrenaline when you’re on the runway and you have people cheering."

"My advice to them is to be really focused and not be distracted by anything. Be determined and be happy about what you do, stay professional and enthusiastic, and don't forget to smile."

"But you know as human beings, we are able to multi-task, evolve and adapt, especially when you have passion for what you do."

"One thing that I’m very grateful for is, I’m in a generation that won’t take no for an answer."

"I feel incredibly blessed that I have been given a great opportunity to display how much I love what I do and I look forward to having a great night celebrating our musicians on the largest music platform in Africa."

"An image depicts younger members of society helping a young bride as she walks the short distance to her new home. They carry small cases, some are relatives, wrapped in newly printed fabric to represent the brides family. Other images reveal the beauty of our attire, our traditional dress, Jewellery and the beauty of our landscape."

"As a traditional ruler, I have several key responsibilities all aimed at ensuring the well-being and harmony of the community"

"In terms of community development advocacies, I will play a vital role in advocating for and facilitating development projects, such as education, healthcare and infrastructure by partnering with government agencies and organisations."

"The truth is some people get to know their God and are okay to be in a certain way"

"Kebbi state, just like many regions in Nigeria, faces challenges in development, especially in the rural area, but the state also has unique strengths especially in agriculture. Whether it is ‘lagging behind’ depends on the metrics used in comparison, e.g., infrastructure, education, healthcare, or industrialisation"

"Weddings are a huge tradition in Nigeria. Our clothes are mostly customised with authentic local fabrics like aso-oke and lace. These are always elaborate and glamorous. Apart from the actual outfit, which is usually made from exquisite embroideries, we would usually wear a head wrap and lots of jewellery. Gowns from brands like Valentino are now being worn to traditional events, as they fit the aesthetic of our clothes. The shoes and other accessories tend to be from top international brands."

"People that think models are not spiritual need to free their minds and not try to box people."

"The retail experience is changing in Nigeria, so most of the international designs are either purchased online at a retail outlet like Mall for Africa or at the Palms Shopping Mall in Lekki, Lagos. Others shop at the luxury concept fashion store Alara or Temple Muse. And for a range of designs made in their native country, Nigerian women shop at Grey Velvet. The days of flying to shop is coming to an end. Nigerians now shop with a sense of pride and confidence, knowing that the product they would normally buy a travel ticket to get is now available in their country, and they can trust that it’s all original."

"We chose Oluchi because we found that, from all the girls that entered the competition, she had the most personality."

"I love a very elongated kind of Modigliani proportion. I love the shape of her head and the proportion of her body (Oluchi)."

"My name is Oluchi Orlandi, you may know me as Oluchi Onweagba, 1998 winner of the 1st Mnet Face of Africa. Needless to say that after winning the competition, my life changed forever. But when I reflect as I tend to do, I realise that as much as I have enjoyed so much success and the stuff that dreams are made of on a global stage – one thing remains the same and that is being ‘woman’."

"Winners don't quit try again this time with God."

"I am definitely one of those people who believe that women have super powers, call it female instinct, the ability to multitask, the power to love and nurture deeply and all the other things that women are incredibly good at. I actually have far simpler ways of describing the phenomenon that is ‘woman’. I would say that the female super powers are INTUITION, MATERNAL INSTINCT & THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE. These powers distinguish and unify the female species all over the world, across skin colour, geography, income and status."