MBGN's Most Controversial Moments

1987

English Language student Omasan Buwa who had previously competed in Miss Nigeria was crowned MBGN in 1987 to the dismay of the audience who were rooting for American-based Niki Onuaguluchi. Although the judges later declared that Onuaguluchi, at 5'6'', would not have stood a chance among taller rivals at International pageants, critics argued that she was the favourite to win. Buwa reportedly accused Onuaguluchi of bringing in supporters to cheer her to victory. Buwa placed an impressive fifth at Miss Intercontinental that year, but has since been dubbed MBGN's most unconventional winner due to her controversial bearing, and was labelled a tomboy by the Nigerian press.



1988

In 1989, it was revealed that MBGN 1988 Bianca Onoh was dating Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a political associate of her father who was over thirty years her senior. Their relationship made them tabloid favourites  - the couple sued Climax magazine for stating that Onoh was pregnant whilst Ojukwu was also courting Miss Nigeria Binta Sukai, which the latter denied. Onoh, who was also Miss Intercontinental, subsequently informed the press that pressure had become unbearable and announced her resignation. As MBGN winners are discouraged from embarking on serious relationships during their tenure, Onoh's decision enraged pageant organisers Silverbird who refuse to acknowledge her on the MBGN website to this day.

1990

Months into her reign, MBGN 1990 Sabina Umeh was entangled in controversy when it was reported that her boyfriend Kesse Jabari was working at Silverbird. Umeh, who had also won Miss Uniben during her university days, discredited these allegations, arguing that she had contested back in 1987 when Jabari, who would later become an actor and fashion designer, was already an employee of the organization, but still failed to place.

1992

Grace Abba who lost out to jailbird Sandra Petgrave was highly tipped to win the crown  at MBGN 1992, until she stated during the interview round that the AIDS epidemic in Nigeria could be decelerated by encouraging citizens to keep their environment clean. Her answer caused the public to question the calibre of contestant, and the screening proccess which selected them.

1995

MBGN 1995 Toyin Raji was a favourite to win until she was pressured by human rights activists to withdraw from Miss World that year following the execution of nine political prisoners including author Ken Saro-Wiwa, but was awarded the Personality Prize during the final. South African president Nelson Mandela assured Raji that the anger was not directed at her personally, and asked her to take the message of opposition to the Sani Abacha regime back to her homeland. 

2001

Shortly after Agbani Darego's victory at Miss World, Miss Nigeria 2001 Amina Ekpo took legal action against her MBGN counterpart who was accused of misrepresentation claiming that Darego had fraudulently presented herself as "Miss Nigeria", and had not been authorised to use the title. Daily Times managing director Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo later attempted to wrestle the rights to represent Nigeria at Miss World from Silverbird, but lost the case in court.

2002

Despite her popularity with the public at Miss Universe 2002, Chinenye Ochuba failed to place at the pageant as did several other black contestants, thus creating the term "2002 Blackout".

2011

In 2011, winner Sylvia Nduka was asked why she had failed to promptly respond to a question during the interview stage, and she replied that she was a pageant novice. However, YouTube videos reveal that she had previously competed in Miss Nigeria 2010 where she received coaching in etiquette and media; this was later confirmed by former MN director and MBGN 1991 Nike Oshinowo. Silverbird defended Nduka, stating that the public was never approved of the winner, while judges at the occasion argued that Nduka was not the contestant they had chosen.

2012

2012 saw the biggest age scandal in Nigeria's pageant history since Valerie Peterside's dethronement as Miss Nigeria in 2001. MBGN winner Isabella Ayuk claimed to be twenty-six when she competed, until reports suggested that she had forged her age, thus giving the impression that she was younger than her actual years. Silverbird came to her defense by stating that contrary to popular belief, Ayuk would not dethroned and would continue to reign. However, she was not sent to represent Nigeria at Miss World.