Chief Ibiagbanidokibubo Asenite “Agbani” Darego is a Nigerian model and beauty queen. She was Miss World’s first black African winner in 2001.
Biography
Agbani Darego was born 22 December 1982. She was the sixth of eight children born into a Lagos household. She was raised in D-Line when her family moved to Port Harcourt when she was two years old. At age 10, Darego was sent to boarding school to keep her away from her mother, battling breast cancer. Darego previously attended Bereton Montessori Nursery and Primary School.
Her mother, Inaewo, ran a clothes store and a rice trading company until she passed away two years after her daughter enrolled in boarding school. Darego has discussed how the loss equipped her for future adversity.
Agbani Darego, a young woman who wanted to be a model, entered the M-Net Face of Africa modelling competition against the advice of her father. However, she was not selected.
Darego studied at Federal Government Girls’ College, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She joined the University of Port Harcourt after completing her secondary education and studied Computer Science and Mathematics there.
Due to her busy work schedule, Darego left the University of Port Harcourt. Still, after going to New York, where she was signed to Next Model Management, Ford Models, and Trump Models, she registered at the New York University to study Psychology and graduated in May 2012.
Career
She began her career as a model and fashion designer by competing in pageants and appearing in print advertisements for the store chain Collectibles.
She competed in the 2001 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, which was put organised by the Silverbird Group. She won the contest, which got her into the “Miss Universe” and Miss World, two of the most famous international beauty pageants.
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On May 11, 2001, she competed in the 50th Miss Universe pageant, which was held in the Coliseo Rubén Rodriguez in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Despite finishing seventh out of 77 competitors that year, she made pageant history by becoming the first Nigerian beauty to place among the top ten.
She was invited to participate in the charitable fashion show, Frock n Roll in Barcelona after the Miss Universe competition by English actress and supermodel Naomi Campbell. A modelling contract with Donald Trump’s management came after that.
Agbani Darego has starred in advertisements for the hair care company, Gentle Touch alongside the model Oluchi and served as the face of Arik Air in Nigeria. Additionally, she has appeared on the covers of TW Magazine, Complete Fashion, Mania, ThisDay Style, Genevieve, and True Love.
Darego has served as a judge for various modelling, fashion, and pageant events, including Elite Model Look Nigeria in 2012 and 2014, Miss World 2014, Miss England 2002, Mr. Scotland 2002, and others. Three years after announcing her denim line, AD by Agbani Darego, consisting of jeans, sunglasses, and bags, she created the style and fashion reality series Stylogenic on Nigerian television.
Agbani Darego Miss World
The 51st edition of the Miss World pageant was held on November 16, 2001, at the Super Bowl of Sun City Entertainment Centre in Sun City, South Africa. The competition had 93 contestants, including Agbani. When she was named the new Miss World that day, her home nation celebrated joyfully. She replaced Priyanka Chopra, an Indian beauty.
She received a $100,000 cash reward and $150 000 in gifts in addition to the title. She became the first native African beauty to be named Miss World, making her victory the largest accomplishment for MBGN.
She performed the duties of the title holder throughout her one-year reign as Miss World, including representing the contest and going on various goodwill tours with remarkable élan. During that time, MFR, a national honour, was also bestowed.
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After serving as Miss World for a year, she was signed by the Paris and London international modelling firm Next Model Management offices.
She was soon signed by the London and Paris offices of Next Model Management, becoming only the second Black model after Vanessa Williams to sign a three-year contract with the cosmetics giant. She was also photographed by Annie Leibovitz, a well-known name in the American portrait photography industry, for Vogue. Avon, Christian Dior, Sephora, Target, and Macy’s are just a few of the other companies she has modelled for.
Darego has collaborated with many designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Marc Bouwer, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Gianfranco Ferre, and has also been featured in Elle, Marie Claire, Allure, Trace, Stitch, Cosmopolitan, and Essence magazines.
Darego received an honorary chieftaincy from the Council of Chiefs of Lagos following her victory in 2001. She was one of the nation’s youngest chiefs at the time of her investiture.
Net worth
Agbani Darego is one of the highest-paid models in Africa as a result of her success and influence. She is also renowned for being one of Nigeria’s richest and most powerful supermodels.
Agbani Darego has endorsements, ambassadorial, and advertising deals with many businesses and organisations all over the world, which has given her the right and capacity to accumulate a net worth of an estimated N1.54 billion ($3.7m).
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Family
In a ceremony performed in Marrakesh, Morocco, in April 2017, Darego wed her longtime partner Ishaya Danjuma, the son of billionaire General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma. They had their first child, a son, in September 2018 and had another in December 2020.
Height
Agbani Darego is a beauty to behold. She has brown eyes and black hair. She weighs 62 kg and is six feet (1.82m) tall.
Agbani Darego now
The ex-model leads a private life. Much of her personal life is kept private.
Conclusion
Agbani Darego was the first native African to win Miss World putting not only Nigeria, but Africa on a path to success.
At various pageants she competed in, the award-winning beauty set and broke a number of local, national, and worldwide records.
