Agbani Darego

Her professional pursuits and busy schedule forced her to drop out from University of Port Harcourt, but later in May 2012 she graduated in Psychology from ‘New York University’.

She married Ishaya Danjuma, her long-time sweetheart, on April 8, 2017. Ishaya’s father, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, is a billionaire from Marrakesh, Morocco.

Agbani Asenite Darego was born on December 22, 1982, in Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria to Asenite Sikibo Darego and Inaewo as the sixth of their eight children. Her family origin is from Abonnema, Rivers State.

Her father was a decorated customs officer who was honoured with ‘First Class of the Federal Republic Medal’ in 1979 for his effort in thwarting jewelry smuggling attempt from Nigeria. Her mother had a business in rice-trading.

She grew up in the main business and urban residential neighbourhood of Port Harcourt, Rivers State called D-line where her family relocated when she was two years old. She studied at the private co-education school, Bereton Montessori Nursery and Primary School, located in Rivers State.

Little Agbani would often accompany her mother who frequently travelled for business. During such trips her mother bought clothes to sell them to a boutique where Agbani had the opportunity of going through several foreign fashion magazines.

At ten years of age she was sent to a boarding school so as to protect her from her mother’s deteriorating health condition due to breast cancer. After a couple of years her mother succumbed to the disease.

Her early endeavours in the world of fashion and modelling included participating in several pageants and appearing in print ads for ‘Collectibles’, a boutique chain.

In 2001, she participated in the ‘Silverbird Group’ organised beauty pageant ‘Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria’, many a times abbreviated as MBGN. She won the title that led her to two of the most prestigious international beauty pageants - ‘Miss Universe’ and ‘Miss World’.

She took part in the 50th Miss Universe pageant that was held at the Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez in Bayamón, Puerto Rico on May 11, 2001. Seventy seven contestants participated that year and although she ended up seventh, she created history by becoming the first Nigerian beauty to be among the Top ten finalists of the pageant.

After the Miss Universe pageant, English actress and supermodel Naomi Campbell invited her to take part in the charity fashion show ‘Frock 'n' Roll’ at Bercelona. This was followed by a modelling deal with Donald Trump's management.

The Miss World pageant 2001 held at the Super Bowl of Sun City Entertainment Centre in Sun City, South Africa, on November 16 that year marked the 51st edition of the pageant. Agbani was one of the 93 contestants who took part in the contest. Her home country rejoiced with pride that day when she was crowned the new Miss World. She succeeded Indian beauty Priyanka Chopra.