Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, recently shared how she faced rejection at home for participating in a beauty pageant. Speaking at the Nigerian Women’s Day event during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the former beauty queen opened up about her experiences.
In 1988, at the age of 20, Bianca won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria competition, followed by winning the Miss Africa 1989 pageant in Gambia. She went on to represent Nigeria at both the Miss World competition in Hong Kong and Miss Universe in Mexico.
Bianca’s father, Christian Chukwuma Onoh (CC Onoh), was a prominent businessman and lawyer who later became the governor of old Anambra State in 1983, following the Second Nigerian Republic.
Despite her privileged background, Bianca was determined not to let it distract her from her goals. She emphasized the significance of education in a woman’s life, recalling the temptation she faced to abandon her law studies at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus after she began earning money as a beauty queen.
“I started off as a young girl who wanted to see the world,” Bianca reflected. “I remember sitting in the common room with other girls, watching music videos and Miss World, Miss Universe. I was captivated by the exotic backdrops, and all I wanted was to travel and experience the world. I thought entering a pageant would be the best way to do that.”
She began her journey by entering a pageant she eventually won. However, as a student, she had to turn down an offer that included a one-year modeling contract in Tokyo, as her parents did not send her to school to pursue a career in modeling.
Things took a turn when Bianca competed in and won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria title, which led to her being disowned by her father for a month. “Naturally, African fathers are very protective. My father was furious,” she said. “But as I won other pageants like Miss Africa and Miss Intercontinental, he had to come to terms with it.”
Bianca pointed out that one of the most difficult challenges she faced was dealing with the temptation to leave school once she started earning money. “When I began making money, I was a law student living in a hostel with six other students, without water or any comforts,” she explained. “It was tough, but staying in school and finishing my law degree was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I want young women to understand the power of education.”