Agbani Darego Turns 39 Today

Chief Agbani Darego, MFR (born 22 December 1982) is a Nigerian model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 2001. She was the first indigenous African to win Miss World.

Early life
Abonnema-native Darego was born in Lagos to a family as the sixth of eight children. At age two, her family relocated to Port Harcourt where she was raised in D-Line. Darego attended Bereton Montessori Nursery and Primary School, and at ten was sent to boarding school in a bid to shield her from her mother who battled breast cancer. Her mother, Inaewo, owned a rice trading business and a clothing boutique, but died two years after her daughter's move to boarding school. Darego has spoken of how the loss prepared her for tough challenges in the future. As a teenager, Darego longed to be a model, and auditioned for the M-Net Face of Africa modelling competition despite her conservative father's wishes, but was not chosen as a finalist. Darego attended Federal Government Girls' College, Abuloma. Upon completing her secondary education she attended University of Port Harcourt where she studied Computer Science and Mathematics.

Pageantry
In 2001, Darego was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. Contrary to popular belief, Darego did not replace Valerie Peterside after the latter was dethroned; Peterside had competed in rival pageant Miss Nigeria. A few months later she was a contestant at Miss Universe, and became the first Nigerian to place among the top 10 semi-finalists, finishing seventh overall. She was the only top ten contestant to wear a modest maillot as opposed to a revealing bikini during the swimsuit competition.

In November that year, she became the first indigenous African to claim the Miss World title (Past winners Penelope Coelen and Anneline Kriel, both of South Africa, are of European descent, and Antigone Costanda, who represented Egypt in 1954 is of Greek heritage). Darego's victory was widely welcomed in her home country, and her one-year tenure included goodwill trips and scheduled appearances on behalf of the pageant, and an MFR.

Modelling
Prior to winning MBGN, Darego featured in print commercials for boutique chain Collectables. After Miss Universe she was invited by Naomi Campbell to participate in Frock 'n' Roll, a charity fashion show in Barcelona, and soon negotiated a modelling deal with Trump Model Management in America. Shortly after her reign as Miss World she was represented by London and Paris branches of Next Model Management and landed a three-year contract with L'Oréal, becoming only the second Black model to accomplish this feat after Vanessa Williams, and was photographed by Annie Leibovitz, a big name in Americans portrait photograph sphere for Vogue. Other brands she has modelled for include Avon, Christian Dior, Sephora, Target, and Macy’s. Darego has also appeared in Elle, Marie Claire, Allure, Trace, Stitch, Cosmopolitan, and Essence magazines, working with numerous designers including Oscar de la Renta, Marc Bouwer, Tommy Hillfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Gianfranco Ferre.

In her homeland Darego has appeared in advertising campaigns for hair care brand Gentle Touch with model Oluchi, and served as the face of Arik Air.[12] She has also graced the covers of Complete Fashion, Mania, ThisDay Style, Genevieve, True Love, and TW Magazine.

Personal life
In the aftermath of her win in 2001, Darego was awarded an honorary chieftaincy by the Council of Chiefs of Lagos. At the time of her investiture, she was one of the youngest chiefs in the country.

Due to her busy work schedule, Darego left the University of Port Harcourt, but after moving to New York where she was signed to Next Model Management, Ford Models, and Trump Models, she enrolled with New York University to study Psychology, graduating in May 2012.

In April 2017, Darego married her longtime partner Ishaya Danjuma, son of billionaire General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, in a ceremony held in Marrakesh. Together they have a son who was born in September 2018, and welcomed another child in December 2020.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agbani_Darego

Very modest under-the-radar, classy, beautiful, elegant woman. A happy birthday to an evergreen Queen.

happy birthday fine girl and shes even miss world

Her beauty is overrated..
Happy Birthday to her sha

Dorcmass:
happy birthday fine girl and shes even miss world

The judges are blind

Happy birthday

good. am happy for her

Damnnn niggar
Beautiful

Where's d beauty .. HBD, more grace

Agbani of life
Happy birthday beautiful

Am I the only one looking for the beauty? Hbd to her tho'

Still beautiful

Mrkumareze:
Where's d beauty .. HBD, more grace

You are blind.

She is beautiful at 39

Mrkumareze:
Where's d beauty .. HBD, more grace

Let's see your sisters... Anofia

Happy birthday to her

ValCon888:
Very modest under-the-radar, classy, beautiful, elegant woman. A happy birthday to an evergreen Queen.

q

The only one the Black world ever really had.
Only because she met the lopsided criteria of the white man.

She's an ageless beauty, could pass for a 20 year old . Happy birthday pace-setter beauty queen. Your new year is blessed.

Those days any beautiful and slim girl for area dem dey call her Agbani. She made our country proud that year.....






But average girls full area where fine pass Agbani sha....

... Agbani darego, u fine like this (lil kesh)

HBD beauty queen

Happy birthday to her

Let this lady add some flesh na.

Happy birthday.

Congrats to her.. it's not easy to be successful

Froshloaded:
Her beauty is overrated..
Happy Birthday to her sha



The judges are blind

Maybe you rate Beauty by Big Yanch and breasts?

You clearly DON'T Bknow what True beauty is about!
It's about Slimness,Poise, finesse, eloquence, Carriage, etc..

Froshloaded:
Her beauty is overrated..
Happy Birthday to her sha



The judges are blind

I swear

Live ur life girl..
And to those saying she's not beautiful.. Beauty is abstract and can't be measured.. Just like happiness or fulfilment..

Her miss world triumph is 80% cos of what she has upstairs..

The rumours of Agbani and Kanu Nwankwo that year...we were eagerly waiting for a dance on a blissful holy matrimony.

Does expensive hair add to beauty ?

Karemarealty288:
The rumours about Agbani and Kanu that year.

I tell you
Early 2000s were good days sha