₦airaland Forum

DAME JULIE COKER (born July 25, 1940).

Beauty pageant

Julie Coker took part in the Miss Nigeria competition in 1958. At that time the competition was divided into 4 zones, Western Nigeria with the contest in Ibadan, Eastern Nigeria with the contest in Enugu, Northern Nigeria, with the contest in Kaduna and the Lagos zone. The final was held in Lagos.

Julie Coker won the contest in Ibadan and became Miss Western Nigeria.

Television

Julie Coker got a job as a receptionist at the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) in 1959.

When Mrs Anike Agbaje-Williams (the first woman to appear on television in Africa) went on maternity leave, Julie Coker was asked to take her place and she became the second woman to appear on television in Nigeria.

Julie Coker had a long and successful career in broadcasting. She sometimes hosted the very successful Bar Beach Show (the first variety show on African TV), she had her own show, Julie's World and she also hosted other shows on TV.

She, along with Taiwo Obileye, was a regular TV commentator during state occasions like the Independence Day parade during the 1980s.

Dame Julie Coker continued to appear on TV shows in Nigeria into the early 1990s.

Hostess and MC.

Julie Coker was also a hostess and master of ceremonies at major functions in Nigeria.

Here she is hosting a Nigerian fashion show in London in 1968.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7feUlxBt0A

She once narrated an incident that she had with General Obasanjo.

She was one of the hostesses at FESTAC '77 and there were many heads of state at the event. She was assigned to take care of a section of the VIP guests, which included some heads of state.

General Obasanjo walked up to her and asked, "Are you Julie"? and she replied, "Yes sir". He said, "I like your outfit", she said, "Excuse me sir", but then he asked, "How much does it cost"? and she replied that he would have to ask Commodore Fingesi, who was in charge of the whole event, then she walked away to serve President Houphouet Boigny of the IvoryCoast.

Afterwards many government officials came up to her to complain that she had been rude to the head of state. She said that she wasn't rude, but that she was not assigned to take care of his section of the event. The pressure became so much that she walked out of the event in tears.

Julie Coker also co-hosted the first ever Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) together with legendary comedian John Chukwu.

She was the MC at a prayer session to mark President Ibrahim Babangida's 50th birthday in 1990 and she has also MCed many other state occasions.

Music.

Julie Coker also released albums in the 1970s. This song is in Itsekiri.

Julie Coker - Ere Yon (1976).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_RNNHZAy-c

Movie

She acted in the 1975 Nigerian movie Dinner With The Devil.

Family

She was married to famous Nigerian broadcaster Michael Enahoro and they had 3 children.

80th birthday.

She celebrated her 80th birthday in 2020 and this is a video of her birthday celebration in the UK.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVgIMLCjq5M


This is a video of her birthday celebration in Ibadan.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-3byLRdIWs

Below: Photo of Julie Coker in the 1960s.

ROSEMARY ANIEZE-ADAMS (born August 8th, 1940).


Beauty pageant

Rosemary Anieze was Miss Nigeria 1960. The pageant was nicknamed Miss Independence because Nigeria got her independence that year.

Telephone operator.

She also worked with the Posts and Telecommunications Department (P&T), the forerunner of Nitel and Nipost as a telephone operator.

Television

Rosemary Anieze-Adams became famous as a telephone operator and the Western Nigeria Television came to hire her. She worked with the Western Nigeria Television and the Western Nigeria Radio.

She moved over to the Nigerian Television Service in Lagos in 1962 and hosted variety shows on the service.

She starred in the very popular early 1980s television series Adio Family. She acted as the wife, Jab Adu was the husband and Femi Jarrett was their househelp (Uncle Alagbin).

She was a regular guest on Nigerian talkshows throughout the 1980s and the early 1990s and she worked as a beauty consultant. I always loved her interviews because this woman had fire (there's no other way that I can explain it).

Legendary Nigerian broadcaster, Manny Onumonu, interviewed her by video call (from her home in the United States) in August 2020. She talked about the time that she and her British husband, Norman Peter Adams, were attacked by armed robbers at their home in Ketu, Lagos).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhYDhAYIFeg

Photo 1) Rosemary Anieze, Miss Independence 1960.

Photo 2) Miss Nigeria 1960 / Miss Independence, Rosemary Anieze with Norman Peter Adams on their wedding day - March 1968

BIANCA ONOH-OJUKWU (born 5 August 1968).

Bianca Ojukwu is the daughter of Chief Christian Onoh, a former governor of Anambra State.

Beauty pageant

She was the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 1988, Miss Africa 1988 and Miss Intercontinental 1989. She also performed well at the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants.

However, she relinquished these crowns in 1989 due to controversy over her affair with Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

Politics and government

She got married to Chief Ojukwu in the 1990s and she became a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2000s. She was made Nigeria's ambassador to Spain by President Goodluck Jonathan and she was appointed as the minister of state for foreign affairs by President Bola Tinubu.

REGINA ASKIA-WILLIAMS (born 16 December 1967).

Beauty pageant

Regina Askia was Miss Unilag 1988. She took part in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant in the same year and came second to Bianca Onoh.

She took over the crown in 1989 when Bianca Onoh resigned.

Modelling

Regina Askia starred in many adverts in Nigeria in the late 1980s and early 1990s. People often said that she had remarkable eyes and she starred in the advert for a popular eye drop in the early 1990s. She also acted in the advert for a popular fastfood restaurant and was involved in the Silverbird Fashion Show.


Television

Regina Askia acted in an NTA Network soap opera called Fortunes (1993) alongside Segun Arinze and other stars. She also acted in its sequel Mega Fortunes.

Nollywood

Regina Askia acted in numerous Nollywood movies in the 1990s and 2000s.

She now lives in the US with her family.

OLUCHI ONWEAGBA-ORLANDI (born 1 August 1980).

Beauty pageant.

Oluchi Onweagba won the first ever Mnet Face of Africa competition at the age of 18 in 1998. This propelled her to stardom.

Modelling

Oluchi is probably the most famous model to come out of Nigeria. She has appeared in American and Italian editions of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Allure, Nylon, W and Sports Illustrated.

She has walked the runways for Gucci, Carolina Herrera, John Galliano, Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Christian Dior, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Jeremy Scott, Helmut Lang, Fendi, Anna Sui, Givenchy, Kenzo, Giorgio Armani, Céline, Nina Ricci, and Diane Von Furstenberg.

She has appeared in advertising campaigns for Gianfranco Ferré, Lancôme, Ann Taylor, Clinique, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Macy's, Banana Republic, Gap, Express, L'Oreal, Coca-Cola, as well as working for Victoria's Secret in print walking for six years in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

She has worked with notable photographers such as Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, David LaChapelle, and Patrick Demaprchelier.

In 2008, she launched a modeling agency in South Africa, OModel Africa, with offices in Johannesburg and recently in Cape Town.

Television

She was made the host and head judge of Africa's Next Top Model in 2013.

She also appeared on Big Brother Nigeria in 2006 and she taught the contestants how to walk the runway and model clothes.


Family

In 2006, Onweagba married Italian fashion designer, and long time friend, Luca Orlandi. They have two sons and reside in New York. Their son Ugo Ugochukwu is signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme[15] and was the 2020 FIA European junior karting champion.

AGBANI DAREGO (born 22 December 1982).

Beauty pageant

Agbani Darego competed in the Mnet Face of Africa competition, but she was not chosen as a finalist.

She won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant in 2001 and placed 7th in the Miss Universe pageant that same year (the first Nigerian to be placed in the top 10).

She became famous worldwide when she won the Miss World pageant in 2001 (the first black African to win it).


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

Pageant judge

Darego has judged numerous pageant, fashion and modelling competitions including Miss World 2014, Miss England 2002, Mr. Scotland 2002, and Elite Model Look Nigeria 2012 and 2014.

Fashion designng and branding

Agbani Darego has a denim fashion label, AD by Agbani Darego, which includes jeans, dresses, sunglasses and bags.

Television

In 2010, she launched a style and fashion reality show Stylogenic on Nigerian television.

CHIDIMMA VANESSA ONWE ADETSHINA (born 2002).


Beauty pageant

Chidimma Adetshina was a law student in South Africa who took part in the Miss South Africa pageant. There were protests and criticisms because some people said that her name did not sound South African. A government minister demanded that she should be removed from the competition because she was not South African enough.

The Miss South Africa pageant authorities backed Chidimma, but the criticisms grew after a video surfaced of Chidimma and her father with her father's friends in Igbo cultural attire.

An investigation was initiated and the South African Home Affairs Department claimed that preliminary investigation showed that Chidimma's mother stole the identity of another person. Chidimma was forced to withdraw from the pageant due to the controversy. The issue became a major discussion topic around the world.

The Silverbird Group invited her to take part in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant and she won the competition.

She represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico and came second, the highest ever placement by a Nigerian.

Looking at Julie Coker's videos and pictures, I'm realising that beauty standards were very very different back then. For one, they were not so fixated on body size and Julie's body size represented the quintessence of the African woman's body structure. The current insistence that a beauty queen must look anorexic is a western import. The average Nigerian woman on the streets has meat on her bones.

No wonder there's so much money in the cosmetic industry and plastic surgeries on how to keep a beauty young forever.

Good to see that they are all doing well.
Obasanjo a ladies man with many wives in a clever attempt to have a taste of Julie was turned back to his place. When toasting fails and get frustrated by an intelligent response or a smart tactic it is interpreted as rudeness.

Ojukwu get better eyes and taste for women..

That kind ugly man marry that fine Bianca all because he has money 💰💰💰

Young men make money... The Beautiful ladies will come.

Their business

Honourable mention.

LYNDA CHUBA-IKPEAZU

She was the first ever Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, winning the crown in 1986.

She served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 till 2003, 2007 till 2011 and 2019 till 2023.

Agbani Darego of 2021 is the most stunning. The lady was really beauty personified. Julie Coker too was damn pretty men.

Fame is good

Where is Remi tinubu??

Congratulations to Chidinma for being the first Nigerian to finish as the first runners up in history 👋🍾🍷

Flavour over to you new catch don show

chidi adetsina fine pass all of them

Ishilove:
Looking at Julie Coker's videos and pictures, I'm realising that beauty standards was very very different back then. For one, they were not so fixated on body size and Julie's body size represented the quintessence of the African woman's body structure. The current insistence that a beauty queen must look anorexic is a western import. The average Nigerian woman on the streets has meat on her bones.

Yenyenyen

Obj had other plans. I no trust that man

Heavyweights:
Congratulations to Chidinma for being the first Nigerian to finish as the first runners up in history 👋🍾🍷

There is nothing like 'nma' in Igbo Language.

It's 'mma'

BlackfireX:
Where is Remi tinubu??

in Aso rock

R

Beauty with Brain

Bianca is graced with exceptional beauty.

Ishilove:
Looking at Julie Coker's videos and pictures, I'm realising that beauty standards was very very different back then. For one, they were not so fixated on body size and Julie's body size represented the quintessence of the African woman's body structure. The current insistence that a beauty queen must look anorexic is a western import. The average Nigerian woman on the streets has meat on her bones.

just from observation it appears that this was a very patriotic period in Nigerian history and so the closer your head is shaped like the map of Nigeria the more likely you were to win. Those first few queens carry head like the map of Nigeria

Wow