Agbani Darego

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Ibiagbanidokibubo "Agbani" Asenite Darego (born 1983), won the Miss World title in 2001.

[edit] Miss World Competition

Darego was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 2001. (Contrary to popular belief, Darego did not replace Valerie Peterside after the latter was dethroned - Peterside had won Miss Nigeria.) Previously, Darego had participated in M-NET Face of Africa, but failed to make it past the first round. While a first-year student of the University of Port Harcourt, she represented Nigeria in the 2001 Miss Universe competition, held in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She placed among the top 10 semi-finalists, finishing seventh. She was the only black semi-finalist that year - and the only finalist to wear a maillot swimsuit.

In November 2001, Darego traveled to South Africa to compete in the Miss World competition, beating Miss Scotland and Miss Aruba in the final round to become the first black African winner of the title. Her victory in the pageant, hosted by American talk show host Jerry Springer, was widely welcomed in her home country.

Her one year tenure included goodwill trips and scheduled appearances on behalf of the pageant. In addition, the organizers of the competition began preparations to host the 2002 finals in Nigeria, as the pageant is often held in the winner's home country the subsequent year.

One week before the 2002 pageant, riots erupted in Kaduna (source required) and other cities in northern Nigeria after small protests against the competition inflamed simmering religious tension between Muslims and Christians. Several hundred died in the violence that ensued. The 2002 Miss World competition was moved from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, where it was staged in London that December.

[edit] Post-Pageant Career

Darego left the University of Port Harcourt after her reign as Miss World ended in 2002. She is signed to Next Model Management, and is currently pursuing a modelling career in Europe. She has modeled for L'Oreal cosmetics.