| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born | Adenike Oshinowo |
|---|---|
| Title(s) | MBGN 1991 |
| Major competition(s) |
Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 1991 |
Nike Oshinowo-Soleye (born Adenike Asabi Oshinowo)[1] [2]is a Nigerian businesswoman, socialite, and pageant director.
Oshinowo was raised in Ibadan and England, where she attended boarding school. Although she had intended to become an air hostess or a doctor, she studied Politics at the University of Essex.[3] Shortly after obtaining her degree, Oshinowo, who was mentored by former Miss Nigeria Helen Prest-Davies, represented Rivers at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant and became its first Yoruba winner (she was crowned in December 1990, but reigned in 1991). [4][5]
After her reign which saw her compete at Miss World, Oshinowo featured in a commercial for Venus cosmetics [6] and hosted a fashion and beauty show on Nigerian television. Her business ventures included an African restaurant and Skin Deep, a health and beauty spa which ran for seven years before it was sold after she decided to create her own range of beauty products for the Nigerian market.[7] On January 17, 2010, she released the workout video Nike Oshinowo: Fit, Forty and Fabulous - the first celebrity fitness DVD produced in the country - and is currently working on the beauty products which will include fragrance, skincare, and haircare.[8][9][10]
Now in her forties, Oshinowo, who is fluent in five languages including Japanese and French,[5] is hailed as a style icon in her homeland.[11] Although she had stated in previous interviews that she had no plans to become a wife, Oshinowo is now married to medical doctor Tunde Soleye.[12] In 2009, the couple was in the news following a lawsuit instituted by Soleye's ex-wife Funmilayo, who claimed that he had been unfaithful with Oshinowo during their marriage.[13]
In 2010, after a six-year attempt, Oshinowo-Soleye finally bought the Miss Nigeria franchise from former organisers Daily Times, and is now chief executive and creative director of the pageant.[14][15][16]