The beauty contest that never was

Agbani Darego

Agbani Darego won Miss World for Nigeria in 2001 and in 2002, the organizers decided to stage the 2002 pageant in Nigeria and roadblocks started springing up at every turn.

First the beauty contest coincided with Ramadan. Muslims complained. It was moved from November to December.

Next the wears were too suggestive, the organizers modified it.

The main issue was that Abuja was in the Northern part of Nigeria, even if it was picked as Nigerian Capital for being central. Sharia was reigning then in the North. Amina Lawal had been condemned to death by stoning for adultery.

Muslims were spoiling for war. Then Thisday newspapers joined the fray through Isioma Daniel who opined that the Muslims may be criticizing the Pageant but the Prophet may even pick one of the contestants for a wife and all hell was let loose.

Thisday  blamed their staff and issued an apology. Isioma Daniel quit her job after a Fatwa was pronounced on her calling for her head.

She escaped to Benin Republic as riots broke out in Kaduna and Abuja. Deaths were recorded among Muslims and Christians. 

Thisday  offices were razed to the ground in Kaduna. The beauty Queens were divided. Some were withdrawing and some vowed to continue.

In the end, the pageant was moved to London and some of the Queens who had earlier withdrawn, returned for the pageant.

As for Isioma Daniel, she relocated to Europe courtesy of Amnesty International. What a pageant.