Ugochi Ihezue Crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2023
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- September 11, 2023
In a momentous milestone in the world of Nigerian beauty pageantry, Ugochi Mitchel Ihezue, hailing from Imo State, who previously held the title of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) in 2017 and rocked the Miss World beauty pageant that same year, has now been bestowed with the crown of Miss Universe Nigeria 2023.
Her path in the global pageant scene led her to a remarkable position among the Top 40 contestants, and she also proudly secured the prestigious title of Miss World Top Model in 2017. This extraordinary achievement has cemented her legacy in the history of Nigerian pageants as the first woman to hold both esteemed beauty titles.
Ihezue encountered formidable competition, emerging victorious among 36 other exceptionally talented contestants to claim the highly sought-after Miss Universe crown. The grand event unfolded at the luxurious Convention Center of Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos on Sunday, September 10th.
The eligibility criteria allowed contestants who are single, married, single mothers, or divorced to participate. This included slender or plus-size contestants between the ages of 18 and 28.
A total of 37 contestants from all states and the FCT were selected to compete for the crown. The top 5 contestants are:
Miss Zamfara
Miss Imo
Miss Ekiti (Princess Agunbiade – Runner-up)
Miss Lagos
Miss Anambra
Zamfara’s Sectra Okundaye was named Miss Supranational Nigeria 2023 and will next year go to Poland to compete in Miss Supranational 2024.
Other winners for the night include:
Chinaza Miracle (Miss Borno) – Miss Amity
Nana Aisha Abubakar (Miss Nasarawa) – Miss Photogenic
Precious Marcus Chinah (Miss Taraba) – Best Traditional Costume
The 26-year-old visual artist and women’s advocate with a master’s degree in business administration will represent Nigeria at Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador this November.
