16 •
The Lion King
• April - June 2017
whispers around. You knew when
people were watching you as a
favourite. I didn’t necessarily have a
talent to showcase as many of the
other girls did. I believe my interview
was what won me the crown’ Agbani
smiled proudly.
And what was that moment like in 2001
when she heard her name announced
as Miss world? Did she believe it? ‘Yes
and no’ Agbani laughs in response.
‘ I was happy and excited. Wishing
my family were there to witness it with
me. In every moment of my life I had
always missed my mum so I missed her
on that day too’.
The young 18 year old’s life was to
change a lot from that moment on. ‘
I moved to London where Miss world
was based. I was travelling the world
speaking on their behalf, doing charity
work and meeting people like the
royal family whom I had previously
only ever read about.’ ‘Its funny but
at the age of 18, I don’t think I really
understood what I was getting myself
into. I don’t think I recognized the
burden that would sometimes come
with the job. I remember sometimes
just wanting to be left alone. Every
once in a while I just wanted to be an
18 year old girl next door again and to
be left alone’.
Those burdensome moments were
few and far between. ‘You grow up
fast in that environment. The first big
trip that made a difference for me
was visiting a fistula camp in Ethiopia
and seeing the abandoned girls. They
were dealing with a situation their
families had put them in. They had
become outcasts. It was tough for me.
That was a very emotional time for me.
Emotional but rewarding experience
to know you could help to put a smile
on somebody’s face and help them
raise funds to get better’.
‘Looking back I wouldn’t change
anything that happened. I feel every
experience makes me who I am
today. I am strong and I don’t let
anything get to me. ‘ Agbani says.
She continued to work with the Miss
world organization based in London.
But as tradition had it, she was to hand
over her crown to her successor in her
own country.
‘It was interesting coming back to
Nigeria in 2002 and having streets
lined up with people to welcome me.
I was thinking: its just me people’.
‘I was really looking forward to coming
back to Nigeria. It was exciting. But
somewhere along the line controversy
came up where the parents of
contestants and national directors
were calling the Miss world pageant
organisers to say they didn’t feel their
girls were safe in Nigeria because of
religious conflicts that were going on.
That was really tough for me. I grew
up here and had always been safe.
I didn’t see the problem but at the
end of the day I understood what the
Miss world association had to do. They
were responsible for the lives of over
100 young girls whose parents were
worried.’
The live event was moved to London
from Abuja and Agbani Darego would
end her reign and hand over her
crown in a foreign country, something
that had never happened in the
history of the Miss world pageant.
What was next in the life of the
precious young girl? ‘I was signed up
with Next Modeling agency in London
and already had a contract as the
face of L’Oreal, Paris. Eventually I
moved to New York to work first with
Next models and then on to Ford
models’. ‘ My dad was so proud of me
but kept reminding me that education
was very important’ Agbani stressed.
She would go on to study psychology
at the New York University.
A few years later, all grown up, she
decided to move back home to
Nigeria. “I decided to move back to
Nigeria because I was in that phase of
my life where I wanted to try something
new. I had been coming back home
from time to time and I felt that the
fashion industry was thriving in Nigeria
but I also noticed that there was a
gap in that industry and everything
was more high fashion and haute
couture. I wanted to do something
more relaxed. A good price point for
the girl next door. Agbani started her
denim line AD by Agbani Darego.
At the time she moved back, she
didn’t have marriage on her mind.
‘I was focused on growing the line. I
knew I always wanted to get married
and have a family but it wasn’t quite
that time yet.
Agbani Darego-Danjuma met her
husband a few years ago and they
recently got married in a beautiful
ceremony in Morocco. ‘We had been
together for a few years. The surprise
wedding wasn’t really a surprise. Those
people who know me well knew that
I would have a private wedding. Both
families were there to bless the union.
That’s exactly what I wanted.’ She
says of her wedding.
‘I do what I do professionally but my
private life remains my private life.
Fame was never my end goal. I have
never needed to put my life on display
to bring attention to myself. I already
have enough attention’ explained
the REDTV ambassador of her desire
to stay focused.
And what are her wishes and
aspirations for this next phase of her
life, she says: ‘like all other phases
of my life, I would like to perfect it.
Marriage as I have been told, isn’t
easy but I believe that with trust and
compromise and a healthy dose of
love for one another, we will be just
fine.’
Agbani pays tribute to her dad all
teary eyed: ‘I used to say my dad was
my best friend. I am not going to say
I am...I was his favourite daughter, but
maybe I was.’ Sadly her father passed
away 4 years ago.
‘A day or two after I got married, my
sisters and I were talking and my dad’s
older brother who had walked me
down the aisle and my sister said she
had visualised Dad walking me down
the aisle. That picture will live with me
forever.
He has always supported me even
to this day. I hope he is looking down
on me and watching over me. I hope
he is happy with every decision that I
make.’
I do what I do
professionally
but my private
life remains my
private life. Fame
was never my
end goal...”
COVER
