From Pageantry To Acting

By Tomi Falade - September 22, 20170211

Beauty queens are a dime a dozen, especially in these days of pageantry where there are hundreds of pageants in Lagos alone. The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant, a Silverbird initiative and other pageants in Nigeria have, however, transcended from mere competition to a culture.

Thirty years after the inception of MBGN, their reputation for picking quality queens have not faltered, as the choice of the just crowned Ugochi Ihueze Mitchel as MBGN Queen displays.

This week, we are exploring the number of past queens who have stepped a rung higher on the ladder of success by making it to the much-coveted Nigerian Silverscreen, Nollywood.

Omasan Buwa

In 1987, Omasan Buwa, representing Warri emerged as MBGN 1987 and was a semi-finalist in Miss Intercontinental 1987. Having recorded success in pageantry, she moved to the world of movies and starred in the movie ‘Scattered Pictures’, and the soap operas ‘Memories and Ripples’. She was known to say that acting for her was fun, not just about the money involved. A tabloid favourite, Buwa also owned a restaurant/jazz bar in Lagos before moving into aesthetics and cosmetology, subsequently opening her own modelling outfit, QUEENS LT- in conjunction with designer Funmi Ajila. The outfit discovered delectable actress, Ibinabo Fiberesinma.

Regina Askia-Williams

Regina Askia-Williams is no stranger to the screen. What people do not realise however is that the ageless beauty is actually a one-time reigning beauty queen under the auspice of MBGN. Regina Askia replaced Bianca Onoh as reigning MBGN 1989 and went on to become 1st runner-up in Miss Charm 1990.

Presently, she is a Nigerian-born, American-based registered nurse, healthcare and educational activist, television producer, writer, and public speaker.

Askia-Williams’ acting break came in 1993, when she played gold-digger Tokunbo Johnson in Nigerian soap ‘Fortunes’ (later Mega Fortunes) on NTA Network, a role, which earned her critical acclaim and roles in subsequent Nollywood movies. She has received several awards for her performances – including one for “Best Actress in Nigeria” by Afro Hollywood London in 2000 – and has produced several television shows and films.

Having starred in several Nollywood films during the 1990s and early 2000s, she became one of Nigeria’s biggest acting celebrities. At some point in her career, she was compared to Elizabeth Taylor for her fame.

Some of her films accomplishment include: ‘Slave Warrior: The Beginning’ (2007); ‘Veno’ (2004); ‘Dangerous Babe’ (2003); ‘Festival of Fire’ (2002); ‘Vuga’; ‘Dirty Game’; ‘Full Moon’; ‘Highway to the Grave’; ‘Juliet Must Die’; ‘Mena’; ‘The President’s Daughter’; ‘Suicide Mission’; ‘Queen of the Night’ amongst others.

Toyin Enitan Raji

This beauty was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 1995 while representing Kogi State. She represented Nigeria in Miss Universe 1995 and Miss World 1995.

Before her foray into the world of pageantry, Raji had appeared in several TV commercials, emerged as the love interest in King Sunny Ade’s music video ‘Sunshine Lady’ and graced the catwalks of ace Nigerian designers such as Jimmy King and Betty O.

Raji continued modelling after winning the beauty crown and became the Face of Diet Coke Nigeria; she had a broadcast stint with MNET Africa after which she delved into acting.

Celia Bissong

Known as Omotu Bissong, in 2003, Celia Bissong representing Cross River made history by becoming the first Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria winner from the South-South (While Regina Askia had held the title in 1989, she did not actually win).

Asides being a television presenter, as an actress, Bissong starred in the movie ‘Be My Guest’ with Nadia Buari and Chris Attoh, and is also a star in the African adaptation of ‘Desperate Housewives’ as stay-at-home mother Funke Lawal who is loosely based on Lynette Scavo in the original series.

Anna Ebiere Banner

Stunning Anna Banner who caught Nigerian musician, Flavour N’abania’s eye is not just another pretty face. She is a Nigerian pageant winner and actress. She was crowned the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, 2013 representing Bayelsa by 2012 MBGN Queen Isabella Ayuk and represented Nigeria at the 2013 Miss World pageant.

In addition, she was appointed Special Assistant on Culture and Tourism to Governor Henry Dickson. In 2014, she made her acting debut in the Super Story family drama.

Stephanie Onyekachi Okereke Linus

Stephanie Linus is a Nigerian actress, film director and model. During the 2002 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant, Linus made second place but went on to be a stellar representative in her chosen endeavours.

During her teenage years, she had starred in two Nollywood movies, ‘Compromise 2’ and ‘Waterloo’. After the pageant in 2003, Linus won two awards, out of the eight nominations she received, at the 2003 Reel Awards for ‘Best Actress – English’ and ‘Best Actress of the year 2003’.

Passionate while talented, she pursued her career by going in search of higher learning. After graduating from the New York Film Academy in 2007, Linus released the movie ‘Through the Glass’ in which she served as director, scriptwriter, producer and actress. The film received an Africa Movie Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay in 2009. In 2014, she release another movie, ‘Dry’ and again served as a director, scriptwriter, producer, and actress which won many awards including 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards and 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards best movie overall movie with the prize of a brand new car.

Linus has, till date, starred in over 90 movies. She has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress, including the 2006 Afro Hollywood Award for Best Actress, and three nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

In 2011, the Nigerian government honoured her with a National honour (Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR).

Alexandra López

Half Brazilian, half Nigerian, Alex Lopez in 1993 was the second runner-up in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. Without waiting, she cinched a role as a lesbian in Zeb Ejiro’s 1996 controversial movie ‘Domitila’.

López also starred in Faruk Lasaki’s ‘Changing Faces’ where she played Franca, the caring Nigerian wife of Dale, a successful white architect.

She has starred overtime in movies like, ‘Love, Sex & Marriage’, ‘Dangerous Girls’, ‘Abuja Connection 2&3’, ‘Emotional Hazard’, ‘The One I Love’, ‘Akata’, ‘Sisters On the Run’, ‘Six Problem Girls’, ‘The Good The Bad And The Terrible’ and ‘Walls Have Ears’.

Due to her mixed ethnicity, she is often referred to as “the half-caste Nollywood actress”.

Ibinabo Fiberesima

Ibinabo Fiberesima prima facie is a Nigerian film actress and President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

Ibinabo participated in the 1991 edition of the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant. She was named as the first runner-up to winner Bibiana Ohio. In 1992, she competed in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant and emerged as the second runner-up.

Asides a series of other notable appearances in pageantry, Ibinabo made her debut as a film actress in the movie ‘Most Wanted’ and has since starred in several Nigerian films.

Lilian Bola Bach

A Creative Arts graduate of the University of Lagos, Lilian came into the limelight in the 1990s as a model and competed in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. She featured in several television commercials, becoming the Face of Delta. She commenced her acting career in 1997, starring in several Nollywood movies of the Yoruba and English genres.

These are all queens in their own right who reigned well and went on to shine as stars on the silverscreen.

http://independent.ng/from-pageantry-to-acting/