“How I Became Homeless for a Month After a Beauty Pageant” – Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has revealed that she was rendered homeless for a month after taking part in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant. Speaking during the Nigerian Women’s Day event at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Ojukwu shared how her participation in pageantry sparked conflict with her father, ultimately pushing her into temporary homelessness.

The former beauty queen, whose father was a former governor in Nigeria, explained that her decision to compete in the pageant was driven by a childhood desire to see the world. “I just wanted to travel and see the world, and what was the best way of doing that if not going into a pageant?” she said.

Though she initially won a different pageant that offered a modelling contract in Tokyo, she had to turn it down as a student — and because her parents were unaware of her involvement. The situation escalated when she won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria title. “Until when I now took part in the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, which rendered me homeless for one month because naturally African fathers, my father was livid with rage,” she recalled.

Ojukwu said her father eventually came to terms with her success after she went on to win international titles like Miss Africa and Miss Intercontinental. Despite early financial independence, she stressed the importance of returning to school to complete her law degree. “By the time I was earning my own money, I was a law student living in the hostel with about six other students with no water, nothing,” she said, describing the decision to finish her education as one of the best she ever made.

Now a vocal advocate and founder of the Hope House Trust NGO, Ojukwu urged young women to value education above all. “I think young women need to understand the power of education,” she said.