Fiona Aforma Amuzie is the 2010 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria

Fiona Aforma Amuzie is the 2010 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN)

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The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant originally began as Miss Universe Nigeria in 1983, and was created by Silverbird Group. It was later re-named Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 1986. Winners represent Nigeria in Miss World and, until recently, Miss Universe – currently, only the first-runner up participates in Miss Universe.

After Miss Nigeria stopped representing the country abroad, MBGN title holders continued from where Miss Nigeria had stopped. Originally, contestants were allowed to wear maillot swimsuits of their choice during the swimsiut parade. Identical bikinis are now used instead. The contestants do not always represent the states they hail from – nearly all of the contestants who represent northern states come from the South, as the predominantly Islamic north frown upon beauty pageants. Last year, Glory Chuku, represented northern state Nassarawa, despite being Igbo.

Although no contest was held for a 1989 winner, Regina Askia took over from winner Bianca Onoh after the latter decided to step down, automatically making Askia MBGN 1989. A contest took place in December 1989, and Sabina Umeh, was announced as the winner for 1990. Emma Komlosy became the first mixed race winner of MBGN in 1996. Previous mixed race contestants had included Lilian Bach and Ibinabo Fiberesima. Komlosy’s father is of Hungarian descent, and her mother, singer/actress Patti Boulaye is from Delta. In 2001, following Agbani Darego victory at Miss World, MBGN first runner-up Ann Suinner was asked to step in as the new title holder for five months.

A number of contestants who participated in MBGN but failed to win tried their luck in Miss Nigeria. Successful contestants include Janet Fateye (Miss Nigeria 1993), and Sylvia Edem (Miss Nigeria 2002).

In 2007, Silverbird announced that the pageant will now produce five representatives, as opposed to one winner. The representatives will take part in beauty contests around the world. Several past winners and participants of MBGN have managed to carve out successful careers in modelling, acting, business and politics. Others, like Rhihole Gbinigie and Sandra Petgrave, have sank into obscurity.

The current title holder is Fiona Amuzie Afora, who represented Plateau.

From Wikipedia.