All eyes on Soye as Nigeria chases first Miss World crown In 25 years

By Maryanne Awuya

All eyes will be on Vietnam on Saturday, September 5 as Nigeria’s representative, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, popularly known as Soye, takes her shot at ending the country’s 25-year wait for the Miss World crown.

Soye has advanced to the top 40 of the 73rd Miss World Festival and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Agbani Darego, who made history in 2001 as the first Black African to win the coveted global title.

A victory would make Soye only the second Nigerian to wear the Miss World crown and would come almost exactly 25 years after Darego’s historic triumph.

With the grand finale only hours away, the Federal Government has  thrown its weight behind Soye through the ongoing voting process.

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, joined the campaign on Friday, urging Nigerians to vote for the Nigerian contestant.

In a post on X, Musawa praised Soye’s performance so far, describing her journey as one marked by “grace, confidence and purpose.”

The minister also highlighted Soye’s emergence as Africa’s Top Model and her qualification for the Top 40, while noting that only nine hours remained in the voting window at the time of her post.

“Nigerians continue to stand with you. There are just 9 hours left to vote, and the window is closing fast,” Musawa said, urging Nigerians to keep voting because “every vote and every point matters for the stages ahead.”

Nigeria’s relationship with the Miss World competition dates back more than six decades.

Gina Onyejiaka became the country’s first representative in 1963 after a disqualified titleholder, reportedly funding her own trip to London to compete.

The first officially recognised Nigerian delegate came in 1967, when Rosaline Yinka Balogun represented the country.

Since then, however, only a few Nigerian contestants have made significant impressions on the global stage.

Darego remains the country’s only Miss World winner, while Nyekachi Douglas recorded Nigeria’s strongest performance since 2001 when she reached the Top 5 in 2019 and won both Miss World Africa and Miss World Top Model titles.

For Soye, victory would mean more than a crown. It could provide a global platform for her Beyond Labels Foundation, which advocates for children with disabilities and special needs, while also placing Nigeria’s fashion and wider creative industry in the international spotlight.