"I have made history" proclaimed the proud young Nigerian Agbani Darego a year ago, when she was chosen as Miss World 2001. And this beautiful computer science student was not mistaken, as she is the first African woman with black skin to hold this prestigious title of beauty.
However, the happiness that Agbani Darego felt at those moments now has a certain bittersweet taste. She dreamed of crowning her successor, who will be elected next weekend, in her country and thus contribute to the potential of Nigeria being known beyond its borders.
"His first statements"
Unfortunately, the serious altercations caused by Islamic radicals (in which two hundred people died) prompted the Miss World organization to move the pageant to London. These are the first statements that Agbani has made after her arrival in the British capital:
"Many people still do not understand why this had to happen, but it did and no one can do anything about it. For me, canceling the celebration of the contest was the correct decision. The organizers had no choice and the parents were bombarding the organizers with calls, they feared something would happen to their daughters."
"This is how he lived through the incidents"
"When the incidents occurred I was in Port Harcourt, my city. I met with the candidates and at the time of the cancellation I was in Lagos. From what I was told, many of them were sad and not very happy to leave because they felt guilty and responsible for the country's chaos. They had a good memory of Nigeria and then there was chaos. They would have liked to stay."
"Now that they are in London, many of the candidates say that Nigeria is an exotic place and that if they had the opportunity they would return. But the truth is that the girls I traveled to London with were a little scared and wanted to be in a safe place."
"We have lost a great opportunity for Nigeria"
"I have done a lot for my country. Before being crowned Miss World, many people did not know where Nigeria is. It has been a great honor not only for myself but also for the country. I have traveled a lot as an ambassador of Goodwill to speak about the country and its people. I have done many things around the world not only in Nigeria". Agbani also insists on the international repercussions that the contest would have had for her country: "I know we have lost a great opportunity."
