This year as the search for Africa's next supermodel progressed, three young Nigerian women, Doyin Haastrup, 19-years-old; Opeyemi Awoyemi, 17-years-old and Adeola Ariyo, 19-years-old, were short listed for the semi final phase of the Nokia Face of Africa 2005 competition.
They were considered hot favorites to win the competition eight years after Oluchi Onweagba won the maiden edition. For the burgeoning belles from Nigeria, the doors of fame, fortune and success were opened for them that day. The trio shone like stars as they competed against other contestants from the continent.
Hailing from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Opeyemi was one of the youngest semi-finalists in the competition. Standing without any shoes at 183cm, she was easily one of the tallest semi-finalists in the group. Opeyemi bagged herself a lucrative modeling contract, which is launching her into stardom.
Shown in many of her photos with her unmistakable, China-bump hairstyle, Adeola Ariyo is, from Lagos, Nigeria. She says she was ecstatic when she was announced a semi-finalist for the Nokia Face of Africa 2005. Adeola has a look that many African women, who despite the fact that they are quick to criticize skinny African models, can identify with despite her skinniness.
Lagos born, Doyin Haastrup was the tallest finalist for the Nokia Face of Africa. Doyin like Adeola brings a new perspective to the world of beauty, since the all African look is getting more readily accepted, albeit at a very slow progress.
There have been other Nigerian beauties that have been involved in the fashion industry and have encountered success. Nigerian Face of Africa finalists Funmi Alaiyemola and Ojy Egwuenu are both now based as models in New York -and before her move Funmi was named Style Magazine's SA Model of the Year.
Most people know her as Sade, but her real name is Helen Folasade Adu. She was born in Ibadan, Nigeria to an English mother and Nigerian father who separated when she was still a child. After their separation, she moved Essex at age 4 with her mother. With role models such as Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Sade first became a vocalist when she and a few school mates formed a band and they couldn't find a 'proper' singer. It was there that she discovered her talent and passion for singing and the rest is history.
With songs like Smooth Operator and Your Love is King, Sade found herself becoming an international icon. Becoming one of the first artists to appear on the cover of time magazine, Sade was the embodiment of a beautiful African woman.
From Chicago to Chad, her breathtaking beauty was appreciated world wide, even more so because she chose not to highlight it the way that many celebrities do, but chose to focus more on her music. She never wanted her beauty to overshadow her music career. Sade is an excellent role model for many women and Nigerians and other Africans felt proud to claim her as their own.
Born in London UK, to a Jewish mother and a Nigerian father, Sophie Okenedo is another Nigerian beauty gaining more prominence on the international scene as an actress. She is a graduate of Cambridge University and was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress in 2004 for her role in Hotel Rwanda. She has appeared in numerous films including; Dirty Pretty Things, Peaches, This Years Love and Deep Secrets. Unafraid of flaunting her beautifully natural African hair, Okonedo is a woman that symbolizes pride and confidence in her African roots and identity.
For many who
have a passion
for Nigerian
movies,
Genevieve Nnaji
(pictured
right) is
not a new face.
She is the
hottest name in
Nollywood. (Nollywood
has captured
worldwide appeal
and is being
publicized as
being the third
largest movie
producing
country after
Hollywood and
Bollywood.)
Genevieve is one of the fastest rising actresses in Africa and also one of the most beautiful and sexiest women on the African continent. She has a signature bewitching smile, to match the talent, which is becoming recognizable in many African households as well as some European ones. Considered Nigeria's best actress, she is slowly becoming the Nigerian movie industry's first true superstar. Apart from the television advertisements, the actress also featured in the billboards advertisements of her country.
So people may say or think a lot of things about Nigerians. But just like they are leading the rest of Africa in the movie industry, they are also representing the continent positively with their beautiful women. They are challenging the negative images of African women that have been depicted for a long time to validate and promote slavery, racism, colonialism and neocolonialism. Nigerians are slowly but surely opening the eyes of the world so that the cataracts that biased them against African beauty are being healed, and they are starting to value the beautiful women that the continent has to offer.
