First Ever Miss Nigeria-Grace Oyelude, Stuns At 86
Written by MaxFM on July 19, 2018
Born on November 16, 1931, Grace Atinuke is known to be the first ever Miss Nigeria having won the Pageant in 1957 at age 26.
Miss Nigeria started in 1957 as a photo contest, whereby contestants posted photographs of themselves to The Daily Times headquarters in Lagos. Finalists were shortlisted, and successful finalists were invited to compete in the live final at the Lagos Island Club. It did not include a swimsuit competition.
Oyelude who hails from Kogi, and was born in Kano, was working at UAC when she represented the then Northern region. After winning the contest, she traveled to England where she studied Nursing. Within months of gaining admission to the School of Nursing in Ashford, she was crowned “Miss Nigeria”.
Oyelude who currently holds the Chieftaincy titles- Iyaolu of Isaluland and Iyalode of Okunland has many grandchildren and explains the story of how she became the first “Miss Nigeria”
“I was living in Kano then. My brother saw the advertisement in the newspapers and advised me to go to Lagos for an interview to be selected as a Miss Nigeria contestant.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“He applied, and the result was that I was supposed to be in Lagos for the Miss Nigeria contest.
“I was working in the UAC then, and they were also involved in the pageant.
Advertisement“The following day, they got me on a plane to Lagos and that was it.”
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A photograph of the gracefully ageing and completely gorgeous Grandma was posted recently by Pius Adesanmi, her nephew who is a Professor of English Language at Carleton University in the United States.
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