Mother and daughter wey win same beauty pageant for different generation

Anthonia Okogbenin wey win Miss Universe Nigeria for 1991, no believe say 35 years later, she go watch her daughter Danielle Adewusi climb stage to receive dat same crown and wear dat same title.

For di 57-year-old beauty queen, di moment dem crown her daughter Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 dey veri emotional for her, na also moment of pride.

For one exclusive interview wit BBC News Pidgin, Anthonia and Danielle tok about di beauty pageantry for dia different era, how pageantry don evolve from di 1990s to di social media age, di unique challenges of dia respective eras, and wetin e mean to represent Nigeria on one of di kontri biggest stages.

'Di moment dey emotional' - Miss Universe Nigeria 1991

On how she feel wen dem announce and crown her daughter as di winner of di 2026 Miss Universe Nigeria, Madam Okogbenin tok say di moment bin dey emotional for her.

"Di journey you get now and di one you get towards dis crown dey different from my own. Howeva, wen you dey dat stage and you dey part of di top two, e be like say na me, dat na di closest I don feel to dis journey so far. E dey surreal - wey mean strange, and e dey very emotional for me. I bin try to dey strong, anytime wey I see you, I see a bit of reflection but I see your gorgeous tall self."

She also tok about how her daughter take start pageantry and if she get any influence on her decision.

Ms Okogbenin explain say she get four daughters, but Danielle bin show interest in di pageantry right from wen she dey small wit di way she dey waka and carry her shoulder up.

Danielle say she no at anytime force or pressure her children to follow her footstep, but e dey part of wetin dey her mind to do, even though she be doctor.

Di former beauty pageant also share di journey on how she take start and how beauty pageantry be for her generation, wey she tok say dey very different from di present generation.

For her, wen she start dey compete for beauty pageants years ago, she bin dey hide do am and no allow her parent know bicos, she no say dem no go support her.

But dis present generation get social media and di support of pipo wey believe in dem.

"35-years ago dey different, pipo see beauty pageants slightly differently dan now. From my background, my parents no too happy say I dey go into am, and di smaller competitions wey I do, dem no know. My papa get my passport wen I bin wan go Miss Nigeria, and dat na how my parents know. Dem no too happy, but eventually, I get dia blessings."

For Danielle, her generation different becos apart from di strong support dem dey get from dia families, social media dey to connect to pipo and form strong community of supporters.

Difference between generations

"Di pageantry competition for my time dey less hectic pass wetin e be now. We no get social media as e dey now and pipo no too dey chook eye for our mata as e be now," Ms Okogbenin tok.

Di beauty queen say for her generation wetin mata na say di pageant dey "beautiful, sabi waka and she dey very intelligence.

She explain say as social media no dey na between two to three weeks bifor di pageant, dem go show di girls for newspaper and pipo go comment, dem no dey too chook eyes for dia mata as dem dey do for dis generation.

"Intelligence bin go a long way for my time. Di way we take dey ansa question, if you dey di top five den, you dey intelligent, evritin no be beauty day time."

Ms Okogbenin add say anoda major difference between di two eras na say, dem be fighters wey dey try prove a point but di current generation na lioness.

"Wen I tink about pageant for my time, I dey always feel like say na one kain stepping stone, one redefining thing about yourself. Wetin I dey see dis days, na more strength, di girls, wetin una stand for. We be fighters wey bin dey try prove a point, but una be lionesses wey dey defend wetin una believe say na di right way to express yourself and una no go allow anyone tell una otherwise, dat na one major difference I see between den and now".

Hoveva for Danielle, social media make huge different for dis present generation as e give beauty pageants visibility and support from dia various countries.

"Now, I go tok say women in general get greater freedom to be who dem wan be and on stage na about representing your kontri, representing yourself, and dey true to yourself and standing for sometin," e add.

Danielle Adewusi wey also be medical doctor dey hope to represent Nigeria for di Miss Universe pageant wey go hold for Puerto Rico for November and she dey hope to win.

She say even though she no too get time to prepare, as na only one month between wen dem crown her as Miss Universe Nigeria to Miss Universe. She say she bin wish she get more time to prepare but she get confidence in herself and her faith.

"I dey confident and strong in my character, for who I be and for my faith, say regardless of how much time I get or less, I go represent Nigeria well."

Di two beauty queens also tok say pageants na investment and how much pesin wan invest depend on how far a delegate wan go for di competition.