Miss Nigeria organizers have honored Grace Atinuke Oyelude, the first-ever winner of the beauty contest, on her 93rd birthday.
On Thursday, November 16, Oyelude will turn 93.
In 1957, she won the inaugural Miss Nigeria beauty pageant.
Rita Dominic, the actress and Miss Nigeria 1957 chairperson, lauded Oyelude as a “evergreen beauty” in a statement on Wednesday.
“We are immensely delighted to celebrate the evergreen beauty and brave leader, Chief Grace Atinuke Oyelude, on the occasion of her 93rd birthday,” the statement reads.
“Her courage, resolve and great strength of character are excellent qualities that have endeared her to us and many others.”
Fidelis Anosike, the chairman of Folio Communication and the owner of Miss Nigeria 1957, described Oyelude as a “mother par excellence and a trailblazer for women empowerment.”
On November 16, 1931, in Sabon Gari, Kano, Oyelude was born to James and Martha Oyelude.
She competed against over 200 other Nigerian females and earned first place. She would eventually utilize a portion of her prize money of £200 to fly to England and study nursing.
She briefly worked in England before returning to Nigeria to serve in a variety of capacities.
Anosike had just moved the Miss Nigeria Pageant production to The Audrey Silva Company (TASC), which is owned by Dominic and Mildred Okwo.
