Imo State’s Mitchel Ihezue emerged victorious as she was crowned the winner of the Miss Universe Nigeria 2023 pageant. The glittering event unfolded on Sunday at the convention center of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Miss Universe Nigeria 2023 pageant showcased an inclusive approach to beauty and talent, welcoming contestants regardless of marital status or body size, allowing single, married, single mothers, or divorced individuals to compete. The age range for contestants spanned from 18 to 28 years.
A total of 37 contestants, representing various states and the Federal Capital Territory, were carefully selected to vie for the coveted crown.
The top 5 finalists included Miss Imo, Miss Zamfara, Miss Ekiti, Miss Lagos, and Miss Anambra.
The pageant also recognized other outstanding participants: Chinaza Miracle from Borno received the ‘Miss Amity’ title, Nana Aisha Abubakar from Nasarawa claimed ‘Miss Photogenic,’ and Precious Marcus Chinah from Taraba dazzled in the ‘Best Traditional Costume’ category.
Mitchel Ihezue, a 26-year-old visual artist and women’s rights advocate, was presented with the prestigious crown by Hannah Iribhogbe, the reigning Miss Universe Nigeria 2022.
Ihezue holds a master’s degree in business administration from Lagos Business School. Notably, in 2017, she was crowned the ‘Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria’ and represented the nation at the ‘Miss World’ beauty pageant, where she reached the top 40 and earned the title of ‘Miss World Top Model 2017’ at the global competition.
Mitchel Ihezue’s win will lead her to represent Nigeria at the upcoming Miss Universe 2023 pageant, scheduled to take place in El Salvador on November 18th.