A few years ago, a Briton packed his bags with amazing haste, gathered his family and hurried out of England into self-exile. Asked to explain what informed his sudden decision, the man minced no words: Twenty years before he was born, homosexuals and lesbians were abhorred and isolated by society, and their reprehensible preoccupationviewed as serious criminal offence that attracted stiff penalties; twenty years after he was born, these perverts began, after some years of being ‘mildly’ tolerated, to gradually garner wider acceptance in decent society; and now, another twenty years have just passed, and they have been formally acknowledged and their abominable act legalized! Now he does not want to take any chances, you know. So, he had to escape immediately before they make it compulsory for every Briton!
Agbani Darego (pix: Unknown)
Unfortunately for this hapless victim of an immorally advanced culture, there is no place to hide, not even’pure’ Africa, which we hitherto thought was immune to the ruinous contaminations of Western moral irresponsibility. Indeed, the so-called Western civilization is presently steeped in very serious crises, and while the few in that society who still retain some vestiges of their morals are highly worried, and hoping they could find a way out of the great moral chasm into which they had willingly sunk themselves because of a very silly interpretation they had given to ‘freedom’ some years ago, poor Africans, ever vindicating a self-destructive knack for imitating bad models so well, have since found ennobling paradigms in the most slimy depth of Western ‘civilized’ rot.
It is just a pity, really. The decay has become so widespread and pervasive, and achieved such glamour, pomp and overwhelming financial backbone, that even people who ought to be more discerning are now falling over themselves to be seen neck-deep in the nauseating pastime of beatifying and celebrating outright obscenity. Indeed, being rotten to the core, and making a big show of it, has become a status symbol, and, sometimes, an easy route to sudden wealth and cheap comfort, so much so that those who insist on remaining outside the band-wagon of the depraved are regarded as ‘uncivilized’ and ‘pre-modern.’ That’s where we are, dear reader, and the most pitiable victims are underage girls, who lack the discernment to know the exact implication of what they are being lured into.
A couple of years ago, a young, undiscerning teenager from Rivers State (and her naïve parents) fell to the most seductive and overwhelming promises of good life, easy money and cheap fame by two smart brothers in Lagos who earn a living by feasting the eyes of shameless voyeurs with the tender flesh of mostly innocent girls. This girl had joined other girls to flaunt the delicate parts of her body before a large audience and battery of cameramen, to service the lust and depraved taste of irremediably prurient men and even women. The event is usually an elaborate one, with lights, pomp, cheers, elite audience and countless pressmen, in a highbrow banquet hall. Now, after the impressively packaged, but empty, unedifying razzmatazz, the girl was told before the cheering audience and flashing cameras that she was the “Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria.” Asalary of N1miilion was given to her for that year. Gifts were showered on her by corporate organizations. Hare-brained analysts and columnists dubbed her a “role model” and asked other girls to emulate her, and be inspired by her “success story.”
Yet, the two, unyielding businessmen brothers were not through with her. They put her in a plane, and jetted out of the country. They told her things that swelled her head, and made her think Bill Gates was miles behind her. After several other carnivals of shame, and further flaunting of her bare flesh and tender honour before audiences abroad, one woman called Julia Molley put a useless crown on her head and told her before an even larger audience that she had become “Miss World” (whatever that means). And a depraved section of the world applauded. Even respected columnist, Pini Jason, crowedthat the “the world (was now) at her feet”! And because of the way the two smart brothers were able to seduce the Nigerian government into almost elevating what was otherwise a private business concern into a national carnival, Ms. Molley, another smart business person, decided to bring her Miss World obscenity to Nigeria the very next year. It was, however, tragically aborted.
You know the rest.
Of course, I am talking about Miss Agbani Darego, who at a fashion show in Lagos last week, demonstrated eloquently to a shocked nation, the extent of rot her handlers have achieved in her. I must, however, apologize for dragging low characters like Agbani and those that set her on the path of perdition into this column. Indeed, fellows like that and the reprehensible trade they are engaged in are very far beneath the dignity of the serious discourse we engage in here every week. But, I am moved by concern and pity, for this hapless girl, and some other unsuspecting girls who may be lured into this same trap tomorrow with tantalizing promises, and parents who think the easiest way out of poverty is to hand their tender daughters over to soulless flesh-flaunters to parade before every willing eye.
At the time Agbani was conscripted into this folly, she was studying Computer Science at the University of Port Harcourt (my alma mater). But the pomp and noise of her crownbecame so overwhelming that she felt she had no more need of the degree. After all, Oluchi Onwuagba, a former bread seller at the Ayilara area of Ojuelegba here was already “making it big” in the world of fashion and modeling, so why bother with academics? That was in 2001. What it means then is that, by now, Agbani should have been a graduate of Computer Science, and a hotcake to employers of labour in this infotech age. But, no, the lure of lucre was so overpowering! Moreover, the two consummate, shrewd, businessmen brothers, unyielding goal-getters, could not let her be.They used every opportunity to promote and showcase her as, perhaps, the wisest, most successful girl in Nigeria, and the best thing that had happened to the country in the recent past. Of course, they neededto promote herand her meaningless crown, so that their business can flourish. Unfortunately, the press also fell for this and lent a helping hand in this promotion of shame.
53 comments
too harsh
I live in Europe too, Yes, it isn’t good for African born ladies to expose any part of their body, even non Africans Cos. it’s God’s pride and dignity of a woman. But you know what? The writer of this article used such harsh words on her and I detest this, It is not good for the living, everyone has his/her own errors as humans, moreover, she may not have such kind of agenda to have the whole Nigerians disgraced. As for those Nigerian brothers, please leave them alone or advice them better. Even if things got tough for her in Europe, it happens esepecially when you don’t know how to deal with life, I mean new life and need to be taught by experience. How has the writer changed Agbani’s life by such words? It is so so rude and unhelpful. I am a young African lady studying in Europe of the same age with Agbani and I know what it takes to live outside your country, no matter what kind of money you have, they only love and cheer you when you have the money to spend back in their economy, it happens everywhere, when it finnishes, they would remind you that you are a total alien, it takes God’s help to live right on earth. It is not I can do attitude or useless pretence and deceit. Dear writer, your words were to heavy for that Young lady whom God has not condemned yet Cos she could change tomorrow and become something better, you were trying to express your hurt, I understand by the crazy things going on in the world, but you did not use the right approach. She possibly needs an apology and to be advised rightly if you are really and elderly person, there’s a way to do this online and it would get to her. We are from Africa, we have better manners. Do it in a good way. I was actually looking for a clue to write a project and I bumped into this catching article about a daughter of Nigeria. Please it was so unbearable but too harsh for the living. I love Agbani no matter how much you feel she was exploited but we learn from life, moreover, if she misused her crown, she is still great and have more years to do greater things than the crown. Do you love
God? God needs her and esteems her so greatly as any other person who feels sinless. None is better off. Let’s stop this hand of iron in Nigeria, it’s too much to bear, we drive people to their untimely grave.
Scruples man, you need some time on the shrink’s couch so heavy is your supressed love/hate relationship with women. Take your reluctance of identifying the “well dressed men”: If you examine this isn’t this the same theme of the very pronography you “detest’ where the women are unveiled but the men left covered up? I’m no fan of beauty pageants, indeed I find it counterintuitive for women to simultaneously wear bathing suits and high heeled shoes but this diatribe is unhealthy; you really must hurry along now and see a shrink, really you must! Who -by the way – determined breasts to be “private parts”? Oh those early 19th century onyibo morons who hid their own women then coveted blakc women who were enslaved? Man, after the shrink’s place go to any beach in Europe and observe the prople who brought shame of our bodies to Africa basking topless on the beach; you get problem sha!
It is quite a shame that i cannot locate the so- called picture of Agbani Darego on the internet,maybe because i am reading this article 3 years after.
I would just like to say that the writer is light years behind and very judgemental in his write-up; one would almost think that he has something personal against Agbani.
If you wanted to criticise her, you could have been constructive as you do not know her personally. If i might add, she is a model and if she chooses to flaunt her goods that is her business. Moreso, that is what models do, it will not come as a surprise to me that Ugochukwu for all his sanctimony actually gawps at young ladies especially the santily clad ones and noboday has lambasted him in the papers just because he is not in the public eye like Agbani.
At the same time, he is not a model nor is he a role model to anyone if he sounds so acidic and judgemental, that is not fair writing, it is slating and very sexist if you pick on women because of the society you live in.
As the Bible says ” he that is without sin should cast the first stone” and may i add, i wonder how ‘your daughters’ dress?
He who is without sin.Let them cast to first stone.
Interesting. i like this.
Id Kris, i decided to reply you cos u now seem to have a bias towards the author.
if you said you read that article then can you honestly tell me that the author did not murder Agbani in his article.
i’m not saying agbani exposing her breast is a delight to be celebrated but lets face facts, the world is changing and things are not to be looked at at face value any longer but if you still want to talk about african tradition, remember that it was african tradition for women to bare their breasts…even in some parts of the country, a man offers his wife as entertainment to his visitor and sees it as the worst insult if he is refused.
please before we judge anyone, lets think about our lives. if indeed she exposed herself- i saw a photo that didnt look at all like her-, she did it in public and now the whole world is alarmed but remember there are others who live puritain lives on the outside but on the inside they are a source of envy to the devil.
i appreciate what every commenter have being trying to say- those for and against- but like i keep saying, remember Christ and his preachings…”dont judge so you wont be judged”
hello Ben, if i must say, i do not like the insinuations you made with the “what about her pimps” comment. if i’m to get you right, you mean the Murray Bruces who got her into pagentry- which in itself shouldnt be held against them. those men are hard working nigerians who try all in their ability to make our country nigeria a great place.
by your comments, you portrayed her as being a harlot which i must say is unbecoming of someone residing- in quote “in God’s own country” unquote.
do well to verify issues unless you want to tell me that the beauty pagents in the United States are strictly for prostitutes and whores.
i was surfing the net for material with which to write an essay on hiphop in nigeria before i stumbled on the agbani article…
i was seeething with anger- to say the least- when i read what was written by the authour of the article…
even if she derailed, he shouldn’t have condemmed her with such words.
i have an uncle who i would say is of the same ideology as Mr. Ugochukwu Ejikonye and he made sure his kids were kept under a strong arm but alas, i now have cousins who change girls and boys- for the girls- like they change underwear. the girls however are a bit better.
it is therefore in view of this that i would appeal to Mr. Ejikonye to neutrilize the acid he has on his tongue- it does no one any good. even Christ did not condem the harlot in the bible
Umm, I just saw the picture now and that does not look like wardrobe malfunction at all, it looks like that outfit was made specifically to show off the wearer’s boobs. Having said that, I would also like to add that I don’t think the mere fact Agbani got to be ‘Miss World’ makes her a role model for young Nigerian girls. Don’t get me wrong, she did well in the pageant and did all Nigerians proud when she won that title. Parents really ought to be careful who they chose as their children’s role models and endeavor to raise children with a sense responsibility.
Personally I don’t pretend to know Agbani or what drives her choices, I just hope she knows what she’s doing and is not under pressure to conform to an image she is not comfortable with. There are tastier ways to model without baring private parts. Mr. Ejinkonye has written like an upset father who is watching his kid walk in a path completely beneath that which he hoped his kid would and I think that is normal, it is not harsh or hateful.
The Blogger made a feeble attempt at objectivity but from the moment I begun reading, I had a distinct discomfiture with the viciousness of the attacks on anything that did not conform with the author's views. Yes, the west is increasingly morally bankrupt and no, I would not want to raise my children there either (so I get where Mr. 'Andrew White' was coming from). The Bruce brothers dont hold guns to anyone's necks. I assure you that as long as there has been paid sex in the world, there have been women who are more easily exploited than others; so let us parents raise our daughters to value themselves in other ways apart from exploiting their sexuality.
Ms. Darego's wardrobe choice might have been unfortunate but SHE has made those mis-steps and must live with them. Being a celebrity, her poor choices are more visible to the rest of the world than those of us who make ours in relative obscurity. I am sure some well meaning friend would have shown her these and other articles, so your guess is as good as mine as to how she feels about those choices right now.
From the looks of the author's pictures, Ms. Darego might well be his daughter. So be an African man sir, and dont whip the child to death. Chiding done in love is more effective than throwing the baby out with the bath water. Perhaps her journey has actually just started. If Agbani were to come out to share her story with young ladies, she might have actually found a way to turn this unfortunate string of circumstances into a stepping stone. We need our hero/heroines in Africa and there is nothing wrong with them being slightly flawed.
i also find fault with the writer’s position. Ugo, please get off your high moral horse. u are one of those people who feel that poor people should stay in their station and not reach up to fulfil themselves. How do i Know? Note the riducule and scorn in your tone when you described Oluchi as “a former bread seller from Ayilara”. You have no genuine concern for Agbani and her problems, whatever they are. So please stop the pretense. A more constructive criticism would have been better.
In my view, this article aims at achieving the following points: (1) — To discourage any further attempt by any girl in Nigeria, under whatever pretext to flaunt her boobs to the public; it is possible that all these tales about ‘wardrobe malfunction’ were carefully scripted to guage public reaction, in order to determine whether other small girls could also bare their breasts in future for all eyes to see. Some people are making money at the expense of innocent small girls, our anger should rather be against them, not the author who merely pointed out their evil — unless we are part of the racket. (2) To make Agbani become so ashamed of this act of flaunting the pride of her womanhod that no amount of financial promise or inducement in future would be able to persuade her to bare her breasts again. (3) To sound a note of warning to all those who rake in billions by flaunting the tender flesh of young girls that there is a limit to their unwholesame trade, and that Nigeria would not accept such obscene way of making money. Indeed, the public uproar that greeted the Agbani case has sent a very strong message to them, and what this article merely did was to articulate the public mood on that very infamous incident. To abuse the author or give blind solidarity to Agbani is the best way of enacting mischief. Agbani should blame those who exposed her to public ridicule and opprobium, by giving her such a drress to wear. I keep wondering what she would tell her children and grandchildren tomorrow when they are taunted by their mates with that horribly obscene picture which probably is still in wide circulation on the internet. My advice to her is to set up at anti-nudity NGO to protect other younger girls coming after her. That would be a most redemptive role to play after such a revolting occurence.
it would help if we would all stop personalizing what is otherwise a simply ugly matter with fa-reaching consequences to many impressionable youths out there! It is a big shame that people who would never allow their wives, daughters, fiancés (or themselves, if they are women) to bare their breasts to the whole world are here deceitfully applauding Agbani Darego for exposing the pride of her womanhood for all eyes to see. What is the world turning into? What kind of silly 'civilization' are we really talking about, that endorses and celebrates obscene nudity? I support Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye's stand on this issue 100%! My view is that those encouraging women to bare their private parts (which includes their boobs) are mere prurient mental cases and voyeurs only wishing for an opportunity to feast their eyes with obscene exposures. It is a pity. I find some of the comments on the thread below, made on the same essay published on another site, very interesting:
To my mind, Agbani is presented more as a victim here. We should condemn those fellows who have turned the flaunting of the tender flesh of young girls into money making ventures — smiling to the banks with their billions, at the expense of the girls' honour and dignity. Although the writer had some words for Agbani, the bulk of his anger was directed at these fellows. For goodness sake, there is something called "private parts" in a human being's body, and in the case of the woman, breast is one of them. It is not meant to be flaunted for every eye to see. And for those shouting wardrobe malfunction: there was another girl like Agbani on a runway in Australia, and when cloth slipped, she ran back-stage. She may have lost some money for "breaking runway rules" but she succeded in preserving her cherished honour and dignity as a woman. It is a matter of choice. And the choice one makes must come with a prize. What would Agbani say tomorrow when her kids are taunted with the picture of her dangling breasts, ponder it.
The only way anyone condoning what Agbani has done can prove his seriousness (if he is a man) is to get his sister or wife to bare her chest like Agbani did; and if she is a lady, the best way she can support Agbani would be to follow her example and bare her chest as well. Simple. Let’s not condone evil, because it would not hurt us in the long run. Evil should be denouced with every vehemence and contempt to ensure deterrence. I think that’s what this writer set out to do; he should therefore be commended and not condemned. Agbani should be foolish to fall for the silly solidarity of these mischievous fellows urging her on on the path of perdition; their only motivation may even be to push her into baring more to service their depraved taste. Very sad indeed.
greate article and greate opions a very educate topic aswel. thanks to all
this is just too harsh on agbani. Is this like a personal vendetta or what? Get off her case, please. thought you had something better to write about, you did not even confirm the rumour about her being a baby sitter instead you’ve succeeded in helping to spread it. Get your facts right, mister attention seeker!
I have just seen the photo. Its a shame, lets all be honest with ourselves. In spite of it I will be not be drawn into the debate bcos she is an adult and in my opinion should be allowed to make her own decisions.
I recently came across this article,if I were to judge objectively,I won’t hesitate to comment that the tone of the columnist was grossly harsh but at the same time communicated indispensable morals by which African mores are impaled.
It is a patent pity however, that these mores and values are fast denuding,giving place to imported depraved values of the western lowly order.I seek to join issue with the respondent called Lagbaja.I do not want to imagine it’s the celebrated musician, Lagbaja,whose lyrics are valued philosophical.If he were the one,then,I still respect him but disappointed in his choice of view and patterns of illogical argument that brazenly threatens the universally entrenched logics of morality.I suggest he revisits his response.
ALABA, This is Stanislaus, the essence of my comment and celeberating the author was not to undo Agbani , it was not to justify my self as an angel, who never sins, but it was because the article some how dealt with an impending problem that the we would face, lack of knowledge due to choice, by way of seeking fame, moneyand all worths not on a faster lane and there by getting notorious, Who would you chose, if you have a choice to make between Agbani the computer scientist working in may be NNPC . calculating for us how much of our oil is stolen and Agbani the breast barer, be honest with your self and ask your self why Agbani can no longer be a computer scientist , it was nice winning the miss universe but who stopped her from going back to school after wards, I still maintain that the best way is Education, knowledge and intelectual development, that gives every one a firm foundation for the achievement of personal goals and fulfilment. even the models themselves know this, thats why most of them tells lies about them being in one university or the other .The for all haters of truth, let me let you know that THE CHALLANGE OF TRUTH IS NOT THAT YOU GET ANGRY OR PISSED, IT IS THAT YOU WORK HARD IN ORDER TO MAKE THE TRUTH NOT TO BE TRUE ANY MORE, . in other words AGBANI should prove her self positively, she is a world class woman, we expect more from her, there wouldnt have been any article on her if she was just one of those girls that were selling oranges some where in Ijaniki -Oto , or the ones that fry akara in Agege or the ones that were house girls in Navy Town lagos before chancing into the ideal world of modelling. good luck guys. Stanislaus is still in Lagos.
Ugo, what can I really say…..time on your hands!
Optician Levy, Are you sure you recognise Agani at all? if the picture you are referring to is the one in this article then i suggest you take a second look at it before recommending “potent eye drops” to the author b’cos you just might be the person who needs it.
Baring of what should ordinarily be “private parts” is not unique to Agbani; it is a craze that has eaten deep into the dress sense of so many ladies(young and old) that parade the streets of Nigeria. With the legacy being set by the women of this generation, what would become of the “flowers” yet to blossom can only be imagined. God help our girls.
I dont understand. Get real mate! How is Agbani a role model to my girl child? Has she won any laurels in sports like Venus Williams or Mary Onyali, what academic pedigree has she…is she an Ngozi Okonjo Iweala? what has she achieved in adding value to the society,is she a Dora Akunyili with her fight against killer drugs or the late Bimbo Odukoya with her insights on better family living? What lesson has my daughter got to pick from catwalking or swimming under cameras half nakedly?
The question is, Why Agbani? Do you have a personal score to settle with her? In this day and age, we must live and let live. Dear sir, not everybody shares your views and so you must learn to share your world with people who do not agree with you. I amy not make the very same choices she has made but tghen again I am not Agbani and she has made HER OWN life choices.
Agbani may very well have finished her course at university and joined the hordes of unemployed roaming the streets of Nigeria. It seems pointless that you have based the entirety of this lenghty article on a young woman who is charting her course in life just as everyione else. Nigeria abounds with immorality thingly veiled under the cloak of traditional values and customs. Again dear sir, I am forced to ask you, when last did you accost that man you know who has numerous concubines outside his marital home and remind him of his sin? When last did you accuse a Nigerian man you know of helping to erode the moral fabric of Nigeria by sleeping with girls at University that are his daughter’s age? When last did you stand up against the injustice meted out to our poor? When last did you campaign against amoral practices like early child marriage, female genital mutilation and abhorrent widowhood rituals?
If you are going to write such strongly worded columns, then tackle the important issues and LEAVE the individual alone.
ugochukwu has made accusations at Agbani without hearing from her directly.It is wrong to make assumptions okay!I dnt fancy ladies or guys dressing lewd okay, but i also know that all Nigerians are my brothers or sisters.I will rather defend and protect one of our own.You are not God so please pass no judgement.We love Agbani,and even if she goes beserk,we love her still and will rather show empathy and pray for her!One love to y’all!
Its on record that hard-flint-stone fathers end up pusing their daughters to the arms of decadent men rather than a firm but supportive,subjective dad!
Mr author, with your hard, judgemental stance,i sure hope u know the kind of life your daughter lives when you are not there!
Well this article speaks for itself, the facts are unproven and merely speculative with most of what has been stated verging on the edge of defamation.
Dear Mr Spark,
No one is applauding nudity. what happened to Agani was a wardrobe failure. Surely if you are working you would appreciate that things goes wrong at work at times which are out of your hands/control – your boss, friends, family and people that know you don’t beat you up about it do they? they understand that mistakes happen and expect you to learn from it, GET OVER IT and MOVE ON . Bless Agani she must have been so embarrassed when that happened. Its a shame that we preach so much about God but yet forget that we are not above mistakes and forget the principles of pulling up our fellow brother/sisters up with the knowledge that we ourselves are perfect – Thank God for his mercies
May God help us all and give us grace stay moral and holy in ALL aspects of our lives.
Oh, and by the way, you better wash clean your eyes with potent eyedrops…
The girl in the picture is not Agbani…
Thomas Levy
You and many here are conservative extremists.
A mix of inquisition and Goebbels doctrine.
How dare you judge other people lives as you are doing?
Who do you think you are? What do you know about Agbani?
Did you ever personally met her?
Did you ever talked or wishes to know her dreams?
Oh, how much jealousy and hypocrisy I see in your words.
Instead of being happy for Agbani, you take her down.
Instead of being proud of the first African black miss world, you spray rumors with no proves of evidence… NONE period!!!
Instead of accusing the rich oil owners of your country, you attack with no mercy a young woman who tried her best to succeed and help her family.
A young woman who had to struggle to make it.
Oh and Agbani, she is very successful model and a A+ student.
And when she was in Europe, she was also successful.
So I think you should check your sources, and talk to people into the fashion industry before writing propaganda that has only the goal of ruin people’s life.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.
This is what Oscar Wilde was saying and it apply well to your article.
She is a dreamer, and an exquisite person.
But why am I writing in a blog where probably mostly of people embrace the Bush doctrine…
It is a big shame that people who would never allow their wives, daughters of fiancés to bare their breasts to the whole world are here deceitfully applauding Agbani Darego for exposing the pride of her womanhood for all eyes to see. What is the world turning into? What kind of silly ‘civilization’ are we really talking about, that endorses and celebrates obscene nudity? I support Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye’s stand on this issue 100%! My view is that those encouraging women to bare their private parts (which includes their boobs) are mere prurient mental cases and voyeurs only wishing for an opportunity to feast their eyes with obscene exposures. It is a pity. I find some of the comments on the thread below, made on the same essay published on another site, very interesting:
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/ugochukwu-ejinkeonye/agbani-s-sickening-folly.html
howlong shall deception continue to ruin our adolescent
stanislaus, did you go further to confirm if those were really her breast, the author likened her to a prostitute and you commend him. magazines and newspapers would do anything to sell there paper even if it means giving out the wrong information. and for your own information, it was a mistake and she should not be condemned but looked up as a young child making mistakes. i wonder how many mistakes you’ve made in your life? alaba
princess, a decent person would never dis someone just like you did. i sense jealously. you wish you were in her shoes i would presume. for you to accept it from a non nigerian then your so called priority should be checked. what is wrong is wrong disregarding the skin color.
hi seun, he concentrated on agbani darego and pageantry and not on how girls are been treated. he was too harsh on her. so pls your ratin for him is too high.
i’m glad to know that is not everyone that buy into this man’s biased mind.
wow. i am shocked. at the story, not the woman. mother nature gave us our bodies. there is no reason to be ashamed of them. no matter what. Ms. Darego is a fine young woman. get off her case.
I just wonder why some fellows keep saying that the author of this article was unfair and hard on Agbani.
In fact, he presented Agbani as a victim of the predatory instincts of men. My suspicion is that those toeing that line of thought are only out to divert attention from the main issue, may be, because, their trade appeared threatened by the position the writer has taken.
They are afraid that if the article is able to cause the public to have a rethink on beauty pageants, they stand the chance to lose their source of income.
I fail to see how Agbani was maligned so much in the article, as some of the comments are trying to impute. Unless we didn't read the same article.
Yes, babysitting is a noble job, but I doubt, if that was what Agbani abandoned her programme at Unport to come and do in Europe? What are we really talking about? Nor, did she leave Nigeria to go to South Africa to fight for survival, while her pictures were still being used on Nigerian televisions to lure some other unsuspecting girls into the same beauty pageants that had not taken her anywhere? What is wrong in warning potential victims that all these empheral pomp and galmour are not always what they seem to be in the beginning?
In any case, the writer said these were mere rumours in media circles. And his tone was sympathetic.
Now , I can be proud to be a Nigerian, because I thought that what remained of Nigeria are people of parochial reasoning. Now some one has talked and my dignity has bounced back in me.
To start with, I saw the very magazine on a day I was mourning mans inhumanity to man. My friend JOHN OGON would know what I am talking about if he happens to read this very comment, to go straight to the point, It was the Day Mr. funsho Williams; a Nigerian Citizen murdered by yet to be mentioned people but adduced to be close allies was being taken to the burial ground. The traffic was terrific, and some where after CMS bus stop, the car that I was ridding in, got tucked and packed up. with engine failure, so as to easy off my tension , I beckoned a vendor and I did not know what pushed me, I made a choice of a magazine, and when I flicked open , I heard my self shout " Oh why this wickedness" and that was my reaction to what I saw, and what did I see? a Ms AGBANI DAREGO, in a white but red flowered scanty gown and a shawl across the shoulder, with two scantly looking breasts pumped out bare and naked. I never felt grouse pimples come out of me as much as it did that day. and what came into my mind was wickedness of men to their fellow men . just as the writer has said, if Agbani were to be a graduate of computer science would this have happened?. God please help our youths to know, that EDUCATION is the only passport to the future and tomorrow belongs to ONLY those who plans and reads for it today. I celebrate this author and I came into reading this article by accident but I will always search here deliberately on wards.
My name is STANISLAUS
am a Nigerian soldier I serve in Lagos.
It is a shame that we still have some backward thinking individual such as the authur of this article. The world is constantly changing and moving forward and with it everyone in it. Agbani is young and should be allowed to make her mistakes but to liken her to a protitute is really low. I am an Ex- beauty queen as well and what i choose or chose to do with my life is nobody's business. In other words,Agbani's business is her business. Leave the poor girl alone.
Nigerians and their jumps to conclusions. I saw the picture and that doesnt look like Agbani to me at all. You can see for yourself at http://combandrazor.blogspot.com/2006/05/my-people-be-saying-darnedest-things.html
I wonder why it comes easy to some people to mess up others.
Wow, when I saw the title, I thought Agani had done soemthing terrible. This is such a judgemental article, Agani is such a beautiful girl and has done nothing to harm anybody and does not deserve this. Let him who has no sin cast the first stone!
This is moral terrorism.Ugochukwu would soon have to pack his baggae and head for the heavens if he could expend such energy on such trivia as a model displaying her boobs to the public.Ugochukwu is right about the terror of homosexuality and such animalistic instincts and perversions but to equate modeliing to them is to deny the world the beauty of beauty.Please let the young girld be.How many of us that are not tools and money making instruments of smarter people out there?Who really gets paid around here.We are all monkeying in different guises.
Sam Kargbo
Not having seen an image of Agbani's alleged breast-baring, it is difficult to determine whether indeed the lady has demeaned her status as a former Miss World. The writer might have helpfully provided one such image with his article.
Regardless, it becomes necessary to ask which decade is the article writer living in? The words employed in lambasting Agbani Darego and the spirit behind them – are excessive and most uncharitable. So what if Agbani fell on hard times and had to lie low in SA? Is that not the fault of beauty-pageant stakeholders in Nigeria who should have ensured that our girl was kept in the standard in which she had become accustomed? Or indeed the standard Nigeria and the World expect her to be kept in as Miss World 2001? None of this happened and so Miss Darego did the best she could. And so what if she babysat? Is a babysitter not a human being?
I recall an article Ejinkeonye wrote once about the 'scanty' dress-sense of actress Kate Henshaw-Nuttal. 'Our Beautiful Girls Are Ugly' was the title of that one. I saw an inherent hatred of women in that title, and I feel some of it running through this unhelpful tirade against Agbani – and not even breast-baring warrants this kind of language.
Molara
really i was amazed when i saw a well brought up girl,a born and breed nigerian female child baring her breast 2 d whole world.well,international models may do it,but a true son(daughter) of the soil should have her reservations….i am more beautiful than miss darego,bcos i am a decent young woman who covers up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think you need to become a product of the 21st Century. I don't think Agbani has cheapened herself in any way and indeed is a role model for other nigerian girls to look up to. And externally she provides an alternative view of Nigerians in places where the only Nigerians people have heard of are those that are trying to swindle you with their '419' scams.
Too harsh…sheesh
Does Ugochukwu want me to believe that Agbani was the first Nigerian lady he saw who exposed her breast in the name of modelling?What makes her case different from others?Tell me another story,I suspect an ulterior motive.Come out with it friend.
Good reading. I never heard of this lady, atleast not here in USA. What happened to her? if I may ask.
What does she do now? Is she still the envy of Nigerians? What about her "pimps"? ….I have more questions I guess.
The poor girl never meant to expose her breast, it happened suddenly while catwalking so if atall u're going to blame anybody it shld be the maker of d cloth. Moreover i personally dont think modelling job is a bad thing, it depends on individual and it's not poverty that lead pple into it.
I really love ur article and i dont appreciate how girls are treated expecially all in d name of making music videos. But u came too hard on Agbani, i dont believe it's desperation that led her into modelling or even her parents supporting her.
Oh my, my myIs it not true that the morality that Nigeria needs to find is not the one that will keep them from staring a woman's breast the way my forefathers did but the one that should keep the wandering minds of perverts from staring at it in sexual fantasies? Is the moral discovery of church going, corruption ridden, bribe taking Christians not better expressed in not doing those things that undermine the well being of our nation.
What has this young girl done to deserve the invectives you have poured n her? May I inform you that until you show us the teeming www members the cam of your daughter in her everyday life, I shall continue to regard you as one of the many critics. Agbani went bare for charity..what have you done for the poor lately but writing tons and tons of thrash on the internet?
Indeed, you Insunated that she is brain dead or she is a university drop out. Haba! That is so condescending enough but upon all your degrees from second rated UNIPORT you find it out to realize that if not for a school drop out your word processing capability on Windows OS won't be possible to write this thrash?
Anyway , enjoy. This your article and you seeming support for the mayhem of Shariarist masquerading as puritans unleashed on our nation before the Miss World back then shows what I have always known. That the Christian fundamentalists and the Islamic Jihadists are one and the same and that their clash on the world stage is simply cosmetic and is only an outward revelation of their intolerance and clash of egos of their two world leaders: George Bush and Osama Bin Laden
The moral slumber Nigeria needs to wake up from is not the one that makes them stare at naked women breast (like our forefathers did across Africa) but the one that conjures up the image of sex in the minds of perverts and allows corruption to mute good people in and out of government. Excuse me!
Indeed, it can be seen that you my friend relished jumping upon and tearing apart this young lady for slipping just one..what a shame! He who has not sinned let him cast the first stone. Until you install a video cam to follow your daughter 24-7 and let us all on the www know wusup then you are just one of the many critics as far as I am concerned for one
1. You sought to ridicule the fact that she doesn't have a degree- university drop out you said. For all your university degree do you care to know if not for a university drop out you might not have the luxury of word processing and windows program that you most likely used to type your rubbish?
2. No one forced you to look at her breasts – take your eyes off them. Indeed, you are on the side of the hooligans called Shariarist that unleashed mayhem on the rest of Nigerians..this your article shows the number one reason I think Christian Fundamentalists and Muslim Jihadists are one and the same. It just happens that they are confronting on the world stage now because of the ego of their leaders i.e. George Bush and Osama Bin Laden.
3. You said: "But has Agbani become so brainless and penniless that she would agree to flaunt her bare breasts to the world?"
Ans: Mr. Man, women don't have pennis..did you do Biology in secondary school?
I thought I was the only one who was shocked by the "transformed picture" of our own Agbani which I saw recently and quoted by you. How a young, naive an innocent Agbani has pandered to the whims and caprices of men and even women that trade on vouyerism! A family friend of Agbani told me shortly after she won the Miss Nigeria crown that she was a student of Uniport then, and to wit a "born again" christian from a decent home. So what has happened to Agbani then? For sure, she has followed the paths that almost every model or beauty pagent may likely follow to make it big:stripping to the bare and flounting the raw flesh! I fear for her…and that was what Oluchi did by posing nude so she can hit it big in the US modelling industry.If she did, why then are we surprised about "Darego Darego' like she was fondly called when the crown rested on her head. Do we see the social harm we've subjected ourselves to in Africa by exposing ourselves to uncensored influence of western style of entertainment like Nokia Face of Africa and other pagents? If those who should be grand mothers of tomorrow now bare their breasts to say the least, what sacredness would they transmit to their grand daughters? Truly, Agbani and her ilk need our help, and prayers and exhortation for those under whose tutelage they once or still are!