A decade later, will this be the year an African wins Miss World?
Rolene Strauss is a South African who was crowned Miss World 2014. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The only black African holder of the crown was Miss Agbani Darego, from Nigeria, who won the title 23 years ago, in 2001.
Dar es Salaam. Will this be the competition that crowns a black African as the most beautiful woman in the world?
The 71st Miss World event kicked off on February 18, 2024, and will run for 21 days until March 9 at various locations in India.
120 contestants from nations worldwide, including Tanzania, will engage in diverse competitions and charitable endeavours, embodying the role of change ambassadors.
Miss Tanzania 2022 Halima Kopwe. She is representing Tanzania at the Miss World in India.
In a video shared on the Miss World official Instagram stories, the contestants are seen singing the popular song 'Waka Waka (It's Time for Africa)' by Colombian singer Shakira which was released in 2010 as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup that was held in South Africa.
When the Miss World competition reaches its pinnacle with a spectacular grand finale, will Africa emerge victorious?
The video raises the curiosity of the audience, wondering whether they [contestants] too wish that a black queen wins the coveted title this year.
South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria are the only African countries to have won the Miss World titles thus far.
However, the only black African holder of the crown was Miss Agbani Darego, from Nigeria, who won the title 23 years ago, in 2001.
Miss World 2001 Agbani Darego
South Africa won the Miss World crown in 1958, 1974, and 2014, while Egypt won in 1954.
Globally, India and Venezuela have won the most Miss World titles to date, with both holding six titles.
