THE NATION
Over the years, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has maintained a low profile, save for her ambassadorial duties and political leanings.
President Tinubu on Wednesday, October 23 appointed her as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
As an ex-beauty queen, she exudes a warm and approachable demeanour.
Mrs. Bianca is a diplomat, lawyer, businesswoman and beauty pageant titleholder and the widow of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
She is a multiple international pageant titleholder, having won Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Miss Africa and Miss Intercontinental. Formerly a presidential advisor.
Shortly after her husband’s death, she had some diplomatic appointments that brought her to the forefront of politics.
After almost 17 years of marriage, her husband, Ojukwu died in the United Kingdom after a brief illness at 78. He was buried in a newly built mausoleum in his compound at Nnewi.
In 2011, she was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs by President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2012, she became Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana. In the same year, she was appointed the Ambassador of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Spain.
Following the death of her husband, Bianca was thrust into a lengthy legal battle with Ojukwu’s first son, Debe Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The battle, characterised by a series of court cases, spurred a great deal of controversy about the late Biafran leader and the chaos in his family.
At the end of the court battle, which ruled in her favour, Bianca had the lion’s share of her late husband’s will.
Although Bianca and Ojukwu had been in a relationship since 1989, they formally married on November 12, 1994.
The wedding was the talk of the town in those days; it was a lavish wedding ceremony in Abuja. Bianca was 22, while Mr Ojukwu was in his 50s.
Their union is blessed with three children Chineme, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu.
From the early 1990s till date, Bianca’s name has become synonymous with beauty. A multiple international pageant titleholder, Bianca emerged as the winner of Miss Martini in 1987 and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria in 1988.
She reigned through most of 1989, mainly when she emerged as Miss Africa 1989 at the pageant held in The Gambia.
Bianca represented Nigeria at the Miss World in Hong Kong and Miss Universe in Mexico following her win.
In the same year, she achieved success when she won Miss Intercontinental and was named Miss Congeniality at the now-defunct Miss Charm International in Russia, where she was also a semi-finalist.
She made history as the first Nigerian and African to win Miss The Intercontinental pageant.
She attended Ackworth School, Pontefract, St Andrews College, Cambridge, and Cambridge Tutorial College where she obtained her A-levels.
