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By Christy Anyanwu
For Mrs Joan Okorodudu, beauty has never been only about glamour. It has been a story of survival, resilience, ambition, love and legacy.
Her childhood was disrupted by the Nigerian Civil War, forcing her family into displacement and hardship. She became a refugee, carried water in the village and learned early how quickly life can change.
But war did not define her. It shaped her.
An accomplished athlete who won gold medals for Bendel State at the 1977 National Sports Festival, Okorodudu later became a beauty queen, Boston University graduate, model mentor, talent discoverer and entrepreneur. Through Nigeria’s Next Supermodel and Africa’s Next Supermodel, she has spent decades nurturing African talent and creating global opportunities.
Her journey was supported by her late husband, her partner of 44 years and seven months, whom she calls her greatest cheerleader. His belief in her sustained her when her modelling business struggled.
Now, as Africa’s Next Supermodel gains recognition from Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Okorodudu sees an opportunity to advance her larger vision: an Africa where fashion houses come to the continent to discover talent, create, invest and build.
As the platform enters a new chapter in 2026 under the theme “Love and Legacy,” she reflects on her journey, her late husband’s influence, the future of African modelling and the significance of Kenya’s endorsement.
Congratulations on the endorsement of Africa’s Next Supermodel and Africa Fashion and Pageantry by the Kenyan government. What does this recognition mean to you personally, and what does it represent for the future of the brands you have built?
The recognition means a whole lot to me. Kenya is very serious about the creative industry and tourism. Tourism is almost like oil to them because they generate enormous revenue from people coming into the country from all over the world.
So, being recognised and endorsed by the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife is something I am extremely proud of. It is also an indication of what I have been able to do across Africa, particularly in Kenya, by bringing one of the biggest model searches on the continent to the country.
Over the years, we have discovered young women from East Africa, West Africa, North Africa and other parts of the continent. We have given them a platform and connected them to opportunities.
I was particularly elated walking into the office and meeting the Secretary of the Department of Tourism. It made me realise that the work we have been doing is being recognised beyond the fashion industry.
I am looking forward to selling Kenya to the rest of the world through fashion, modelling and tourism.
You have spent decades building a name in African modelling and pageantry. What inspired you to create Nigeria’s Next Supermodel and eventually Africa’s Next Supermodel?
My inspiration came from my passion for the African fashion industry and, most importantly, from the support of the man I was married to for 44 years and seven months.
My husband was my pillar. Apart from God, my husband comes next. I owe him so much because he showed me tremendous kindness and believed in my dreams.
Even when things were difficult and I failed, he would tell me, “You have to do it. You cannot give up.” He constantly pushed me forward.
In the early days, there was no money in modelling. My husband would give me money to take models from Nigeria to Malta, Paris, Milan and other places. He paid for the tickets and supported the entire process.
People may not realise how long it took before we started making money from the modelling industry. During those difficult years, my husband was the one footing the bills.
He made me understand that a woman can become whatever she wants to be. He never stopped me from dreaming.
After Nigeria’s Next Supermodel, where we gave out about 10 cars, with Studio 24 providing eight brand-new cars, I realised it was time to take the vision beyond Nigeria. That was how Africa’s Next Supermodel evolved.
Today, I am happy that young girls across Africa want to become Africa’s Next Supermodel.
What gap in the African fashion and modelling industry were you determined to fill?
I wanted to change the narrative. For too long, African models and creatives have had to travel to Europe before they are considered good enough for major international opportunities. I want to see that reversed.
I want Europe and the rest of the world to come to Africa to shoot their campaigns and discover our talents.
Valentino, for instance, has shot in Kenya. I would love to see brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu, Burberry, Hermès and other major global brands coming to Africa.
Kenya is ready for this. It has beautiful scenery, modern malls and incredible locations for international fashion shoots.
We are already speaking with people and encouraging them to look towards Africa and see what can be achieved in fashion and modelling.
You were once a beauty queen yourself. Having experienced the industry as a contestant and now as a mentor and organiser, what qualities do you look for in a contestant beyond physical beauty?
Beauty without brains is nothing. You need beauty, intelligence and, most importantly, good character. Without good character, you will not go far in the modelling industry.
Once a casting director discovers that you are rude or difficult to work with, it can damage your career. No matter how beautiful or talented you are, people will simply say, “She is good, but forget it. I don’t want to work with her.”
That is why I always advise young people coming behind us: you can be beautiful and talented, but if you lack character and intelligence, you will struggle.
I consider myself someone who has beauty and brains. I am a graduate of Boston University and studied Political Science. Education is important.
Before Joan Okorodudu became the name many people know today, what was the young Joan like?
I was born to an amazing man and an amazing woman. My mother was among the first few women to join the police force, but my father asked her to leave because he wanted her to become a homemaker after they got married.
My father was an extremely intelligent man. He also experienced the Nigerian Civil War, and my family became refugees during the war.
We were in Enugu when the bombs started falling. Coincidentally, someone who had returned from Kaduna came straight to our house and told my father to take us back to Onicha Olona immediately.
We went back to Onicha Olona and to my mother’s family home. Even when Nigerian soldiers came to my grandfather’s house asking for my father, I told them he had gone back to Biafra.
My father was actually still in Onicha Olona at the time, hiding. Eventually, he went back to Biafra and we did not see him again until the end of the war. That experience shaped me tremendously.
My grandfather was a Queen’s Medal winner. My great-great-grandfather was killed at Aya Ekumeku in Abuano by the British about 127 years ago. I come from a family that has given a lot to this country.
My upbringing was beautiful before the war. My father had two beautiful cars and took us to school. We lived comfortably.
Then suddenly, the war came and we went from having everything to becoming refugees and carrying water in the village.
My sister, Aju, was particularly devastated because she could not understand how our lives had changed so drastically.
That experience taught me something I have never forgotten. Whenever people talk about war, I tell them that war is a disaster. Being a refugee is one of the worst things that can happen to anybody.
You were also a successful athlete. How did sports influence the woman you became?
Sports played a major role in shaping me. I was fortunate to have Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia as a great influence in my life. He gave us scholarships and encouraged us to compete.
I won at the National Sports Festival in Kaduna in 1977, taking gold in the 100-metre hurdles. I also won gold in the 4×4 relay for Bendel State and another gold in field hockey.
I attended Alumni Grammar School before Ogbemudia transferred me to Itohan Girls Grammar School in Benin.
Those experiences taught me discipline, resilience and the importance of competition. They prepared me for the modelling industry because modelling also requires determination, discipline and the ability to handle rejection.
You were once Miss Nigeria Kaduna. Could you tell us about that experience?
I was Miss Nigeria Kaduna. I won the Kaduna title at a time when Brahma Guarana sponsored the event.
I later became first runner-up at the Miss Nigeria finals. Onanuga won the competition, but we both went home with cars that year. She won a Peugeot 504, while I won a Volkswagen donated by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.
Those experiences gave me confidence and exposed me to the world of beauty and pageantry from the contestant’s perspective.
You have travelled extensively. Which destination has left the biggest impression on you?
I have travelled from Australia to China, Hong Kong, Dubai, Qatar, London, the United States, Canada, Milan, Paris and many parts of Africa, including South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. But the United Arab Emirates has left one of the strongest impressions on me.
I am a resident of the UAE, and my late husband and I used to go there twice a year. We would walk around together, and those memories remain very special to me.
Atlanta, Georgia, also became a home for me for decades. I schooled in Boston and also lived in Delaware.
So I have had the privilege of experiencing many parts of the world, but the UAE holds a special place in my heart.
What is the future of the brands you have built?
We are expanding. Beyond Nigeria’s Next Supermodel and Africa’s Next Supermodel, we have Kateh Global, which my husband started and which we registered about two years ago in Nairobi, Kenya.
We are also bringing back House of Jola and preparing to start producing ready-to-wear clothing in Kenya, taking advantage of the Export Processing Zone.
Kenya is ready for business. You don’t necessarily have to know somebody before you can succeed there. If you have something to offer and you can prove it, people will listen to you. That is one of the things I love about the country.
We have also started bringing people from different parts of the world into Kenya, and I hope Nigerians will become an important part of that process.
What does Africa’s Next Supermodel represent to you in 2026? Has the vision changed?
The vision has become bigger. The theme for Africa’s Next Supermodel 2026 is “Love and Legacy.”
We are expecting people from New York, Paris, Milan, London, Berlin and different parts of Africa. We also have many Nigerians coming, which is very exciting.
This year is shaping up to be remarkable. We have my foundation – Wrong Ways to Freedom, and we have received tremendous support from Design Essentials in the United States. Mr McBride and the Design Essentials team have supported this vision tremendously and are coming again this year. LinkedIn Kenya has also supported us and helped train some of the girls.
We are bringing together models from Nigeria’s Next Supermodel, PASS and other platforms. We will also have boys coming in to support the initiative. So, yes, I am looking forward to an amazing year.
Beyond discovering beautiful faces, what impact do you ultimately want Africa’s Next Supermodel to have on young people?
I want to change lives. I have spent about 20 years in the modelling industry and I have been able to influence lives not only in Nigeria but across Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and many other countries.
I want these young people to understand that modelling is not simply about having a beautiful face. It is about building a career, developing confidence, acquiring skills and creating opportunities.
The platform should become a bridge between African talent and the global fashion industry.
I want our young people to know that they do not have to leave Africa before they can achieve greatness. Africa has the talent, we have the beauty. We have the locations, we have the creativity. What we need is to create the opportunities here.
Your late husband was described as your biggest supporter and cheerleader. What role did he play in your journey?
Tomorrow will make exactly one year since he departed this world. He was my cheerleader. He did everything for me. My husband and I had our quarrels, like every couple, but they never lasted a day. He would eventually say, “Mama J, let’s go out. Let’s go and eat.” That was the kind of man he was.
Even when he was sick, he was more worried about me than himself. I miss him terribly. I haven’t recovered from his death. He was my greatest love and he never hid it.
My husband believed strongly in family. He considered supporting his family an obligation and did everything he could for me, our son, grandchildren and daughter-in-law.
He also believed that a man owed his wife a responsibility before anybody else. He would tell his friends that they owed their wives first.
He made a clear distinction between the family he came from and the family he created with God’s help. I was the apple of his eye.
Is there a particular memory of him that you still hold very close to your heart?
There are so many. My husband would hardly buy anything without putting both our names on it. His name, my name; his name, my name. That was just who he was.
If somebody asked him to do something, he would say, “Let me talk to my wife first.” He valued my opinion.
I remember how we first met. His elder brother, who was an airline pilot, was supposed to be travelling from Lagos, and I was on the flight heading to Kaduna for my youth club activities.
His brother was diverted to Saudi Arabia on the Airbus, but my future husband was at the airport.
He came straight to me and asked what I was doing there. I told him I was going to a youth club.
He even got permission from his elder brother to come and watch me at the Miss Nigeria competition in Lagos.
That was the beginning of our story. And he never changed. In fact, he got better.
When I hear people say their husbands changed after marriage, I tell women that you should pay attention to what you see from the beginning. There are usually signs.
My husband never changed. Instead, he became better.
You have continued to look youthful, stylish and energetic. What keeps you going?
For me, it is confidence, discipline and the desire to keep living.
I have always believed in taking care of myself, staying active and maintaining a positive outlook.
Life has thrown many things at me, including war, displacement, success, failure and now the loss of my husband. But I have learnt to keep moving.
Your husband was a pilot. Do you have any special memories from those days?
I remember dropping him at the flight line whenever he was going on a flight.
He would go into the aircraft and carry out all the necessary checks. Then he would open the window, give me a thumbs-up and blow me a kiss.
I would stand there until he reached the runway, took off and banked away.
When he was returning, I could often hear the radio communications from the house.
But there were times when a one-hour flight became two hours and he had not returned. Those were the moments I almost died of fear.
I would go straight to the control tower and ask, “My husband is not back. Where is my husband?”
The people at the control tower eventually became tired of seeing me. But that was how much I loved him.
He was my husband, my friend, my supporter and my greatest cheerleader. One year after his death, I still miss him deeply.
And as I continue building the legacy we started together, I know he would want me to keep going.
