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With a medical career in view, a passion for women’s health advocacy and a legacy of pageantry running through her veins, Dr Danielle Fadeke Adewusi is determined to make history on the global stage.
The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 is stepping into the international competition with more than a crown in sight. Inspired by her mother’s pageantry journey, Adewusi is championing what she calls the Legacy Reign, a vision that celebrates heritage, representation and national pride.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, the medical doctor, future surgeon and founder of Scrub the Stigma speaks about her journey to Miss Universe, the power of purpose, her commitment to women’s health and why she believes Nigeria can finally bring home the coveted international crown.
Enjoy!
Can you share your pageantry journey?
Thirty-five ears ago, my mother held the same title, Miss University Nigeria, which she won in 1991. So, I like to say that I am stepping into a legacy.
I am competing at Miss Universe at the end of this week. Camp begins on Sunday, and I am doing something that has never been seen in pageantry before. It is called the Legacy Reign. No one has ever named their reign before. This is the first time it has happened in pageantry history.
The Legacy Reign honours three legacies. The first is my mother’s achievement as Miss University Nigeria exactly 35 years ago. The second is the fact that it has been 25 years since Nigeria brought home the Miss World crown, our international pageantry crown. The third is that this is the 75th edition of Miss Universe.
These timelines coming together meant a lot to me and felt like a legacy. When I compete, I want to represent Nigeria well, honour our different tribes and customs, and celebrate Nigeria’s legacy.
You will see this reflected in the wardrobe I am bringing to camp. You will also see me honouring my mother and the legacy of Miss Universe through different pieces I designed myself and that my amazing stylist brought to life.
Again, this has never been seen in pageantry before, and we want to highlight it as something new that Nigeria is doing.
With this being the 75th edition, only six Black women having ever won Miss Universe, and the competition marking a milestone year, we are really hoping and working towards bringing the crown home.
Can you take us through your journey? Your mum inspires you, but what motivates you to go further?
I was always aware of pageantry because of my mum, and it was always at the back of my mind that one day I would compete. But it was never something I had specifically planned for a particular year or considered my ultimate goal. Rather, I always knew I would have the experience at some point. When I went to medical school, I was already a medical doctor in the making, who would hopefully specialise in surgery and gynaecology.
In my fifth year of medical school, I was doing a lot. I am a very multitasking individual, and I am doing even more now than I was doing then.
I was in medical school, working as an educator for children, modelling, travelling and doing so many things at once.
At some point, people kept saying, “You know, when you qualify as a doctor, all these other things have to go. You can only be a doctor.”
That did not sit right with me. I do not believe we have to diminish one aspect of our ambitions for another to be celebrated.
So, one day, I sat down and listed all the things I enjoyed and was good at. I wanted to take a step back and figure out what profession could bring them all together.
I listed things such as using my medical knowledge, advocating for women and girls, which is my passion, speaking, working with children, modelling and travelling. These were all things I loved and felt I was good at.
I took a step back and said, “This is Miss Universe.”
So, in my fifth year of medical school, I decided to go for Miss Universe. I then decided that 2026 would be the year because I wanted to reach a particular stage in my medical career.
I had been practising for a couple of years before coming out to compete in 2026. That was how the journey began.
It was also three years ago that I conceived the idea of the Legacy Reign. My introduction video, which went viral when I was competing at Miss Universe Nigeria, was something I had in my head years ago.
So, in many ways, I have been preparing for this moment for years. That is my journey, and it inspired me to do this.
How special is this moment?
It is incredibly special. I believe we have a chance to make history here, and I have seen how Nigerians have rallied behind me and supported me. Many Nigerians did not know who I was before this. I had about 2,000 followers on Instagram. Now, I have grown to tens of thousands, and I have seen the love and support because I recognise that people truly believe that we can do it this year.
So, I worked hard behind the scenes before I even competed at Miss Universe Nigeria. Before I was even a finalist, before I applied, I had already travelled to Thailand to train with one of the top pageant runway coaches because I truly believe we can do it this year.
I am working towards that, and winning would make history for so many reasons. For me, as an individual, I would be the seventh Black Miss Universe in its 75-year history and the first from Nigeria. We have never brought this crown home before.
In recent years, Miss Universe has changed some of its requirements, allowing women of any age to compete. Previously, the age restriction was 28, and I am now 29. So, I would be the first queen to defy those previous restrictions and win.
There are so many aspects of this that would make history, but my main purpose is Nigeria.
I feel we need hope. We need something that unites us, and I am the type of individual who comes back to serve.
I am the founder of my women’s health charity, Scrub the Stigma, which I started three years ago, long before Miss Universe Nigeria.
We have done work in Lagos, Edo State, the UK and Peru, giving back to women and girls, working in schools to empower young girls and helping communities as well.
So, a lot will come out of this.
What are some of the things you will be doing differently?
As I mentioned earlier, the Legacy Reign is something new. Pageantry has never named a reign.
That is significant on its own. The timing of my reign is also very significant. Again, it is the 75th edition of Miss Universe, a milestone edition; it is 35 years since my mum held her title, and it is 25 years since Nigeria brought home a major Miss World crown. All these timelines coming together are extremely significant.
As for how I will display that in camp, you are all going to be excited because I will represent so many people.
I want my Legacy Reign to be one of unity for Nigeria, for pageant fans and for myself. It is going to be something really exciting.
What kind of affirmations sustain you now that you are heading into the competition? What is your guiding principle?
I am an unwavering believer, and only God has brought me this far. Only God can bring the crown.
As a country in pageantry, we are up against a lot. I am competing against queens who are pageant veterans, who have participated in other international pageants and have been very successful. They are beautiful queens with huge followings, coming from countries that have been very successful in pageantry.
Those are some of the barriers I would say Nigeria faces when it comes to competing. But only God brings the crown, so I am deep in prayer. I trust in Him, and I trust in the preparation and how He has built me through this journey. I believe we can bring home the crown.
Can you tell us about your musical life and the kind of music you do?
I started playing the piano at the age of 10. I’m trained in the piano and the cello as well.
In terms of my training, there are usually eight grades before you do your diploma. Typically, you complete one grade each year. I completed all eight grades in three years before going on to study at music school and obtain my piano diploma.
I have played cello in orchestras, and I have travelled around Europe touring as well.
That is some of what I do. That is just the classical aspect of me. You do not want to see me when Afrobeats comes on, okay? I can dance. I love my Afrobeats.
So, I have many different sides.
If you win, what would your first reaction be?
Thank God! Of course, it would be all praise to God. I am already praising Him in advance. It would just be gratitude. I do not know if I would be able to get any words out through the tears. I do not know if you saw me win Miss Universe Nigeria, but I was holding back my tears for dear life.
I would just be extremely grateful, extremely proud, and eager to see how everyone else was feeling.
I can only imagine how Nigeria would feel when the crown comes home.
After this, what are the next things to expect?
One of my main goals and aims when I joined this pageant was to bring women’s health education to every state and every school in Nigeria.
I believe women and girls need it, and it is so important that they receive early education because it can prevent disease and create greater access to healthcare.
I would love to travel more to different states and expand the work we have been doing in Lagos. I also want to become more involved as a speaker, advocate and prominent voice in the women’s health industry.
When it comes to empowerment, what are some of the things you are doing? Also, what changes would you like to see that could help women and girls?
To empower women and girls, we have to give them the knowledge, resources and confidence to do things for themselves.
That is what I believe true empowerment is. It is not just about giving handouts, and it is not about speaking over people. It is about giving them the knowledge and awareness to speak for themselves.
That is what we do through our education programme.
As I said, I am the founder of Scrub the Stigma, a women’s health charity I started in medical school. We now operate in three countries: Nigeria, the UK and Peru. I have also done a little work in Costa Rica.
When we go to schools, we deliver women’s health education, provide menstrual hygiene resources and teach women and girls how to educate and empower themselves.
We focus a lot on help-seeking behaviour. When you notice something is wrong, you need to know what is happening, whom to speak to, how to speak to them and where to access help. That empowers them.
We also fundraise to cover the medical bills of women and girls in hospitals. We partnered with Iwaro Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State to help with the medical bills of women, girls and families as well.
It is about giving them the foundation they need to survive.
What changes would you like to see in women’s health, particularly in addressing stigma?
Again, it has to start with the foundation, which is education. Access comes very closely afterwards.
Women and girls need to know what is happening. They need to be able to speak confidently about their health without shame.
The name Scrub the Stigma comes from the idea that we are removing the stigma associated with women’s health so that women and girls can speak about these issues and access the care they need. It starts with education, and I want women’s health education in every school in Nigeria and every school in the world.
I have made big dreams over the years, but access is also super important. What is education and awareness without actual access to the healthcare you need?
Those are two things that are really important, and they form the foundation of Scrub the Stigma.
Do you think the beauty industry is doing enough to empower women and embrace diversity?
Yes, we are trying. Empowerment in the beauty industry means expanding what we perceive as beautiful, and I feel we have done a good job in recent years, but we can do so much better.
I love going on social media and seeing women who look like me.
I am proud to have competed at Miss Universe Nigeria and won my crown. That was really important to me. Not everyone may agree, and that is okay.
But I look at some of the Miss Universe women I really admire and respect. One is Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who was Miss South Africa and won Miss Universe. She was the first and only South African to win, and I am sure people told her it could not be done. I am sure people told her she could not change who she was or what she considered beautiful.
I also look at Sheynnis Palacios, who won Miss Universe for Nicaragua. She won with a bob hairstyle, which we did not really see before, and now we see so many girls embracing their bobs and short hair.
I feel we are making strides in empowering women, especially in the beauty industry.
I am excited to be on the Miss Universe stage in my braids and have the chance to bring that crown home.
What is your inspiration? What keeps you going?
I think what keeps me going is the understanding of my purpose. I know that my purpose is to advocate for and empower women and girls. I know it deeply. Perhaps that comes from my mum, who is such a strong woman and whom I have seen care for others throughout her life.
Perhaps it comes from having three sisters. We are a family of all girls, so I have that connection and motivation when it comes to sisterhood and empowering women and girls.
I also think about the women and girls I have seen in schools in Lagos, hospitals in Edo State, the UK and Peru, and I know what my win could do for them.
My reign is not supposed to be something that comes and goes, where I simply have a great time and enjoy an experience for myself. It is about making an impact on the people we are trying to serve.
I have an advocacy I am really passionate about, and that keeps me going every day.
When is the international Miss Universe competition happening?
Yes, Miss Universe, the international competition. It is happening this Sunday, November 8, in Puerto Rico.
The way it works is that each country hosts its own Miss Universe pageant. The winner becomes a representative for that country and goes on to compete at Miss Universe for the international crown.
The actual final competition is November 24, but there are about 17 days of camp activities.
From November 8, we will be in Puerto Rico participating in camp activities, challenges and other events.
There will then be a national costume competition on stage, which you should all be very excited about. Something very special is planned for that.
Then there will be the preliminary competition, followed by the final, which includes swimwear, evening gowns and the Top Five question-and-answer segment, before the winner is declared.
That is where the magic happens.
How confident are you about winning?
I am extremely confident because I know and trust the preparation I have done.
I trust the character I have, my reasons for competing and the strength of my purpose.
I also have faith that God has put me on this path for a reason.
So, I know I have what it takes, and I know I am doing this for the right reasons.
I have prepared and worked hard. Like I said, this has been years in the making.
I am extremely confident that we can do it this year.
Miss Universe is different from other pageants. What should people expect?
Yes, Miss Universe is different from some other pageants that have a talent competition.
At Miss Universe Nigeria, we had a talent competition, where I played the piano.
However, at the international Miss Universe competition, there is no talent segment, so we will not be displaying talents on stage in that way. There are various camp activities and events where we can showcase different skills and have fun.
What are your words to girls who feel confused about their ambitions or what they want to become?
The first thing I would say is: do not let society box you in. Society has a very negative way of telling women that they can only be one thing. You can only be a mother. You can only be a businesswoman. You can only do one thing.
I like to be an example that this is not necessarily the case.
If you really want to, you can embrace every aspect of who you are and use those gifts in the service of others.
But that is easier said than done in actual circumstances. That is why I say young girls should always dream big.
However, it is up to us to create opportunities for them to thrive.
I believe a legacy is more than something you step into. It is also something you leave behind for the next person to come.
I want to show young girls in Nigeria that it is possible to be different, to stand on a pageant stage and have a different accent. You may not necessarily fit into the environment you are in, but that should not limit what you can achieve.
I want to leave behind a legacy that shows I used pageantry to empower and help people.
Pageantry should not just be a phase in my life. It should be a platform to amplify the work I am doing to reach people.
What are your plans beyond Miss Universe?
I like many things, and I do not ever see myself narrowing myself down or diminishing any aspect of who I am.
I want to continue amplifying every aspect of myself, but my main focus is my charity.
My main focus is Scrub the Stigma, and, as I said, expanding it beyond Lagos and into other states across Nigeria.
That is something I will really be working towards, and then expanding to Africa and the rest of the world.
My mum is from Edo State, and my dad is from Oyo State. I live in Lagos, so I am a bit of everything.
I would also love to say that voting is open, so you can vote for your delegate to reach the Top 30 at Miss Universe.
Hundreds of countries are competing, and with enough votes, we can make it into the Top 30 through voting alone.
They have announced that after one week of voting, the Top 20 contestants who receive the most votes will have a chance to qualify.
So, we have a chance to make it through votes alone.
It is really important that we remember that it is not just an individual who wins at this international pageant; it is a nation.
We need a nation coming together to support, share on social media, like posts and engage in the comments on Miss Universe pages and fan pages.
They see these things. They want to know that the winner is backed by a nation that is proud of her.
We need to show that support, and I promise I will make everyone proud.
