Nike Oshinowo


Nike Oshinowo is a Nigerian talk show host, entrepreneur, former pageant director and style icon.

Early life

Oshinowo was raised in Ibadan and England, where she attended boarding school. Although she had intended to become an air hostess or a doctor, she studied Politics at the University of Essex. Shortly after obtaining her degree, Oshinowo, who was mentored by former Miss Nigeria Helen Prest-Davies, represented Rivers at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant and became its first Yoruba winner. Her victory attracted controversy from the audience and showbiz journalists following rumours the contest was rigged in her favor. Towards the end of her reign Oshinowo, in an interview with a soft-sell magazine, attempted to squash the gossip by stating Prest-Davies had no hand in her MBGN victory.

Career

After her reign which saw her compete at Miss World, Oshinowo featured in a commercial for Venus cosmetics and hosted a fashion and beauty show on Nigerian television. Her business ventures included an African restaurant and Skin Deep, a health and beauty spa which ran for seven years before it was sold after she decided to create her own range of beauty products for the Nigerian market. On January 17, 2010, she released the workout video Nike Oshinowo: Fit, Forty and Fabulous - the first celebrity fitness DVD produced in the country - and is currently working on the beauty products which will include fragrance, skincare, and haircare.
In 2010, after a six-year attempt, Oshinowo finally bought the Miss Nigeria franchise from former organisers Daily Times, and became chief executive and creative director of the pageant. As of 2012, she is no longer in charge, but is now working on another pageant in which the winner will reign for a hundred years.
In 2014, Oshinowo launched her talk show Late Night with Nike Oshinowo on AIT.

Personal life

Oshinowo, who speaks five languages, married medical doctor Tunde Soleye in 2006, but the couple are now divorced. In 2009, the couple were in the news following a lawsuit instituted by Soleye's ex-wife Funmilayo, who claimed that he had been unfaithful with Oshinowo during their marriage. In 2013, she spoke of her struggle with endometriosis which has plagued her since boarding school by age 13, and at the age of 47 she became the mother of twins via surrogacy in America.