Bayelsa Governor Diri Backs Miss Nigeria's Bid for Global Crown

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed his confidence in the ability of Nigeria to produce another Miss World, citing the example of Miss World Nigeria 2026, Tamunosoye Karibi-George. During a courtesy visit by Karibi-George and her delegation to the Government House in Yenagoa, Diri commended the beauty queen for making the state proud by representing Bayelsa in the competition. He assured her of his administration's support in her quest to compete in the Miss World pageant in Vietnam, noting that her efforts had promoted the culture, traditions, and environment of the Niger Delta. Diri also addressed the controversy surrounding Karibi-George's state of origin, stating that she is an Ijaw daughter from both Bayelsa and Rivers states and that there should be no discrimination as people from both states are one and the same. The governor praised Karibi-George's parents for giving her a proper upbringing and urged her not to be carried away by her success, saying that her future would be brighter than her present. He drew parallels between Karibi-George and former Miss World 2001, Agbani Darego, expressing his hope that she would become another iconic figure in the pageant world. Karibi-George, in her remarks, stated that she had wanted a platform to represent her roots on the national stage, depicting beauty, culture, and grace. She expressed her pride in carrying the flag of the Ijaw nation to Nigeria and emerging victorious. The beauty queen also spoke about her initiative, 'Beyond Labels,' which aims to promote awareness, education, and inclusivity, particularly for children with special needs and other societal labels and stereotypes. The President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri, described Karibi-George as the 'Amazon of the Mangrove Forest' and presented her crown to Governor Diri, seeking his administration's support for her Miss World bid.