Profile: Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu
Current Position: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria (Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 2024)
Background:
Bianca Odinakachukwu Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu (née Onoh; born August 5, 1968) is a prominent Nigerian politician, diplomat, lawyer, businesswoman, and beauty pageant titleholder.
She is the widow of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the former president of Biafra. Bianca has held various esteemed titles in international pageantry, including Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Miss Africa, and Miss Intercontinental.
Biography
Early Life and Education:
Bianca is the sixth child of Christian Onoh, a former governor of Anambra State, and Carol Onoh, a college principal. Raised in rural Ngwo alongside her siblings, she attended several prestigious schools, including Ackworth School in England and St Andrews College, Cambridge.
She initially pursued a degree in Politics, Economics, and Law at the University of Buckingham but later transferred to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, focusing solely on Law. Bianca completed her legal education at the Nigerian Law School and was called to the bar.
Early Career:
Following her legal training, Bianca briefly practiced law before shifting her focus to her businesses, including her cosmetics line, Bianca Blend, and her interior decorating firm, Mirabella. She also founded the NGO Hope House Trust, dedicated to rehabilitating juvenile offenders in Enugu.
Pageantry:
In December 1988, Bianca was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, a title she held through most of 1989. She went on to win Miss Africa and represented Nigeria at Miss World and Miss Universe. Notably, she became the first African to win Miss Intercontinental that same year.
Diplomatic Career:
Bianca’s diplomatic journey began in 2011 when she was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs by President Goodluck Jonathan. In 2012, she became Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana, later serving as Ambassador to Spain.
She obtained a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Alfonso X el Sabio University in Spain and is currently Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Controversies and Personal Life
Bianca’s personal life has been marked by public interest, particularly her relationship with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, which began during her reign as MBGN and led to their marriage in 1994.
Following Ojukwu’s death in 2011, Bianca faced legal challenges over his estate but ultimately won her case in 2023. A notable incident occurred in 2022 when she confronted the outgoing first lady of Anambra State during a public event, resulting in a widely discussed altercation.
Bianca has three children with Ojukwu and holds several traditional titles in her native land. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, the political party founded by her late husband.
Awards and Recognition
Bianca has received multiple accolades, including the Certificate of Merit from El Mundo Diplomático for enhancing Nigeria-Spain relations, the “Ambassador of Excellence” Award from Anambra State, and recognition as Africa’s Outstanding Ambassador by The Voice magazine in 2014.
She is actively involved in addressing violence and insecurity in South-Eastern Nigeria as the secretary of the Truth, Justice and Peace Commission established in 2022
