I want to win Miss Universe Nigeria just like my mum, Dr Danielle Adewusi

Medical doctor, model, public speaker and Miss Universe Nigeria contestant, Dr Danielle Adewusi, speaks with TOFARATI IGE about her career, pageantry legacy and more.

Thirty-five years ago, your mother won Miss Universe Nigeria, and now you want to take that title back. Was this a dream you had when you were a child?

I grew up admiring pageantry because of my mother, but it was never my main goal. My main focus was on doing well in school, studying Medicine and becoming a doctor.

When I was in medical school, I had a moment to think deeply. Many said that Medicine needed total dedication and couldn’t mix with my other interests. But I didn’t want to live a life where I had to choose between what I loved. I didn’t think I had to.

One day, I wrote down everything I wanted to do: medicine, women’s health advocacy, helping young people, influencing policy, modelling, public speaking, travelling and more.

When I looked at that list, I realized I wasn’t talking about different careers. I was describing one, and it already existed: Miss Universe.

That was the moment I chose to compete. Not because I wanted a crown, but because I saw the platform for what it is: a chance to represent my country while promoting women’s health and making real change for women and girls in Nigeria and beyond.

The fact that this journey comes 35 years after my mother represented Nigeria wasn’t planned, but it makes the experience even more special.

You said this is about continuing a legacy beyond yourself. How do you handle the pressure that comes with that?

Honestly, I don’t feel pressured. I have full faith in God’s plan for my life because I have seen His support at every step of my journey.

That doesn’t mean I just relax and do nothing. Faith without effort is dead, so I work hard, stay dedicated and give my best.

I also believe that what God has planned doesn’t have to be forced. That gives me real peace. Instead of stressing about living up to a legacy, I trust that God has prepared me, placed me where I need to be, and will use me as He wants.

Can you share some lessons your mother taught you about beauty and pageantry?

My mum hasn’t given me specific advice about pageantry. Instead, she raised my sisters and me to be queens in our own right.

She taught us to be proud of taking up space, to be confident in our views, to stand up against injustice, and to embrace what makes us unique. That upbringing was the best preparation.

When it comes to beauty, my mum always encouraged me to be confident in how I look. As a tall girl, she made sure I never saw my height as something to hide but as a strength. She taught me to stand tall, and people often praised my posture. I still remember her saying at nine, “You were made to stand out. Don’t ever try to fit in.”

Being raised by a queen who shows elegance, intelligence, confidence and grace meant I was surrounded by those qualities from the start. My mum didn’t teach me how to compete in pageants; she taught me how to carry myself with confidence, integrity and grace, both on and off the stage.

What made you decide to enter Miss Universe Nigeria 2026, and how does pageantry fit with your mission in medicine and advocacy?

I always knew I wanted to enter Miss Universe Nigeria, but I wanted to hit key milestones in my medical career and my foundation, Scrub The Stigma, before fully committing. I prayed about it, and I knew the timing was right.

Pageantry is a platform to boost the work I’m already doing. My mission has always been to improve women’s health through education, advocacy and outreach, and Miss Universe Nigeria gives me a chance to spread that work across the country, reaching women and girls who need it the most.

For me, medicine and pageantry aren’t separate. They are just different ways to achieve the same goal: making a real difference in the lives of women and girls.

How do you plan to use the Miss Universe Nigeria platform to highlight women’s health issues?

I believe women’s health is at the heart of many social issues and injustices women face. So, I want to use the platform to make women’s health hard to ignore.

The main causes I will support are women’s health education and better access to healthcare. Education is the key because women cannot advocate for their health if they don’t know what is normal, what isn’t, or when to seek medical help. But education must go with addressing the barriers that stop women from getting good healthcare.

I want to use the platform to expand our Educate Programmes, reach more states, partner with individuals and organizations already doing amazing work, and inspire more action on women’s health.

What advice do you have for young women about combining beauty with impact?

I truly believe that we all have unique gifts, talents and abilities that should be used to help others.

I want young women watching me to know they don’t have to choose between being smart and beautiful, between having a successful career and competing in pageantry, or between ambition and kindness. They can be all of these things.

If my journey inspires even one young girl to chase her dreams boldly, without feeling she has to fit into one box, while using her gifts to help others, I will see that as a win.

Combining pageantry, medicine, charity and public speaking is tough. How are you preparing mentally and physically for Miss Universe Nigeria while staying true to your work?

It is a lot, but balancing many responsibilities isn’t new for me. Over the years, I’ve learned that you can’t pour from an empty cup, so taking care of myself is a priority.

Physically, this means making time for sleep, exercise, good food and listening to my body when it needs rest. Mentally, I journal, pray and fully trust in God’s plan for my life. That gives me peace and reminds me that I serve a purpose bigger than myself.

You once worked as a United Nations Women United Kingdom delegate at the Commission on the Status of Women. What was the biggest lesson you learned from that experience?

I learned that the challenges women face don’t stop at borders. Whether speaking with delegates from Asia, Africa, Europe or America, many of the same issues come up: barriers to healthcare, education, safety and opportunity.

What changes is the context, not the need. While solutions must always be tailored to the communities they serve, we can learn a lot from each other by sharing research, ideas and experiences.

This experience showed me that improving the lives of women and girls isn’t just a local or national issue; it is a global duty.

You graduated from King’s College London with an MBBS and a First-Class BSc in Psychology. What was the defining moment during medical school that made you realize you wanted to do more than treat patients one-on-one?

It was during my Obstetrics and Gynaecology rotation that I truly understood the many barriers women face in getting healthcare.

Women’s health has often been underfunded and not well researched, while culture, stigma and socioeconomic factors often determine if a woman seeks care or gets the treatment she needs.

This made me determined to be the best doctor I could be; to listen to my patients and advocate for them. But I also realized I could only help the women right in front of me. I thought about all the women who never get to see a doctor who understands those barriers.

I realized that if I wanted to create lasting change, I couldn’t just treat patients one-on-one. I also had to work to improve women’s health beyond the clinic.

From your work in the UK and Nigeria, what’s the single biggest barrier to women’s healthcare today that people don’t talk about enough?

A lack of education.

Whether in the UK or Nigeria, too many women and girls grow up without learning about their bodies or health. Because of this, symptoms are often ignored or accepted as “normal”, leading to late diagnosis, late treatment and worse health outcomes.

Education is also needed within healthcare itself. Women’s health is more complex than any textbook can explain. Providing truly fair care requires more than clinical knowledge; it needs an understanding of the cultural, social and economic factors that affect a woman’s health and her ability to get care.

Ultimately, education is what changes systems and improves outcomes for women.

What inspired the Scrub The Stigma foundation?

I didn’t plan to start a charity. Scrub The Stigma began as a fundraising event while I was in medical school, raising money for groups helping women affected by domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, and acid attacks.

I have always loved organizing events, and since women’s health is often stigmatized and seen as a difficult topic, I wanted to create a space for open conversations in a fun way. The scrubs theme came to me right away, and my best friend came up with the name. It was perfect.

The event was a huge success, but more importantly, it showed me how eager people were to have these conversations, especially when presented in an engaging, community-focused way. What started as a one-off fundraiser has now grown into the charity it is today.

Can you share one educational programme or healthcare initiative by Scrub The Stigma that you’re most proud of?

Our recent Educate Lagos programme was truly unforgettable.

It began in the UK, where we hosted our Christmas Brunch to raise funds for educational materials, including our special-edition cycle diaries. Alongside this, our Period of Giving donation drive collected hundreds of menstrual health products, including sanitary pads, wipes, new bras and underwear. We also included small gifts because we wanted the girls to feel cared for and, most importantly, to enjoy being children.

We then sent the resources to Nigeria and delivered the programme in partnership with FeRMHA at a secondary school in Mushin, Lagos. Through interactive workshops, we educated over 150 girls about menstrual health, including what is normal, what needs medical attention and when to seek help.

You’re a classically trained pianist and cellist from the Guildhall School of Music. How has music shaped your discipline and creativity in medicine and advocacy?

Being classically trained teaches you that there are no shortcuts. You can’t rush for a performance or skip years of practice. It requires discipline, consistency, patience and humility; traits that have shaped every part of my life.

Music also showed me that there isn’t always one “right” way to make an impact. Two musicians can perform the same piece beautifully but interpret it differently. Your uniqueness is one of your greatest strengths.

I believe the same applies to medicine and advocacy. We all have different gifts and views, and when we embrace them, we connect with people and create change in ways that no one else can.

Beyond Miss Universe and your current projects, what is your long-term vision?

My long-term vision is to be a global champion for women’s health, using medicine, advocacy and public platforms to improve the lives of women and girls on a larger scale.

I also hope to be in the rooms where key decisions are made, working with governments and global organizations to help shape policies that improve women’s health outcomes. Lasting change needs both grassroots action and leadership at the systems level, and I hope to contribute meaningfully to both.