In May, Chidi Udengwu was crowned Mister Universe Nigeria at the Misters of Nigeria pageant competition. He had no prior pageantry experience. He didn’t win the competition and become Mister Nigeria, but he was one of the runners-up and will represent Nigeria at the Mister Universe International competition later this year.
When videos from the competition were posted on social media, a public debate on men in pageantry ensued. There were comments about their bodies and whether or not men should compete in pageants, among other things.
In an interview with Zikoko, he opened up about his experience and how competing in Misters of Nigeria has helped him build his confidence.
This is Chidi’s story, as told to Dennis.
Growing up playing basketball
The first time I was in a competition, I was five. As the young son of Nigerian immigrants living in the US, I joined the National Junior Basketball League. I played in high school. At 17, I started hitting the gym to build up muscles and increase my agility. Later, I got a scholarship to attend college for basketball. We had a saying back then that “ball is life.” Ball was my life.
Towering at 6’7 feet, it is hard to miss me. I was regularly the tallest in the room. So, three years ago, I started modelling. I found an agent who helped me get modelling gigs. I was content with this life. But then I saw the Misters of Nigeria pageant on Instagram.
Discovering pageantry
I had never been in a pageant before. But Chidimma Adetshina had been making waves after the controversy in South Africa at Miss Universe. So I thought it would be a great way to represent Nigeria internationally.
The winner of the Misters of Nigeria pageant is crowned “Mister Nigeria” and gets to represent Nigeria at the Manhunt International competition, a global pageant for men. Other runners-up get to represent the country at Mister Global International, Mister Model International, Mister Universe International.
I did my research. I wanted to know what happened to the people who competed in these competitions after they were over. I saw how it transformed people’s lives for the better, either with the pageantry or by just building confidence.
ALSO READ: Chidimma Adetshina is Heading to Miss Universe Finale
Applying for Misters of Nigeria
Then, I went online and filled out the questionnaire. I recorded a self-tape in which I introduced myself and spoke from my heart. I sent it to them and entered the competition.
I had only very little experience catwalking from my modeling days, so I started to perfect my walk — in the mall, on the court while I played basketball, in the room, before I showered. I spoke to myself in the mirror to perfect my smile.
When they told me I was going to come to camp, I packed my bags, kissed my family goodbye and headed to Lagos. It was not my first time. At the time, I had been to Nigeria ten times cumulatively. I speak fluent Igbo. Even though I lived full-time in the US, I have always been immersed in Nigerian culture.
Being selected for the final stage to compete in the Misters of Nigeria pageant, made my confidence level go up. It is rewarding, I think, for anyone to put in the work and see it pay off. Pageantry is just like sport. What you put in is what you get.
Life on Misters of Nigeria camp
We spent a week in camp. It was very helpful. We had people come in to teach us how to walk. They told us about the opportunities that a competition like the Misters of Nigeria could bring for us. We did a lot of photo shoots.
I made sure my clothes were always ready, well-ironed. Timeliness was the watchword at camp. You had to always be on time, especially because we worked in groups.
We competed every day, with the photoshoots, catwalking, in the gym. It reminded me of my basketball training, when I practised every day. I saw the other guys as my teammates. But I knew there could only be one winner. We were different — we had different walks and different builds — yet we competed with each other. We learnt not to allow the camera to take us by surprise. That to be always camera-ready is how you win.
The walk is very important. I still have not perfected it, but I have seen remarkable improvement, and I am proud of that. Before I came to camp, I infused it into my daily schedule.
Becoming Mister Universe Nigeria
I began the day of the pageant with a clean face, nervous and emotional. My face, a buzz cut. My hair, high fade. As the guys filed through the hallway, excitement filled the air. We could have been called soldiers marching to war and not have been out of place.
I was Mr Abuja, and for my traditional costume, I became a horse with wings. For my black tie look, I wore black bedazzled blazers, a white shirt and a black bow tie. I reached out to a Nigerian boutique, What To Wear Couture, for my clothes. They made seven suits and many other outfits for me to compete in. Princeglam was my stylist. I paid out of pocket. It was tough on my pocket, but worth it. I still have not calculated how much I spent in total for the competition.
I wanted to be crowned Mister Nigeria, the title the winner gets; however, I didn’t win. But I was one of the finalists and was crowned Mr Universe Nigeria. I will represent Nigeria at the Mister Universe International competition sometime in October this year.
I remember when they called “Mr Abuja.” I couldn’t believe I made it.
Doing pageants as a Nigerian man
I’ll be the first to say it; pageantry is not a thing that many Nigerian men see as aspirational. This was one of the reasons I wanted to compete in the Misters of Nigeria pageantry competition. I wanted to shift that narrative.
It’s not just about showing off our physique. It’s not even about strength. It’s about confidence. It gives young men the tools they need to be more confident in their skin. I did it for all the young men looking for opportunities to represent Nigeria on the global stage. I want to represent Nigeria. And I am so glad I’ll get to do that.
