{"id":7422,"date":"2021-12-13T23:05:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T23:05:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/ng\/?p=7422"},"modified":"2021-12-13T23:05:56","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T23:05:56","slug":"historic-nigerias-ibo-model-maristella-okpala-showcases-africas-rich-culture-to-the-world-win-best-national-costume-at-miss-universe-2021-pageantinspired-by-mman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/historic-nigerias-ibo-model-maristella-okpala-showcases-africas-rich-culture-to-the-world-win-best-national-costume-at-miss-universe-2021-pageantinspired-by-mman\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic: Nigeria\u2019s Ibo model, MARISTELLA OKPALA showcases Africa\u2019s rich culture to the world, win Best National Costume at Miss Universe 2021 pageant\u2026inspired by \u2018Mmanwa\u2019 a traditional female masquerade in southeastern Nigeria *Costume mask made by Filipino designer Kennedy Jhon Gasper using African beads, stone &#038; craft featuring a colourful ancient back cape *\u2018My design was to protect children and women against any form of abuse. This costume pays attention to the strong will of women in attaining whatever height they want to attain, no matter the challenges faced while reaching their desired goals\u2019-MARISTELLA *BY CLARA ANABOR\/FASHION &#038; Style Editor, Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Historic:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nigeria\u2019s Ibo model, MARISTELLA OKPALA showcases Africa\u2019s rich culture to the world, win Best National Costume at Miss Universe 2021 pageant<\/strong><strong><em>\u2026inspired by \u2018Mmanwa\u2019 a traditional female masquerade in southeastern Nigeria<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*Costume mask<\/strong> <strong>made by Filipino designer Kennedy Jhon Gasper using African beads, stone &amp; craft featuring a colourful ancient back cape<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*\u2018My design was to protect children and women against any form of abuse. This costume pays attention to the strong will of women in attaining whatever height they want to attain, no matter the challenges faced while reaching their desired goals\u2019-MARISTELLA<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*BY CLARA ANABOR\/FASHION &amp; Style Editor, Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>SHE\u2019S HAS MADE NIGERIA PROUD. MARISTELLA OKPALA, a beautiful Igbo lady celebrated the best of African culture when she displayed the rich history of Nigerian tradition in the just concluded Miss Universe 2021 pageantry where she won \u2018Best National Award Costume\u2019.<a href=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Maristella-Okpala-Miss-Universe.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7424\" src=\"http:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Maristella-Okpala-Miss-Universe-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"186\" height=\"186\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/61b72e90a3af2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7423\" src=\"http:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/61b72e90a3af2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"162\" height=\"162\" \/><\/a>Maristella, Miss Universe Nigeria, was awarded the Best National Costume award at the just concluded Miss Universe 2021 pageant.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Miss Universe 2021 - Contestant (Nigeria - Maristella Okpala)\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R8-X2xhdXOc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Okpala strutted down the runway in a costume inspired by a \u201cMmanwa\u201d, a traditional masquerade of the southeastern tribe of Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>Mmanwa is a female masquerade costume designed for ceremonial and festive purposes to celebrate Nigeria\u2019s rich Nigerian cultural heritage paying close attention to women\u2019s strength.<\/p>\n<p>The 3ft tribal mask costume made by Filipino designer Kennedy Jhon Gasper using African beads, stone &amp; craft features a colourful ancient back cape.<\/p>\n<p>Explaining the reason behind her costume choice, Okpala wrote on Instagram, \u201c<em>Mmanwa<\/em>\u00a0is a female masquerade costume that\u2019s designed for ceremonial and festive purposes to celebrate the rich Nigerian cultural heritage paying closer attention to the strength women possess.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nigeria\u2019s representative, Maristella Okpala, wins best National Costume at Miss Universe 2021\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UX_Lbo9vSjM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The 3ft tribal mask with the colorful ancient back cape. With\u00a0<em>Mmanwa\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0Face boldly crested on the mask and cape. It represents the beautiful\u00a0<em>Mmanwa<\/em>\u00a0who fought tirelessly to stop girl child mutilation and child slavery while the colorful patterns and embellishments portray the African dashiki which offers a visual appeal and forms meant to invoke the ancestral spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Okpala noted that she picked this particular costume because she could see her \u201cself-reflection\u201d of her cause in the\u00a0<em>Mmanwa<\/em>\u00a0which was to protect children and women against any form of abuse.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFinally, this costume pays attention to the strong will of women in attaining whatever height they want to attain, no matter the challenges faced while reaching their desired goals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This is Kennedy Jhon Gasper\u2019s second time creating a costume for Miss Universe. Last year, Cameroon\u2019s Angele Kossinda walked Gasper\u2019s lion-inspired costume on the Miss Universe stage.<\/p>\n<p>Taking to Facebook to express his happiness Gasper shared \u201cThank you Lord! Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala talaga. umiiyak ako kanina habang kayakap si mama &#8230;thank you sa lahat ng mga bumati!<\/p>\n<p>(Thank you, Lord! I cannot really believe it. I cried earlier while hugging my mama \u2026 thank you to all who congratulated me.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>CERTAINLY,\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. 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