During Miss Grand International 2026, Nigerian representative Ifeoma Uzogheli was competing for votes and visibility. However, three prominent Nigerian celebrities publicly rallied support for Tanzania’s Jihan Dimack.
Priscilla Ojo, her mother, Iyabo Ojo, and her close friend, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, urged their large Nigerian followings to support Dimack. Priscilla’s marriage to Tanzanian singer Juma Jux and her living in Tanzania added another dimension to the campaign.
However, their decision did not sit well with many Nigerians. Sharp online criticism followed, with some accusing the celebrities of betraying their country. Others described their actions as “convenient patriotism”. 
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The Support Nigerians Saw During Miss Grand International 2026
Priscilla framed the campaign as a show of African unity, writing:
“This isn’t just a win for Tanzania; it’s for Africa.”
Enioluwa echoed the sentiment, sharing Dimack’s picture with the caption:
“A win for one of us is a win for us all.” He also expressed his love for Tanzania in Swahili.
Their posts reached hundreds of thousands of Nigerian followers. Many responded by liking Dimack’s photos on the official Miss Grand International page, sharing her content and voting in the popular and country power categories.
Iyabo Ojo also joined the campaign. She urged her fans to like Dimack’s photo, repost it, share it on their stories and vote on the official website.
“AFRICA IS ONE, A WIN FOR AFRICA IS A WIN FOR ALL,” she wrote.
Priscilla celebrated her mother’s endorsement, declaring, “QUEEN MOTHER HAS SPOKEN.”
Following criticism in his comment section, Enioluwa later shared a photo of Nigeria’s representative, Ifeoma Uzogheli, and encouraged people to support her. However, Uzogheli eventually finished in the Top 25 and did not advance further.
The Voting Gap Between Ifeoma Uzogheli And Jihan Dimack
The timing of the campaign fuelled criticism, particularly after reports that Uzogheli’s main Instagram account had been mass-reported and taken down during the competition. She confirmed losing access to the account and reportedly expressed distress over losing years of modelling work and professional history. She had to rely on a backup account when visibility and engagement were crucial.
Some Nigerians alleged that Tanzanian users were involved in the mass reporting. However, those allegations remain unverified.
Critics also questioned why Priscilla and Enioluwa did not publicly defend Uzogheli when the incident occurred. Their perceived silence later became central to accusations of “convenient patriotism”.
Against this backdrop, their campaign for Tanzania’s representative struck some Nigerians as misplaced. They argued that public support for another country’s contestant should not come at the expense of Nigeria’s representative.
The Backlash from Nigerians
Social media users accused the celebrities of “eye service” and selective patriotism. One widely shared comment captured the frustration:
“There’s literally a Nigerian model contesting in that pageantry too but they’d instead support a Tanzania model because Priscy posted her and ignore their Nigeria constant. Ewwww.”
Model executive Emmanuel Chukwubuikem also criticised what he described as a lack of support for Uzogheli after her account was allegedly mass-reported.
“Patriotism should not be convenient,” he wrote. “You cannot ignore your own representative when she needs you and then expect Nigerians to show unconditional support when it benefits someone else.”
Other critics argued that Priscilla’s marriage to Juma Jux should not have overshadowed support for Nigeria’s contestant while public voting remained open.
For them, the controversy raised a broader question about celebrity influence, national loyalty and whether African unity should require choosing one country’s representative over another.
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