MBGN winner Isabella Ayuk disqualified from Miss World

The 2012 winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant Isabella Ayuk has reportedly been disqualified from the Miss World beauty pageant.

Reports say Ayuk, a pageant veteran, was disqualified by the Miss World pageant organizers because she falsified her age.

Soon after winning this year’s MBGN pageant, Ayuk was accused of altering her age. Many critics accused her of reducing her age to fit into the age bracket.

Ayuk will now be replaced by the first runner up, 23-year-old Damiete Charles-Granville, who will represent Nigeria at the Miss World pageant, holding on August 18, while  Ayuk will be a contestant at the Miss Universe beauty pageant in December.

In the light of the embarrassing development, the Chairman of Silverbird Group, Guy Murray Bruce, responded to the accusations and claimed that Isabella Ayuk wasn’t disqualified. However, he didn’t give a specific reason as to why she has been replaced.

‘The management of Silverbird, organisers of the annual Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Africa’s longest running beauty pageant will be sending MBGN First Runner up, Miss Damiette Charles Granville, to represent the country at the Miss World pageant holding in Mongolia, China in August. MBGN winner, Miss Isabella Agbo Ayuk will represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe’, Chairman Guy Murray Bruce said in a statement.

‘The decision was in the best interest of the beauty ambassadors, the company and the country at large’, he added.

Meanwhile, another Silverbird rep said  ‘Isabella told us she can’t forego her service year for personal reasons, and that she must serve out her service year. That is why there was a little change. However, the management is willing to accommodate her for the Miss Universe pageant when she could be free.’

E-mails sent to the Miss World pageant organizers have not been replied as at the time of filing in this report.

Isabella, who says she is 25, is a former Miss Nigeria contestant (2004), Ex Beauty Queen Of The South-South Nigeria (2007/2008), Miss Global Nigeria (2009/2010), and  was a delegate at Miss Global International (World) in Jamaica  in 2010.