How Exquisite Mary Dinah bagged her 4th oxford degree; her reign as Miss Nigeria Great Britain 2019 + her laudable charity works & her luxury hospitality business in Ikoyi.
This has been some magical year for Mary Dinah, the delectable Miss Nigeria Great Britain. Queen Mary’s meteoric rise from once upon a time quite a personality into the glamour world of a beauty queen can only be described as legendary.
A few months ago, the paragon of beauty made Nigeria proud internationally when she was crowned Miss Nigeria Great Britain. And since her arrival on the biggest stage, Mary’s story has been onwards and upwards from there.
The intellectually gifted beauty queen has scored many first both in many first, both in academics and career. Described as an exceedingly brilliant young woman, Mary lived up to her ratings when she graduated in flying colours from Oxford University with an enviable Master’s degree in Global Business.
The beautiful queen isn’t stopping there as she also holds a Master’s degree in Hotel Management from the University of Surrey.
Born and raised by doting parents who instilled strong moral values in her and to her credit, she has continued to bring honour to her family. Right from early days at the prestigious British School of Paris where she started her academic pursuit, Mary has been a child destined for greatness.
Queen Mary is not just a regular run of the mill beauty queens. She is an entrepreneur of note. As you read, her luxury spa which she opened recently and located at the Seattle residences in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos has become one of the most sought-after spa in Lagos. She has invested heavily in the new business and her innovation and top-notch spa services have quickly earned her a place at the top.
Where did you spend your formative years? I grew up partly in Paris as a child and also in Lagos. Two very different cities but having in common the fast pace and dynamism. I then moved to London at age 14 where I lived for most of my life.
What was it like growing up there? Paris is beautiful. I attended the British School of Paris and we lived in the green and leafy suburbs of Paris. A place called Garche. In Lagos, I went to St Saviours Primary School, Ikoyi which is still one of the choice elementary schools in Nigeria. I really enjoyed my time there and in Lagos. Because I spent over 7 years of my childhood in Nigeria, I am very well versed with the culture and substance of our country. I love it and I’m proud to be from here.
Can we say you were born with a silver spoon? I would say I am blessed to have had a very privileged upbringing and a very happy one as well. It is a prevalent motivation and a key reason why I started my foundation – Food for Thought, and we are committed to ensuring young children have everything they need to grow and succeed.
How did your background shape your life? My exposure allowed me to dream big and not place limits on my ambitions and interests. Over the years, I have played lots of different sports, travelled across the world and made friends of different races, religious backgrounds and sexual orientation. I’ve studied in the best educational institutions from Harvard to Cambridge, Oxford, United Nations just to name a few. All of the things of reading, seen, eaten and tried makes me very open-minded, both in my personal life and at work, to formulating unique and innovative strategies and in my approach to problem-solving.
Tell us about your parents? My parents are loving and kind and supportive. My dad is a very intelligent academic and successful chartered accountant while my mum is a trailblazer in the movie production industry in Nigeria. This blend of academia, business and creativity from them definitely brought about my somewhat unbelievable mix of personalities where this year, for instance, I have graduated from Oxford University with Distinction at Masters in Global Business and also won Miss Nigeria Great Britain! As far as I can remember I have always been a slight enigma. In school, I would excel in both art and maths which was uncommon. Many times people would try to place me in a box and draw a path which they believe makes sense but I continue to break the mould and create my own journey. It’s certainly not a straight line and neither is it black and white. In true Mary fashion, it has lots of bends and twists and colours!
What was the best gift you remember receiving as a child?
My dad told me if I got all A’s in my middle-high school exams he would buy me anything I want. So I worked hard and I got all A’s. I then asked him for an Ab Roller! And he bought it for me. I was over the moon and so happy. In case you are wondering, an Ab Roller is a small machine that helps you tone up your stomach muscles. I was just thirteen and already jogging often, playing sports and keeping fit! Many years on and I would still be excited to receive an Ab Roller!
What was the most difficult thing that ever happened to you in all your years and how did you overcome it?
I don’t have one specific thing but I’ve faced many challenges and I’ve had to work hard for everything I have achieved. Life will always throw curveballs at you. It’s important to understand that the issues you face make you a winner. They shape you into being the best version of yourself with lots of wisdom to share. So I’m young but I consider myself a wise old soul and I use the platform I have now to speak and encourage other young girls going through similar issues that they are made better by the very things they thought were fashioned to hold them back. As they say, if life gives you lemons, add a splash of vodka!
What do you consider the biggest mistake you have ever made?
Retrospectively, I don’t consider any of the choices I’ve made to be mistaken. In general, I only regret the things I didn’t do. Failure is a success in itself because it means you gave it a shot. You participated, you took part, you lived, you loved. My natural personality is to try things and take my chances. If I don’t succeed, I learn from the experience and tweak my approach until I get it right. The fun is in the process not the result, so keep living!
What are some of your indelible high points in life?
I set up the Mary Dinah Foundation 5 years ago and that has been amazingly satisfying. I have started very successful companies in the past that generated significant income but creating a channel whereby I could make a change and impact the lives of others is bigger than anything I have ever experienced before. It still is my greatest high point in life. Through the foundation, we connected over 10,000 youths to gainful employment and trained more than 3,000 students in Lagos on employability skills. What we have achieved is incredible and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to support my community.
What is your biggest fear in life?
This is an easy question for me – not achieving my full potential. I believe we are all blessed with so many gifts yet we only explore a fraction of them. So, I want to ensure that I do everything I’m capable of doing and touch as many lives as possible. Then I will be truly fulfilled.
Are there still things you desire?
I’d love to have a beautiful family with lots of children perhaps 4 or 5. I think that’s my next goal in life.
What are some of the lessons life has taught you?
I’ve learnt to be grateful for all of life’s blessings and enjoy the moment. Sometimes we are too busy trying to attain more that we don’t enjoy what we currently have. I take time out to do the things I love – a one hour walk up a hill, a good audiobook, a gourmet meal, a vitamin facial, a Sultan massage, a competitive game of squash, a long swim, a lovely holiday in Paris with my partner…these are a few of my favourite things.
How was the experience like contesting Miss Nigeria Great Britain; what’s attached to the crown and how do you feel carting away the coveted grand prize with the crown?
That night was magical. I wish I could replay it every morning when I wake up. I have dreamt of being a beauty queen since I was a child and it was certainly beyond my expectations. I met a lot of beautiful ladies who I am still friends with today. As a prize, I won a cash amount and support for my charity which is the most important prize of all.
Your food for thought foundation has attracted big celebrities to support the humanitarian services, will that be an extension of your pet project as your reign begins in style?
We have partnered many donors including large companies as well as celebrities such as Grammy-nominated singer Akon from the US. I intend to use this platform to further promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal – Zero Hunger and ensure no child in Africa goes without food. So far, we have adopted a school and we feed all 120 students present on a daily and continuous basis. We will be doing much more in the coming months and years.
Your hospitality business is perhaps one rated as A-list, where do you see yourself in business and as a humanitarian in the next 5years?
By profession, I am a hotelier. I have a Distinction in Masters International Hotel Management from the University of Surrey in the UK and I have worked in Senior Leadership up to the role of CEO at global and indigenous hotel groups such as Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton and Seattle Residences and Spa. All of my skills and knowledge from business, diplomacy charity, I will continue to use to further the progress of Nigeria. In the next 5 years, I see myself as an Ambassador of Nigeria perhaps to France and I look forward to making a notable impact on the type of stage.
and then