Grace Atinuke Oyelude became Nigeria’s first Miss Nigeria in 1957 after her brother secretly submitted her photo to the Daily Times contest.
Working at UAC in Kano at the time, she stood out at the finals in Lagos by wearing traditional attire and won the crown with a £200 prize.
She used the money to study nursing in the UK, becoming a registered nurse in 1961 and a midwife a year later. Grace went on to earn more qualifications in nursing and hospital administration.
After returning to Nigeria, she worked at Kadun
a General Hospital and led medical teams during the Nigerian Civil War. She later became senior matron at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital.
She also shaped health policy, serving as an external examiner and chairing the Kwara State Health Management Board. Her work earned her the Florence Nightingale Award and chieftaincy titles.
Even at 86, Grace remained admired. In 2015, the Miss Nigeria
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