Raffia wraps, coral beads, and cowrie shells. That is how Nigeria showed up to the Miss Universe 2025 national costume show in Bangkok, and the room took notice. Onyinyechi Basil stepped onto the stage in a look called Akwa Nwanyi, which translates to The Frond of Womanhood, a costume rooted in the sacred symbolism of the Igbo palm tree.
The palm tree holds deep meaning in Igboland as a symbol of life, strength, and renewal, and every element of the costume speaks to that legacy. Earthy browns and lush greens run through the design, accented by rainbow-hued beads that evoke growth and abundance. A towering headpiece reaches skyward, connecting the earthly to the spiritual, while a woven mat beneath her feet honors the generations of women who cultivated and nurtured the land.
Nigeria was far from alone in bringing its culture to center stage. Queens from Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and several other African nations arrived with equally intricate national costumes, each one a declaration of identity and pride.
Miss Universe 2025 brings together 130 contestants under the theme The Power of Love, with cultural storytelling at its heart. If this costume show is any indication, Onyinyechi Basil came to tell a very full story.
Originally published by Bella Naija Beauty.