Carrying Igbo culture forward, one crown at a time.
Ada Igbo Ireland exists to represent the culture and the values of Ndị Igbo — the Igbo people of south-eastern Nigeria — among the families who now call Ireland and Europe home.
Ten years
The pageant reaches its tenth anniversary in 2026. Children who watched the first crowning are old enough to compete in this one.
It began as an answer to a problem every diaspora family knows: children can reach adulthood fluent in everything except where they come from. The pageant made a stage where knowing your language, your dress and your people is the thing that wins.
To supply
The founding year confirmed — 2016 is inferred from the tenth
anniversary falling in 2026 — and the story in Stephanie’s
own words: what prompted the first pageant and what she hoped it
would do.
What Ada and Okpara mean
In an Igbo family the Ada is the first daughter and the Okpara the first son. Both are positions of standing and of duty — they are expected to hold things together, represent the family well, and set the example the younger ones follow.
That is the whole premise of the titles. Nobody is crowned here for appearance alone; they are crowned because they carry their people well.
Portrait crop, 3:4
Engr. Mrs. Stephanie Obijiaku
PhD · MSc · MBS · HDip · B.Eng
Stephanie founded the pageant after more than a decade living in Ireland, and serves as its Creative Director.
To supply
A short biography in her own words, a portrait she is happy to
publish, and confirmation of how she would like her name and
titles displayed.
Black and Beautiful Events
The pageant is organised by the team at Black and Beautiful Events, who run the production from the first call for entries through to the crowning.
To supply
Team members and roles, and whether they would like to be named and
pictured here.
What we stand for
- Igbo language, dress and custom treated as living things, not costume.
- Young people judged on character and conduct, not appearance alone.
- Families and elders in the room, not just an audience.
- A welcome extended to everyone, Igbo or not.
To confirm
These values are drawn from how the pageant has been described
publicly. Please correct them so they read as the organisation’s
own words.