Kenya: Meet the Nigerian Helping Kenyan Models Excel in Global Pageantry

Nairobi — Joan Okorodudu’s passion for modelling was evident when she was a little girl; however, given her beginnings in a politically charged Nigeria and a background in political science, her dream to enter the modelling world seemed unlikely.

“My motivation for modelling started way when I was a little girl; you can see in some of my baby pictures that I was posing,” she said.

Okorodudu, 66, was born in Auchi, Nigeria. Her early life took a turn after the onset of the Nigerian Biafra war, which consequently tore her family apart. “My father went back to Biafra, and we never saw him again until after the war.”

Okorodudu attended various schools, which included a local government primary school, Ebu, and Itohan Girls Grammar School, in Benin City, thanks to her exceptional sports capabilities.

After her high school studies, Okorodudu later got an athletic scholarship to Boston University, where she graduated with a degree in political science.

Even with her impressive academic achievements, Okorodudu was unable to separate her fate from fashion and modelling.

In 2007, during a trip to South Africa, Joan and her colleague Juliet Morgan found themselves making an unplanned decision that gave birth to one of the most accomplished modelling agencies not only in Africa but in the world–Isis Models.

“Isis models started in 2007 out of necessity. In 2007, I launched Nigeria’s Next Super Model, and after the show, I took some young men and women to South Africa for South Africa Fashion Week. I tried to place them in an agency, but on our way to the agency, Juliet Morgan now, Mrs. Eke, and I both looked at each other, and I said, Let go and register an agency, and we started the first ever Isis Models, and we are still there till this day,” she stated.

This month, on October 7, Okorodudu was honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Presidential Award by U.S. President Joe Biden, which recognised her commitment to empowering young women and the Kakuma Refugees camp.

lSIS Models International stands as the leading modelling powerhouse in Africa, consistently producing top talent that graces the most coveted runways in New York, Milan, Paris, and beyond.

Thanks to Isis, a former resident of the camp is now representing some of the world’s renowned brands across Milan, New York, and Paris.

“Fashion’s biggest names cannot resist the allure of the exotic, striking models from Isis Models, whose talent and poise leave an indelible mark on every stage. A shining example of this success is last year’s breakout star, Chol, a former resident of the Kakuma Refugee Camp who is now representing world-renowned brands across Milan, New York, and Paris,” ISIS said in a statement.

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Over the years, the agency, which has recruited over 100 models from Africa, has spread its footprint across the globe, with offices in New York, London, and South Africa, and a new headquarters in Karen, Nairobi, Kenya.

Okorodudu notes that local models are often underpaid compared to their international counterparts; however, despite this, she remains determined to change this perception.

Models from Isis have signed with prestigious agencies like Select Models Global, Wave Management, PRM London, One Management, Milk London, and Elite New York, among others, which she says are making “linsane monies.”

Joan further pointed out that one of her Kenyan models who was recruited this year emerged as a major player in 2024.

This year, Kenya is set to host Africa’s Next Super Model. The grand finale will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 9th, 2024, according to ISIS.

“This year, the excitement continues as Africa’s Next Super Model returns for its second consecutive year here in Kenya. The grand finale will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 9th, 2024. The stakes are higher than ever, and the runway is set to dazzle like never before,” it stated.

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