Victoria Oluwakotanmi, a 25-year-old Nigerian-American beauty queen, was thrust into the spotlight after emerging as Miss Grand USA 2026 under unusual circumstances.
Oluwakotanmi had finished as the first runner-up in the competition held on August 10th, but was crowned Miss Grand USA 2026 after the organisation terminated the reign of the original winner, Mekayla Li.
Asides her passion for pageantry, Oluwakotanmi had a background spanning from US mIlitary, education and youth empowerment.
Here are five things to know about the Nigerian-American who will represent the United States at Miss Grand International.
1. Oluwakotanmi is 25 years old and the daughter of Nigerian immigrants who built their lives in San Antonio, Texas. In a 2023 interview with KSAT 12, Oluwakotanmi said her father moved to the US about three decades ago and initially worked as a dishwasher before earning a doctorate in nursing.
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2. Before conceiving her dream of becoming a beauty queen, Oluwakotanmi served in the United States Navy after she was enlisted in March 2019 as a Logistics Specialist and has been associated with the Naval Operational Support Centre San Antonio at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.
3. Oluwakotanmi began her pageant journey in 2020 with the Miss Black San Antonio competition. According to a US Navy profile, she wore her prom dress and did her own hair and makeup before winning the title. She later held the Miss Grand Illinois title and competed in Miss Texas USA as an at-large contestant.
4. Oluwakotanmi studied chemical engineering at Northwest Vista College and served in the Navy at the same time. Her academic background is part of her story, along with her military and pageant careers. Education is also a key part of the platform she supports.
5. In 2018, Oluwakotanmi and her family started the Oluwakotanmi Promise, a scholarship and mentorship program created to honour her late grandmother. Oluwakotanmi has shared that her grandmother could not attend college because she was a woman.
The program was set up to help young people with education, mentorship, and other opportunities.
Oluwakotanmi has also shared updates about students in the program, including the first group to finish high school in 2026.