Isio Wanogho

Isio Wanogho (born November 17, 1983) is a Nigerian supermodel, columnist, painter, and Interior architect. She has received recognition for her contributions, including an African Youth Society award, two Future Awards nominations, the FAB award, a Nigerian Model Achievers Award, and was named the youth ambassador by the Global Foundation for Peace, Unity, and Development. She has pursued several endeavors, including: making graphic art consisting of hand-made cards in 2000. Two years later, in 2002, she entered the modeling industry, showcasing her talents and establishing a presence in the field. In 2007, she was a television presenter, later in 2009, a fashion design (after which she debuted 5000 outfits as one of three official designers for the Lagos Carnival in 2010).^[1][2]

Biography

Nigerian-born Isio lived and schooled in Florence, Italy, where she earned an M.Sc in Interior Design. When she moved back to Nigeria in 2012, she set up her design studio and continued her work as a TV presenter. She is conversant in six languages but speaks only English, Yoruba, Italian and the indigenous “Broken English” proficiently.

Wanogho was sent to the Mayflower School in Ikenne when she was five years old. She completed both her primary and secondary education at Mayflower School, actively participating in its sports, literary, and dance societies. She also represented her school in debates and competitions against other schools in Ogun State. After graduating from high school, Wanogho dedicated two years to preparing for college admissions. In her spare time, she immersed herself in drawing, painting, and writing poetry. Eventually, she mustered the courage to tell her family about her longstanding dream of becoming a fashion model.

Modelling

But after being scouted on her way home from private lessons by model scout Otu Winpana, she told her family, who were initially not enthusiastic about the idea but eventually turned around. Later that year, Wanogho competed in the 2002 QueenAfrik beauty pageant with the support of her mother. Winpana chaperoned her, but Wanogho neither won nor came out as a finalist. Wanogho's big break came when she was chosen to model for designer David at the 2002 St. Moritz Style Selection, the biggest fashion show in Nigeria at the time. Over the next few years, as a run-way model, she modeled for the biggest Nigerian designers and became the muse for Davida, Remi Lagos, and Halleros. In 2015, Wanogho was unveiled as the campaign ambassador for DIESEL in Nigeria and the face of DIESEL@Centro in Nigeria.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

Television presenting

Isio ventured into the world of broadcasting and communications in 2006 when she was featured as a guest presenter on The Nigerian International Show, which aired across Nigeria and the UK. In 2007, she worked alongside Uche Agbai and IK Ikponwosa as the media face for Close Up in the Close Up Salsa Fresh Challenge, where she featured as a TV presenter and spokesmodel, hosting media and press conferences on behalf of the brand for the press, as well as touring several states of the country, to sensitise Nigerians to the objectives of the brand and the project.^[8]

In 2009, Isio ventured full-time into TV, presenting as the head presenter for Soundcity's affiliate Fashion Station: Spice TV and rebranded, taking the De-laVega pseudonym. As head of her department, Isio hosted six shows ranging from lifestyle to fashion to round-table discussions and live interviews. This gained her a wider fan base and launched her into Globacom's music and lifestyle TV show as the female presenter alongside IllRymz. Three years later, IDDS was born (Isio De-laVega Design Studios). Merging functionality, aesthetics, and style, the design firm services commercial and residential spaces In this, she has been recognized and honored with multiple awards and nominations, among which are the 2010 FAB Award as Best Presenter, the 2010 African Youth Society Role Model Award, and the 2010 NMAA Best Model-Presenter.^[9]

In 2014, she made her debut appearance on the silver screen as an actress on NdaniTv's Gidi Up as Bibi. A few months later, she was featured as the leading lady in Ikechukwu ‘Killz’ Onanaku's short film, Badt Guy.^[10]

Television shows

• 2006: Guest Presenter | Nigerian International
• 2007: CloseUp Fresh Challenge Latin Dance Reality Show
• 2008-2010: SpiceTV Head Presenter/Co-Producer | SoundCity All Access | RedCarpet Show Urban Spice – Travel and Tourism Show Bargain Hunters: Daily deals I got a date—Matchmaking Show Women's Table: A discussion about women and sensitive topics
• 2010-2011: G-bam Globacom TV Show Music is a lifestyle entertainment show with a live audience
• 2011: Fashion TV Fashion Party and first FTV event in Nigeria 2012: Fabulous TV Guest Presenter Entertainment Magazine Show
• 2013: Glamsquad Guest Presenter Fashion Police, Comedy, Celebrity Critique

Isio De-laVega Design Studios

After her return from Florence, Italy, Wanogho set up a design studio (Isio De-laVega Design Studios), which offered bespoke design services for both domestic and commercial customers.^[11][12][13]

Charitable works

Wanogho contributes to the less-privileged and the sick by giving a monthly allowance of her earnings to orphanages and anonymously paying the medical bills of the sick. Her outlook towards suffering, illnesses, and hunger is fueled by her parents’ teachings of empathy and appreciation and by many years spent at Mayflower School, a boarding school far away from the home of her childhood. She saw firsthand the devastating physical, emotional, and psychological effects of neglect, discrimination, suffering, and lack.

She mentors young models through Celebrite Modeling School and its annual program, The Model Workshop, and has a mentorship page with the Mara Mentors online platform.^[14][15]

Painting

In 2008, Wanogho acquired a B.A. in Painting and Sculpture from the University of Lagos. To perfect her craft, she was mentored by Nigerian Impressionist Master Edosa Ogiugo. As an artist, her Urhobo tribal heritage is a huge influence on her art, being from the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria and the Urhobo tribe.^[16]

From a young age, Wanogho had always been drawn to creative expression through art, namely drawing, singing, and writing plays and short stories. She has exhibited her art and design in Florence, Italy, in Lagos and Port Harcourt at the Total E&P (TEPNG) 2013 arts exhibition. In 2014, she contributed to the International Art Festival.^[17] Art is a gift Wanogho believes she was born with.

Writing

In January 2014, Isio began publishing her writings through a weekly column in BellaNaija magazine called Isio Knows Better.^[18] In this, she combines wit, satire, and personal experiences to draw out the audience to confront serious issues, social relationships, and conflicts that are often thought about but rarely spoken about or acted upon in Nigerian society.

In 2015, the Isio Knows Better column became so popular that Wanogho was severely petitioned via social media by fans to resume writing after she took a six-week break from writing.

Education

• MSc Interior Architecture and Design (2011) FLORENCE DESIGN ACADEMY

Awards and nominations

• 2014: Model of the Year, Lagos Fashion Awards
• 2013: Youth Ambassador: Global Foundation for Peace, Unity, and Development
• 2012: Celebrity Ambassador, Lagos anti-rape campaign
• 2011: African youth Society: Honorary achievement award and African role Model
• 2010: FAB International magazine, Model of the Year
• 2010: Nigerian Model Achievers Award: Best TV Presenter
• 2009: Future Awards - model of the year finalist
• 2010: The Future Awards nominee for TV presenter of the year
• 2009: Exquisite magazine finalist - female TV presenter of the year^[19]
• 2017: YNaija/Leading Ladies Africa’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria

See also

• Ambrose Olutayo Somide

References