Omotu Bissong (born Cecilia Ohumotu Bissong) is a Nigerian model, television presenter, and actress,Peak Talent Show
best known as Funke Lawal in '' Desperate Housewives Africa''.

Early years

A native of Yala, Cross River State, Bissong started her modelling career when she was a child. She attended Nigerian Navy Primary school and Nigerian Navy Secondary school, both in Navy Town, Lagos, the latter she completed at the age of fourteen. She would later enroll as a student of the University of Calabar where she studied Economics.Celia speaks to The Vanguard
/ref>

Pageants

In 2003, Bissong – then credited as Celia Bissong – made history by becoming the first

Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria – often abbreviated as MBGN – is a pageant organised by Silverbird Group with the main purpose of sending representatives to international competitions. Originally known as Miss Universe Nigeria, it was rena ...

winner from the South-South (

Regina Askia Regina Askia-Williams (born Imaobong Regina Askia Usoro) in Lagos on 16 December 1967. She is a Nigerian-born, to an American-based family nurse practitioner (FNP), healthcare and educational activist, television producer, writer, and public ...

, another South-South native, had only won by default when she replaced Bianca Onoh in 1989). Her platform was HIV/

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

Awareness, and Tourism Promotion, and her reign saw her compete at Miss Universe and

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Miss Int ...

Modelling

Bissong worked as a model in Nigeria before moving to

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, where she signed up with another model agency whilst studying

Accounting Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "languag ...

at the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

. In an interview with '' The Vanguard'' in 2008, Bissong criticised discrimination against black models in the American fashion industry, and admitted she was facing strong competition. Upon her return to Nigeria, she opened a model management company in a bid to restore professionalism in the industry.

Television

Since returning to her home country in 2009, Bissong has worked in television, presenting ''The Peak Talent Hunt Show'', and ''Africa Awakes'' on

DSTV Digital Satellite Television, commonly abbreviated to DStv, is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice and based in Randburg, South Africa. Launched on 6 October 1995, the service provides multiple audio, ...

. As an actress, Bissong was in the Ghanaian movie ''Be My Guest'' with Nadia Buari and Chris Attoh, and is currently starring in the African adaptation of ''

Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American comedy-drama soap opera television series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Marc Cherry, Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from Octobe ...

'' as stay-at-home mother Funke Lawal loosely based on Lynette Scavo in the original series.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bissong, Omotu 1980s births City University of New York alumni Living people Miss Universe 2003 contestants Miss World 2003 delegates Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria winners Nigerian female models University of Calabar alumni Nigerian television presenters Nigerian beauty pageant contestants 21st-century Nigerian actresses Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria contestants Nigerian television actresses Nigerian film actresses Actresses from Cross River State Nigerian television personalities Nigerian television talk show hosts