Omowunmi Akinnifesi Is STUNNING On The New Cover Of Y! Magazine

She’s back! And already, she is taking no prisoners. Omowunmi Akinnifesi, who was Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2005, has just returned from a 2-year public break, armed with a Master’s degree from King's College, London and already busy working on policy for the Lagos government.

And with beauty, and smarts, and the will to boot, the Y! magazine editors have presented her as their proud alternative to the international People magazine choice for World’s Most Beautiful Woman 2013, Iron Man actress Gwyneth Paltrow! More photos after the cut.

“The global pop-culture shock at the decision coupled with an already seething defensiveness about the audacity of deciding on the world’s most beautiful female from the comfort of the United Kingdom inspired us to take the challenge – who would we choose as the World’s Most Beautiful Woman?” the editor, Chude Jideonwo, said. “Omowunmi Akinnifesi who, incidentally took the Nigerian version of the title eight years ago, came into the country just right in time.”

The shoot is photographed by Kelechi Amadi-Obi, directed by managing editor Adebola Williams, styled by Ebun Aboderin, with the profile by Wilfried Okiche.