Rejected in South Africa, crowned in Nigeria: Chidinma Adetshina wins Miss Universe Nigeria title
LAGOS, Nigeria – Chidinma Adetshina, a Nigerian-South African model, was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria on Saturday at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. Her victory marked the culmination of a challenging journey, marked by personal and national controversies.
Adetshina, born and raised in South Africa to a Nigerian father and Mozambican mother, had long dreamed of participating in a beauty pageant.
However, last month, her aspirations were nearly shattered when she was forced to withdraw from the South African pageantry. She had been hounded out due to questions over her nationality. Concerned for her family’s safety, Adetshina pulled out of the competition, leaving her dream seemingly in tatters.
But hope was not lost. Organizers of the Nigerian contest, recognizing her potential and resilience, extended an invitation to her to join their pageant.
“This journey has been a tough journey for me and I am so proud of myself and I’m really grateful for the love and the support,” Adetshina told AFP minutes after being crowned in Lagos, where she surpassed 24 other models representing different states of Nigeria.
“This is something that I’ve always wanted, and I’m really glad that I have a second shot as well at achieving it,” she added. Despite having not been in Nigeria for 20 years, she embraced the opportunity to represent her father’s native land.
The organizers had framed this as a chance for her to “represent your father’s native land on an international stage.”
The nationality controversy was not far from everyone’s minds, but Adetshina remained gracious. She expressed her love for South Africa and gratitude for the support she received there, despite the circumstances.
“We all need to stop with the xenophobia… with the tribalism,” first runner-up Paula Ezendu said in a show of solidarity. “We’re all one family. We’re all human beings.”
Adetshina will represent Nigeria at the international Miss Universe competition in Mexico on November 16. “I know we are going to win,” she confidently told reporters.
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