Newly crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, has shared her emotional experience following her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant amidst controversy surrounding her nationality.
In an interview, Adetshina revealed the challenges she faced, stating, “South Africans felt like I wasn’t South African enough because of my name, and it was really hard to see.” Despite living in South Africa for 23 years, Adetshina expressed heartbreak over not being fully accepted by the community.
The controversy escalated when allegations of identity theft were leveled against her mother by South Africa’s Home Affairs. “There were statements from Home Affairs regarding my mom’s ID, which is still a legal matter, so I won’t comment on it,” Adetshina explained.
Born in South Africa but proudly Nigerian, Adetshina struggled with the situation, acknowledging the toll it has taken on her mental health. “It’s something I will work on and see a therapist because I feel like I have been suppressing my emotions… it wasn’t a minor thing, it was actually really major.”
Despite the challenges, Adetshina remains determined and will represent Nigeria in the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico this November.
