Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina has opened up on her emotional journey to winning the Miss Universe pageantry.
Kemi Filani reported on Sunday that the black beauty queen who represented Taraba State at the Miss Universe pageant beat 25 others to emerge the winner of the night. The model was crowned the new Miss Universe Nigeria at the grand finale, held at Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos. Following her win, Chidimma will represent Nigerians at the Miss Universe pageantry in Mexico.
Speaking on her win, Chidimma said that her victory wasn’t only for her but for all, and it’s a true call for unity.
Now, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin, Chidimma recounted her emotional journey and how she was forced to withdraw from Miss South African pageantry because of her Citizenship. She admitted that it has been a hectic one for her and has been avoiding talking about it because it is so emotional for me. She revealed that she cried earlier because she thought she needed to get used to talking about it.
Chidimma stated that what happened wasn’t a minor thing, but she would be okay. She expressed sadness that South Africans felt she wasn’t South Africans enough because of her name, despite living in the country for 23 years. She expressed heartbreak that she wasn’t welcomed and accepted.
“It has been a hectic one, I think I’ve been avoiding it because it’s so emotional for me. I just cried earlier because I think I need to get used to talking about it.
It’s not a nice feeling at all and I think I’ve been avoiding it a lot, but it’s now starting to cloud and affect me, and I will have to deal with it and not suppress it.
What happened wasn’t a minor thing; it was a really major thing, but I will be okay.
South Africans felt I wasn’t South African enough because of my name. I lived there for 23 years. It’s heartbreaking to see I wasn’t welcome and accepted”.
Chidimma’s journey to winning the title was nothing short of strength, resilience and grace as she was forced to withdraw from the Miss Universe South Africa pageantry in July. South Africans had questioned her citizenship and took to social media to call for her removal. Adetshina is born to a South African mother and a Nigerian father.
Following her withdrawal, a Caucasian woman, Mia Le Roux, won the pageantry, and she became the first Miss SA winner who is deaf and has a cochlear implant.
Guy Murray-Bruce, the National Director of Miss Universe Nigeria, had invited her to compete in the just concluded MUN 2024.
To worsen things, South Africans had a ploy to overthrow Chidimma, as they massively voted for a plus-sized model representing Kwara State, Ufa Dania, to spite Chidimma. The support from South Africans made Miss Dania, the top-leading lady at the pageantry, with 23901 votes, and Chidimma came second with 23422 votes. But trust Nigerians to always come true for their own as they massively voted for Chidimma, which made her the winner of the night.
