JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Chidimma Adetshina, the pageant hopeful who was forced to withdraw from Miss South Africa due to a nationality row, has accepted an invitation to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria.
“I’m looking forward to participating in Africa’s most prestigious beauty pageant,” the 23-year-old said in a video posted to her Instagram account with a beaming smile on her face.
Adetshina contested in this year’s Miss South Africa but pulled out after she found herself the target of a xenophobic backlash.
Despite being a South African citizen, people questioned her eligibility because her father is Nigerian and her mother has Mozambican roots.
The Home Affairs department investigated her at the behest of the Miss South Africa organisers and said Adetshina’s mother may have committed “identity fraud” to get South African nationality.
After this, Adetshina made the “difficult decision” to leave the competition for her family’s safety and well-being last Thursday.
Following that, Miss Universe Nigeria extended an invitation and asked Adetshina to compete as they said her “journey in the world of pageantry is far from over”.
It added that Adetshina would be able to “represent her father’s native land on the international stage”.
It is unclear if Adetshina has Nigerian nationality.
The winner of Miss Universe Nigeria will represent the country at the prestigious Miss Universe competition.
South Africa’s Home Affairs department is still conducting further investigations with the aim of pressing criminal charges, while also obtaining legal advice “on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adetshina’s citizenship status”.
The Miss South Africa competition took place last Saturday. Mia le Roux won the pageant becoming the first deaf woman in history to clinch the crown.
If Miss Adetshina wins Miss Universe Nigeria, she will face off against Miss Le Roux at Miss Universe in November.
