Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old law student, was finally crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, completing a big turnaround in her journey through beauty pageantry. The win, which came at the end of a stormy period, was one in which Adetshina was compelled to pull out of the Miss South Africa contest following a trail of probes regarding her nationality.
Being a South African citizen, Adetshina-her mother being a citizen of Mozambican while her father was Nigerian-was under scrutiny concerning her eligibility in the Miss South Africa contest. Her diverse heritage made her the subject of controversy as it begged questions regarding her participation in the contest. While it insinuated potential identity crisis issues concerning her mother, an investigation by South Africa’s Home Affairs Department cleared her of any wrongdoing.
Adetshina had decided to withdraw from the Miss South Africa competition amid rising personal safety fears. But that was not the end of the road that beckoned her. Miss Universe Nigeria extended an invitation, thus affording her an avenue for global competition. Seeing this as a chance to further unity—a theme she stressed in her Saturday victory speech—Adetshina seized it.
Her victory is not without mixed opinions. The social media followers declared her as an inspiring woman who pulled through adversity, but there are other way-outs criticizing the contest for being biased and overly sympathetic towards her. With the controversies at tail, Adetshina remains tuned to her new role and to the big event of Miss Universe this November, where she is supposed to represent Nigeria.
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Ironically, one of her key rivals in the Miss Universe tournament will be Mia le Roux-this year’s Miss South Africa-who just made history as the first deaf winner of the crown.
Meanwhile, organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria have yet to comment on claims about an unfair contest as debate rages on. But to Adetshina, she is firm in her ambition since she has interpreted her title to signify strength and unity against the elements of life.
