LAGOS, NIGERIA — Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina has spoken about the controversy surrounding her nationality and participation in South Africa’s pageantry, saying she was treated unfairly and targeted during the highly publicised citizenship dispute.
Adetshina, whose father is Nigerian and mother has South African ties, became the centre of a major controversy in 2024 after her participation in the Miss South Africa competition triggered questions about her eligibility to compete.
The controversy intensified when South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs announced that it was investigating allegations surrounding her and her mother’s identity and citizenship documents.
The department subsequently said there were prima facie indications that Adetshina’s mother may have committed identity fraud. The matter generated widespread public debate and placed Adetshina under intense scrutiny.
Speaking about her experience, Adetshina said she felt she had been unfairly treated and singled out because of her background.
Her experience began after she was selected as a finalist for the Miss South Africa 2024 competition. Although she was born in South Africa and had lived there for much of her life, questions about her nationality emerged as her participation attracted criticism on social media.
The controversy eventually led to her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competition. At the time, organisers said the decision was made in the interest of her safety and wellbeing amid the growing controversy.
Following her withdrawal, Adetshina was invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. She accepted the opportunity and went on to win the Nigerian title, earning the right to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition.
Her participation in the Nigerian competition was welcomed by many Nigerians, who rallied behind her after the controversy in South Africa. She subsequently represented Nigeria at Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico and finished as the first runner-up, achieving one of the strongest results ever recorded by a Nigerian contestant at the global pageant.
The development significantly changed the public perception surrounding Adetshina’s story. What had initially been a controversy over nationality and eligibility became a story of resilience and international success.
However, the experience also left a lasting impact on the beauty queen. In discussing the controversy, she has previously spoken about the emotional toll of the scrutiny and hostility she encountered.
Adetshina’s case also raised broader questions about identity, nationality and belonging in societies where people may have connections to more than one country.
Although she represented Nigeria internationally, her personal history remained connected to South Africa, where she was born and raised. The situation therefore placed her at the intersection of two national identities during an unusually intense public controversy.
The legal and administrative questions surrounding her family were also investigated by South African authorities. The Department of Home Affairs later said its investigation had found evidence suggesting that her mother had allegedly obtained South African identity documents using the identity of another person.
Adetshina herself has maintained that she should not have been made the target of hostility over circumstances surrounding her family and citizenship documentation.
The controversy attracted significant attention from political and social groups in South Africa, including individuals who questioned whether she should be permitted to participate in the country’s national beauty pageant.
The situation also generated criticism from Nigerians, who accused some South Africans of xenophobia and unfairly targeting a person because of her Nigerian heritage.
Adetshina’s eventual success at Miss Universe Nigeria and the global competition provided a dramatic turn in the story. Her first-runner-up finish at Miss Universe demonstrated that the controversy had not prevented her from achieving international recognition.
Since then, she has continued to use her public platform to speak about her experiences and the importance of resilience in the face of adversity.
Her latest comments provide another insight into how deeply the controversy affected her personally. By describing herself as having been treated unfairly and targeted, Adetshina has again drawn attention to the human consequences of public disputes over nationality and identity.
The controversy surrounding her has also highlighted the complicated realities faced by people with multicultural backgrounds, particularly when questions of citizenship become entangled with national pride and public opinion.
For Adetshina, however, the episode has become part of a much larger personal journey. Despite withdrawing from the Miss South Africa competition, she went on to represent Nigeria on the global stage and achieve a historic result.
Her experience remains a reminder of how quickly questions surrounding identity can become intensely political and personal, particularly when they involve public figures competing in highly visible national competitions.
As Adetshina continues her career and public advocacy, her account of being targeted in South Africa is likely to keep attention focused on the controversy that transformed her journey from a South African pageant finalist into one of Nigeria’s most prominent recent beauty queens.
