Chidimma Adetshina switches to Miss Universe Nigeria after Miss South Africa row

Model and pageant hopeful, Chidimma Adetshina who was forced to withdraw from Miss South Africa due to a nationality row, has announced her intention to contest in Miss Universe Nigeria.

Chidimma in an Instagram post said she has accepted an invitation letter from Silverbird Group, organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria to participate in the beauty pageant.

“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.

Ms Adetshina was a former contestant in this year’s Miss South Africa but pulled out after South African attacked her due to nationality issues.

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 Ms Adetshina’s mother may have committed “identity fraud” to get South African nationality.

After this, Ms 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 Ms Adetshina to compete as they said her “journey in the world of pageantry is far from over”.

It added that Ms Adetshina would be able to “represent her father’s native land on the international stage”.

It is unclear if Ms 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.