In brief
Chidimma Adetshina’s second-place finish at Miss Universe has gained her international acclaim, alongside Miss Africa and Oceania titles, highlighting her substantial contributions despite facing xenophobic criticisms.
Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, proudly reflected on her remarkable journey after securing the runner-up position in the Miss Universe competition. With her achievement, she stands as the highest placed black African woman since South Africa's Zozibini Tunzi won in 2019. "I'm so proud of myself and I just made history," she stated following the competition held in Mexico City, where Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, took the crown.Adetshina’s path to Miss Universe wasn't without hurdles. Originally a contestant in the Miss South Africa pageant, her Nigerian heritage provoked a wave of trolling and xenophobic backlash. Compounding her challenges, South African authorities last month revealed intentions to revoke her identity papers, citing allegations that her mother had committed identity fraud concerning her Mozambican heritage. Adetshina and her mother have refrained from commenting on these serious allegations, while officials clarified that the claims were moot regarding Adetshina’s participation as she was still an infant at the time of the alleged actions.After this uproar about her identity in South Africa, Adetshina transitioned to competing in the Miss Nigeria pageant, triumphing to secure her place at the prestigious Miss Universe competition. The competition saw the original Miss South Africa, Mia le Roux, withdraw due to undisclosed medical issues, leaving a void in the representation of South Africa.Despite navigating such a tumultuous journey often marked by negativity, Adetshina continued to express her dual allegiance, identifying as "proudly South African" and "proudly Nigerian." Yet, the congratulatory messages from Miss Universe South Africa—accompanied by South African and Nigerian flags—sparked backlash on social media, with many claiming she did not embody South African identity.Acknowledging the emotional toll of the past events, Adetshina indicated plans to seek therapy to address the trauma stemming from the xenophobic abuse she endured. Her achievements not only break barriers in beauty competitions but echo a call for unity and hope within the African framework, where she stands as a symbolic figure of resilience and profound representation.
