Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, a finalist in the 2024 Miss South Africa beauty pageant, has been formally invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 competition by its organisers.
This invitation follows her recent withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant due to controversy surrounding her Nigerian heritage, which sparked national debate and led to a government investigation.
Born in South Africa to a Nigerian father (Igbo) and a Mozambican mother, Chidimma faced both support and criticism for her participation in the Miss South Africa pageant. On August 8th, 2024, she announced her decision to step down from the competition, citing concerns for her family’s safety.
She expressed her gratitude for the experience on Instagram, stating, "Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an amazing journey; however, after much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and well-being of my family and me."
In response, the Miss Universe Nigeria organisation reached out to Chidimma via Instagram on August 9th, 2024, acknowledging the challenges she faced and offering their support.
They stated, "We at Miss Universe Nigeria have been closely following the developments regarding your decision to bow out of the Miss South Africa beauty pageant. We acknowledge the circumstances surrounding your withdrawal and understand the challenges you may be facing. In light of these events, we want to extend our support and encouragement."
The organisers believe that Chidimma’s journey in the world of pageantry is far from over and invited her to represent Nigeria in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 pageant. They emphasised that the pageant celebrates the strength, intelligence, and diversity of Nigerian women and encouraged Chidimma to consider this opportunity.
"As a Nigerian by heritage, we would like to formally invite you to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 pageant. This is an opportunity to represent your father’s native land on an international stage, and we believe you would be an outstanding contender," the invitation continued.
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