Weeks after she was forced to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant, Ms Chidinma Onwe Adetshina has been crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2024.
The 23-year-old beat 24 other contestants to clinch the coveted crown at the pageant which took place at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos state today August 31.
Chidinma was invited for the pageantry following her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant which was triggered by significant backlash over questions regarding her nationality.
Chidimma, who was born to a Nigerian father, and a Mozambique mother and raised in Soweto, faced a torrent of abuse from some South Africans who claimed she was not qualified to contest in the pageant as her father is not South African.
South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, initiated an investigation into Ms Adetshina’s citizenship following a request from the Miss South Africa organisers and outcry from South Africans. SA Home Affairs said after investigating Chidinma's roots, it discovered that the identity of an "innocent" South African mother "may have been stolen" by Adetshina's mother. This prompted Chidinma to withdraw from the competition.
Watch a video showing the moment she was crowned below…