Julius OkorieWinner of Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidinma Adetshina, is eager to showcase her beauty and pageantry skills at the global level come November 16 in Mexico.
The 23-year-old law student, who survived orchestrated xenophobic attack in South Africa, forcing her to quit the South Africa version of the Miss Universe, accepted an invitation from organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria, her father’s land to contest.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelShe thus joined the contest with other 24 beautiful ladies and represented Taraba State with all aiming to emerge victorious and be in a position to fly Nigeria’s flag.
Of course Adetshina was grateful and happy to be provided a new platform to pursue her pageantry career and described the offer as a second chance.
“I am so excited, I just feel like this is a second chance in achieving one of my biggest dreams and my biggest goals, and I’m really excited. I’ve always wanted to be a model; I wasn’t really educated on pageantry and all of that.
“When I first knew what pageantry was, it was in 2017, and that’s when I told myself I want to be the next Miss Universe. So, for me, I had goals and I set them for myself, and I’m here to achieve them. So, I think I’m just aligning with what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m really grateful for that.” she said in a chat with Arise Tv before the 31st August final at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island.
While many enthusiastically welcomed Adetshina to Nigeria and to the contest, there were also concerns that she should not be given undue advantage over the remaining 24 contestants. What it meant was that she was to have 50-50 chance of winning or losing just like every other contestant, her controversial circumstance, which appeared to give her an edge in popularity notwithstanding.
READ ALSO:Chidinma Adetshina Enters Master List For Miss Universe Final In Mexico
However the D-day came and Adetshina emerged victorious, beating the remaining 24 contestants to the crown. So, simply put, she came, she saw and she conquered!
Expectedly, congratulatory messages has continued to pour in for Adetshina who has also been hosted by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa OON, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), at NiDCOM’s Lagos office and a reception later at The Temple.
However, there were dissenting voices following her emergence as Miss Universe 2024.
Popular Social Media critic, Vincent Otse, aka VeryDarkblackMan (VDM) is one person who believes that Adetshina emergence was more to spite South Africa, who have been wedging xenophobic war against Nigeria, than strictly on basis of performance.
In a new video after Adetshina’s victory, VDM said: “As I predicted, they have given Chidinma the Miss Universe (Nigeria) crown. They tried to be fair but later ended up not being fair. Because she had a small problem in South Africa and was frustrated, you now invited her to Nigeria for the Miss Universe pageantry and gave it to her.
How about the ladies that have been preparing for this thing a long time ago? Because I am sure you people did not give it to her by merit but by pity. This is not fair. This is favouritism and pity. A lot of people have used this pity thing to win a lot of things in this country.’’
The panel of judges in their wisdom found Adetshina outstanding, hence her victory. Outside the panel there are also those who wished that Adetshina should win to silence vociferous South Africa and even floor her in Mexico should the global contest by any chance throw up Nigeria and South Africa as finalists come November 16.
Nigeria VS South Africa: No End To War Of Words Over Adetshina
The contests have been won and lost but the war of words between the two big African nations continues.
Even in South Africa, the debate continues with some insisting that Adetshina who has a Nigeria Father and a Mozambican mother is a South African, having been born and brought up in the former apartheid enclave, while others will not have it.
But her answer to the naysayers and advice to her by Hon. Abike Dabiri is instructive.
“I have lived there (South Africa) for 23 years and it’s heartbreaking to see that I wasn’t welcomed and accepted.
“But what I know is that I was born in South Africa and I am a South African. I am still proudly Nigerian as well,” she told Silverbird Tv.
Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri’s advice equally put icing on the cake.” I will use this opportunity to speak to all Nigerians abroad, if you have dual citizenship, don’t take the second one for granted, Nigeria has been here now in these trying times for you, if you have dual citizenship, take both seriously.”
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
