Chidimma Adetshina, once a top contender for the Miss South Africa crown, has opened up about the emotional turmoil she faced during the competition. Reported by TshisaLIVE, now crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Adetshina reflects on the “heartbreaking” backlash that led her to withdraw from Miss SA, a decision driven by both personal pain and scrutiny over her citizenship status.
Born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina’s journey to the Miss SA stage was met with intense criticism, primarily centered on her name and heritage. In an interview with Silverbird Television, she shared the distressing experience of having her South African identity questioned. “What I do know is that I was born in South Africa, and I am a South African, and I’m still proudly Nigerian as well,” she said.
During the interview, Adetshina broke down in tears as she recalled the painful experience. “It all started because of my name. People were not happy that my name is Chidimma and that I am representing South Africa. South Africans felt like I was not South African enough because of my name, and it was really sad to see,” she said, her voice trembling. “It was a very horrible experience, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I have lived there for 23 years, and it’s heartbreaking to see that I wasn’t welcomed and accepted.”
Adetshina’s Miss SA journey was initially filled with hope and excitement. After not making it in 2022, she was thrilled to make it to the top 30 in the next year’s competition. “I was just this little girl who has always wanted to achieve this dream of becoming the next Miss Universe,” she said. But as she progressed to the top 16, the criticism on social media became overwhelming.
The final blow came when the Department of Home Affairs found evidence suggesting that Adetshina’s mother may have committed fraud when she arrived in South Africa. This, coupled with the online attacks, led to Adetshina’s withdrawal from the competition. “There are certain things that happened behind the scenes that actually made me withdraw,” she revealed. “It was so heartbreaking to see that I had to withdraw close to the finale, but a decision had to be made.”
Despite the heartache, a new opportunity arose for Adetshina when she received an invitation to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria contest — an invitation she gladly accepted and went on to win. “I was really excited to receive an invitation from Silverbird to represent Nigeria. To see that they recognised my potential and the love I’ve received has been exceptional — not only from the group and the organisation, but also from the girls, Nigeria, and from all over the world,” she said.
As she prepares to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, Adetshina remains optimistic and determined. “I don’t want to be a queen who just focuses on one dimension. I want to go wild. I want to go everywhere. I want to ensure that I contribute and make an impact not only in Nigeria. I want to make sure that I use this platform wisely, and as long as I know that I’m going to impact just one person, I know that I’ve already done my job.”
