Who is Chidimma Adetshina? Everything You Need To Know

Chidimma Adetsina is a name we’ve all come to know as the South African-Nigerian winner of the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 Pageant.

Her journey to this title was marked by a significant nationality row that led her to withdraw from the Miss South Africa 2024 competition. Having been crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, she will represent the country at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico.

However, there is more to her story than just this achievement. Her journey has been marked by consistency and hard work, and most recently, catching the interest of many Nigerians and other high-profile citizens. Ahead, you’ll learn more about her inspiring path and what has fueled the public’s fascination with her career. 

Chidimma Adetshina: Age, Family Background and Relationship

Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetsina, 23, was born in 2001 in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a South African mother of Mozambican origin who became a naturalized South African citizen.

Her parents met in Johannesburg in the late ’90s and initially settled in Pimville, at her maternal grandmother’s home, before eventually moving to Cape Town, where she currently lives. In an interview with Sowetan Live, the 23-year-old shared that growing up in a multicultural household gave her a broad perspective on different cultures in the diaspora, and both of her heritages instilled in her a strong sense of pride as a South African.

Adetsina is currently a law student at Varsity College as of 2024. Beyond her academic pursuits, she has made significant strides as a model and netball player. According to her Miss SA 2024 bio, she is deeply passionate about sports and advocates for combating violence against women and children and gender-based violence.

Adetsina describes herself as ambitious, confident, and optimistic, with a slogan that “dreams are valid when actions are taken.” The 23-year-old model has reportedly been married before and is now divorced with one child, though this information, on Wikipedia, requires further verification. 

Chidimma Adetshina’s Miss South Africa 2024 Controversy

Chidimma Adetsina initially contested in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant but withdrew after the Department of Home Affairs initiated an investigation into her mother’s citizenship. “I’ve always envisioned a dream to be on Miss SA since 2017 and here I am achieving that goal,” Adetsina shared during her interview with Sowetan Live.

“To me, being a finalist is as if I’m rewriting my mother’s dream of becoming a model. Her father didn’t allow her to do anything related to modeling, so I feel like I’m living her life which feels like a beautiful dream come true.” 

As a South African Nigerian, Adetsina found herself at the center of a high-profile controversy over her eligibility to compete due to her Nigerian descent, especially after being named a Miss South Africa finalist. Citing concerns for her safety and well-being, she decided to step down.

The investigation revealed potential issues with how Adetsina’s mother obtained South African citizenship, leading the Department of Home Affairs to consider further action, possibly including criminal charges.

Despite the saga, Adetsina garnered public support as a symbol of South Africa’s diversity. The Economic Freedom Fighters, a far-left political party in South Africa, defended her, calling for an end to xenophobia and advocating for inclusivity.

In contrast, the African National Congress and the Patriotic Alliance called for a deeper investigation into her nationality. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber mentioned that any investigation into Adetsina’s nationality would only proceed if her family requested it. The controversy escalated when a video of Adetsina celebrating her pageant success with her Nigerian relatives went viral.

Despite claims from many South African social media users that the 23-year-old is unqualified to represent South Africa, the Miss South Africa organization maintained that Adetsina met all the entry requirements after thorough background checks. According to BBC News, social media in South Africa saw a surge of “go-home” sentiments and even harsher attacks, with a petition demanding her removal from the competition gaining over 14,000 signatures before being taken down.

Gayton McKenzie, the country’s Culture Minister and leader of the Patriotic Alliance party, which is part of a coalition government focused on migration issues, expressed his concerns on X (formerly Twitter), stating,  “We truly cannot have Nigerians compete in our Miss SA competition. I wanna get all facts before I comment but it gives funny vibes already,” according to BBC.

Miss South Africa 2024, the 66th edition of the pageant, took place on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria. The winner, Mia le Roux from the Western Cape, was crowned by her predecessor Natasha Joubert of Gauteng. Le Roux will represent South Africa at Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico on November 16, 2024, where she will compete alongside Chidimma Adetsina, who will represent Nigeria at the same event.

Chidimma Adetshina: Stepping Down from Miss SA 2024

Chidimma shared with Sowetan Live that the online hate she was facing made her reconsider continuing in the competition. “I am representing a country, but I don’t feel the love from the people I’m representing,” she said.

She described the situation as “black-on-black hate,” highlighting a form of xenophobia in South Africa known as “Afrophobia,” which targets other Africans. Chidimma pointed out that she wasn’t the only finalist with a non-South African name—some had South Asian or European names—but she was bearing the brunt of the criticism.

“You try so hard to represent your country and wear it with so much pride but all these people are not in support of you,” she explained. “I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t know what to say or not to say because this is such a sensitive topic. I don’t want to end up saying something and then offend people”

She added, “I’m at a point where I don’t know whether I should keep quiet or set the record straight because there’s a lot that’s being misconstrued. To me, I see this as an opportunity where I can educate people, I just need to see how I go about it”

Shortly after, the model issued a public statement stressing her withdrawal from the pageant and the obvious reasons why she won’t be continuing to contest in the Miss SA pageant. 

Chidimma Adetshina: Becoming Miss Universe Nigeria

After stepping down from Miss SA 2024, Chidimma Adetshina’s journey to represent a country didn’t end. The organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria had been closely following the controversy and extended an official invitation for her to participate in their contest, offering her the chance to “represent her father’s native land on the international stage.” The invitation expressed confidence in her potential, stating, “We believe you would be an outstanding contender.”

Following her victory on Saturday (August 31), a thrilled Adetshina addressed the audience, saying, “This crown is not just a crown of beauty, it is going to unite us as one. “I am really proud and grateful that I am going to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe, and I know we are going to win.”

Although her win has sparked some controversy, with discussions about sentimental voting, one undeniable fact remains: the 23-year-old model will represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition in Mexico this November.