Johannesburg: Chidimma Adetshina, the former Miss South Africa finalist who withdrew from the competition amidst a citizenship investigation, is now leading the race for the Miss Universe Nigeria crown.
The 23-year-old mother of one, who now represents Taraba State of Nigeria, has garnered a staggering 7712 votes, putting her ahead of Edeifo Aikhuele (7012 votes) and Fortune Kuroro (3265 votes).
TITBIT:
Chidimma Adetshina leads Miss Universe Nigeria
7712 votes at the time of this post, Chidimma is ahead of Edeifo Aikhuele who has 7012.
Fortune Kuroro is 3rd with 3265 votes.
At R3 per vote, Chidimma has made the pageant over R25 000. That’s around 2,2-million Nairas. pic.twitter.com/6dFsItjCfy
— Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) August 17, 2024
This unexpected turn of events has sparked a wave of support for Adetshina, with many South Africans rallying behind her.
"We will continue voting. South Africa must win Miss universe Nigeria," tweeted @Melanin_Mmaps.
"Where is the voting link so we can vote for her some more, our home girl needs to win this Miss Universe Nigeria," wrote @AHT_YssY.
Even more enthusiastically, @DjukaMatauri declared, "We are voting for her, next year she's entering miss Mozambique our girl must conquer the world."
Adetshina's journey to the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant has been marked by controversy. She faced scrutiny after the Department of Home Affairs launched a preliminary investigation into her citizenship, alleging that her Mozambican mother committed fraud and identity theft when registering her birth. This led to her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competition, where she had already reached the Top 11.
However, Adetshina has found a new platform in Nigeria, where she has been fast-tracked as a Top 25 finalist in the Miss Universe Nigeria competition. She has embraced this opportunity, using her platform to promote inclusion and acceptance.
"I am representing nature’s gift to the nation, Taraba State. As a woman who has faced adversity, I want to use my voice and my story alongside the Miss Universe Nigeria platform to promote inclusion and acceptance. I also want to educate people on the power of diversity to build a stronger community that benefits everyone," she said in a video posted on Miss Universe Nigeria.
The Miss Universe Nigeria pageant owner, Guy Murray-Bruce, has been vocal in his support for Adetshina, alleging that she was victimised in South Africa due to her Nigerian heritage.
"We’re trying to help someone who has been abandoned. No fault of hers. She is a victim because she has a Nigerian father and a South African mother," he said. He also claimed that Adetshina's chances at Miss SA were sabotaged.
"I don’t know if it was cooked up. It’s a bit twisted. She was doing so well in the pageant that they wanted to get her out. That’s how I see it," he said.
Murray-Bruce added that Adetshina has a Nigerian passport and is entitled to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria competition.
"The investigation into this matter is active and ongoing, and further updates will be provided only through official channels, including in parliament. Don’t fall for social media untruths," he tweeted.
