Miss Universe Nigeria: Former Miss SA Finalist Chidimma Onwe Adetshina Clinches Pageant Crown
- Former Miss SA top 9 finalist Chidimma Onwe Adetshina is the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant winner
- Adetshina clinched the triumph, beating 24 others, at the grand finale staged in Lagos on Saturday, 31 August 2024
- Her victory sets her up to represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, in November
Source: UGC
It was a telling end to a dramatic competition as former Miss South Africa (SA) 2024 finalist cum Miss Taraba Chidimma Onwe Adetshina was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria late on Saturday, 31 August, in Lagos.
Adetshina rose to the occasion despite a late push from SA voters to funnel their support to Miss Kwara Ufa Dania.
Chidimma Adetshina clinches Miss Universe Nigeria crown
A wild card entrant to the contest following an impromptu invitation, Adetshina beat 24 others to rise to the top to clinch the crown at the grand finale.
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Her win sets her up to represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, on 16 November 2024.
"I feel amazing. This crown is not just for beauty, but a call for action, which is unity," an excited Adetshina said as she was crowned.
The Miss Universe Nigeria Organisation congratulated her triumph on Instagram afterwards.
"All hail the queen! Congratulations to @chichi_vanessa, your Miss Universe Nigeria 2024! Ready to represent us with grace and power on the global stage."
Adetshina had joined the contest 17 days earlier, on 14 August, from an invitation from the Miss Universe Nigeria organisers, Silverbird Group, setting the proverbial wheels in motion.
Accepting the invitation at the time, Adetshina said:
"I've received an invite from the Miss Universe Nigeria beauty pageant organisers, Silverbird Group. I say this with great excitement: I've decided to participate in the [contest].
"I understand the expectations and responsibilities [of] this title, and I'm so excited to embark on this journey. And I want to say thank you so much for the opportunity."
The 23-year-old's announcement was greeted with initial resistance from Nigerians against her joining the competition on social media.
They argued that it was unfair to other contestants. Many said she did not deserve to join the competition as a wild card.
It followed her exit from Miss SA on 8 August, after the Patriotic Alliance (PA) filed an urgent court application in the Pretoria High Court to stop her Miss SA participation due to questions surrounding her citizenship.
Home Affairs recently announced it could cancel Adetshina's ID and passport as a probe into her citizenship continued in SA.
The department said there was prima facie evidence suggesting that Adetshina's Mozambiquan mother had committed identity fraud in 2001 amid an identity probe launched earlier in August.
Chidimma Adetshina's subtle interview jibe
In other news, Briefly News reported that Chidimma Onwe Adetshina made her mark in the Miss Universe Nigeria beauty pageant.
After arriving in Nigeria, Adetshina expressed excitement about exploring her Igbo-Nigerian heritage.
With the massive media interest in her in the country — aside from being a pageant finalist — her interviews delved into her experiences in SA.
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Source: Briefly News
