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After being questioned about her nationality and forced to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant, Chidimma Adetshina has been crowned the beauty queen of a completely different country.
Ms Adesina burst into tears of joy when she was named Miss Universe Nigeria on Saturday.
“This crown is not only for beauty, but also a call for unity,” the 23-year-old law student said after weeks of heavy criticism in the media.
She was invited to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant after her participation as a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant sparked a wave of criticism.
Some South Africans have questioned her eligibility to compete in the pageant because, although Ms Adesina is a South African citizen, her father is Nigerian and her mother is of Mozambican descent.
In the interview, Ms. Adesina said she was born in Soweto (a South African township next to Johannesburg) and grew up in Cape Town.
The dispute over her nationality has sparked an investigation, with Miss South Africa organisers asking the country’s interior ministry to look into her eligibility to compete.
After an initial investigation, the department announced that Adesina’s mother may have committed “identity theft” in an attempt to become a South African citizen.
However, the statement added that Adesina “was still an infant at the time and could not have participated in her mother’s alleged illegal conduct”.
A day after the announcement, Adesina withdrew from the race, saying she made the decision for the safety and well-being of herself and her family.
Today, her story has made headlines around the world.
After hearing Ms. Adesina’s story, the organizers of the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant invited her to participate in the competition.
They said she would be able to “represent her father’s homeland on the international stage”.
After winning the competition on Saturday, Ms Adesina will represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant in November.
Her success was celebrated on social media.
“Your story is inspiring – you are stronger than you think, we love you our African sisters,” one South African woman wrote on Instagram.
Another supporter said: “Believe me guys, we Nigerians are so proud of her… She is our own sister, a very smart, intelligent girl who has our Nigerian blood running through her veins.”
However, others have claimed that the contest was “rigged” in favour of Ms Adesina, an allegation that organisers of the Miss Nigeria pageant are yet to respond to.
“She doesn’t deserve this,” one Instagram user said.
“She has never lived in Nigeria and was only invited to compete after the final selection of delegates…Last week, she came to Nigeria for the first time in 20 years and was awarded the crown by us. This organization is full of naked prejudice.”
Another wrote: “Honestly you won out of pity… I feel so bad for the other contestants who were there long before you.”
The law student’s competitors at the Miss Universe pageant in November include Mia Le RouxShe won this year’s Miss South Africa pageant after Adesina pulled out.
Ms. Leroux became the first deaf woman in history to win this title.
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