2024 Miss Universe Nigeria and celebrated magnificence queen, Chidimma Adetshina, is going through the lack of her South African citizenship and journey paperwork amidst an intense nationality controversy.
The Division of Dwelling Affairs launched an investigation into Adetshina’s standing after she turned a finalist within the Miss South Africa pageant, solely to face backlash over her eligibility as a result of her Mozambican and Nigerian heritage.
Africa Information reviews that the scrutiny intensified following allegations that Adetshina’s mom might have dedicated “identification theft” to acquire South African nationality, a declare that finally led to Adetshina’s withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competitors in August.
Following her exit, the legislation pupil accepted an invite to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria, a choice that fueled an upsurge of xenophobic criticism on-line.
Adetshina later informed the BBC she would “want remedy to recuperate” from the vitriol.
As of Tuesday, South Africa’s Division of Dwelling Affairs knowledgeable a parliamentary committee that Adetshina and her mom would lose their paperwork, having failed to fulfill a deadline to justify their citizenship claims.
Tommy Makhode, a senior official within the division, said that their case has been referred to the Hawks—a police unit dealing with severe crimes—who concluded it was a “case of fraud.”
Makhode famous that additional motion would rely upon prosecutors’ selections.
Amid the backlash, Adetshina maintains a powerful sense of twin identification. In an interview with the BBC, she expressed feeling “proudly South African” and “proudly Nigerian.”
Adetshina, who was born in Soweto, has just lately arrived in Mexico, the place she’s going to signify Nigeria within the Miss Universe competitors on November 16, competing alongside worldwide contestants, together with Mia le Roux, the reigning Miss South Africa.
The company reported that the continuing controversy touches on broader problems with identification, nationality, and xenophobia in South Africa.