Chidimma Adetshina, a beauty queen who recently won the Miss Universe Nigeria title, will be stripped of her South African identity and travel documents following an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs. The decision, announced on Tuesday to a parliamentary committee, stems from questions surrounding her eligibility to compete in the Miss South Africa pageant due to her Mozambican and Nigerian parentage.
Adetshina, a law student, initially entered the Miss South Africa competition but withdrew in August after the Department of Home Affairs revealed suspicions that her mother might have obtained South African citizenship through alleged “identity theft.” This revelation led to xenophobic backlash in South Africa, with Adetshina later sharing that the intense scrutiny had left her in need of therapy.
Despite the controversy, Adetshina was invited to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, where she emerged victorious, earning the right to represent Nigeria at the upcoming Miss Universe contest in Mexico on November 16. Reflecting on her identity, Adetshina described herself as “proudly South African” and “proudly Nigerian.”
The Department of Home Affairs has also announced that Adetshina’s mother’s documents will be revoked after both failed to provide reasons for retaining their South African identification. Tommy Makhode, the Director-General of Home Affairs, indicated that the case has been handed over to the Hawks, South Africa’s special crimes unit, which concluded the situation involved fraud. The investigation has since been forwarded to prosecutors.
While Adetshina has not commented on the revocation of her documents, she has stated that she was born in Soweto, South Africa, where she spent her early years. Her upcoming participation in Miss Universe will see her compete against contestants from around the world, including Mia le Roux, the current Miss South Africa.