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Nigeria’s representative for Miss Universe 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, has arrived in Mexico for the event, which is slated for November 16.
Adetshina, who won the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 title in August, landed in the North American country on Tuesday.
The South Africa-based model expressed her gratitude for the love and support received from her fans in an Instagram post.
She said, “To the charming gardeners of the Universe, I appeal to you to welcome me with open hands, hearken to the echoes of a mind on a mission, a story so big, and a drive so powerful to call the Universe to action.”
This comes amid a threat from South African authorities to withdraw her citizenship and travel documents in the country.
The 22-year-old was involved in an intense nationality controversy in South Africa this year following her emergence as a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant.
She faced an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs over her eligibility due to her Mozambican and Nigerian heritage.
Adetshina had to withdraw from the beauty contest after backlash fuelled by xenophobic criticisms on social media.
This action allowed her to represent Taraba State, where she was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria.
However, the latest challenge arose on Tuesday when South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs informed a parliamentary committee that Adetshina and her mother would lose their documents.
According to the BBC, the agency stated this was due to the women’s failure to meet a deadline to justify their citizenship claims.
A senior official in the department, Tommy Makhode, disclosed that their case had been referred to the Hawks—a police unit handling serious crimes—which concluded it was a “case of fraud.”
He noted that further action would depend on the prosecutors’ decisions.
Amid the controversy, Adetshina has maintained a strong sense of dual identity, expressing herself in an interview with the BBC as “proudly South African” and “proudly Nigerian.”
