By Brian Okoth
Chidinma Adetshina, the former Miss South Africa 2024 finalist, has accepted to contest in Miss Universe Nigeria 2024.
The 23-year-old model, whose South African citizenship is under investigation, said in a video message on Wednesday that she will honour an invitation by the organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria to take part in the competition.
Ben Murray-Bruce, the founder of Silverbird Group which organises the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, posted Adetshina's video on X network on Wednesday.
"We welcome Miss Chidinma Adetshina to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant," Murray-Bruce, a businessman who served as the senator of Bayelsa State from 2015 to 2019, said on X.
'So much love, so much support'
In the video, Adetshina said that she was expressing her gratitude to "the incredible people who have shown me so much love and so much support."
She added: "I have received an invitation from the Silverbird Group, who are the organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria Beauty Pageant. I say this with great excitement because I have decided to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant.
"I understand the expectations and responsibilities that come with this title, and I am so excited to embark on this journey. I am looking forward to participating in Africa's most prestigious beauty pageant, Miss Universe Nigeria."
Until the last week to the Miss South Africa 2024 finale, Adetshina was among the top 13 contestants in the competition.
Investigation
The winner, Mia Le Roux, was crowned on August 10.
On August 7 – three days to the crowning – the South African government said an investigation had revealed that Adetshina's mother may have committed "identity theft."
According to government, Adetshina's mother is suspected of stealing the identity details of another South African woman, and using the stolen details to register the then-young Adetshina.
The model's registration at birth meant she acquired citizenship by birth. Adetshina was born in 2001.
Adetshina's withdrawal from Miss SA pageant
Under South African law, a person born to a South African citizen or permanent resident of South Africa, is granted citizenship by birth.
Adetshina's mother is said to be originally from the neighbouring Mozambique. How she acquired her South African citizenship is now the subject of investigation.
The model's father is a Nigerian national.
Following the launch of citizenship investigation, Adetshina announced her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant on August 8, citing "safety and wellbeing of my family and I."
Spent her entire life in South Africa
Two days later, Miss Universe Nigeria extended an invitation to Adetshina to take part in the West African nation's pageant.
"Should you (Adetshina) wish to participate, all you need to do is respond to this invitation and we will be delighted to guide you through the next steps," Murray-Bruce said on August 10.
Findings of the probe into the citizenship of Adetshina's mother might leave Adetshina's South African citizenship in jeopardy.
Adetshina, who was born in Johannesburg, has spent her entire life in South Africa.
Nigerian law
It remains unclear how she will participate in Miss Universe Nigeria without any known Nigerian citizenship.
The Nigerian law allows a person born outside the country to a Nigerian parent to apply for citizenship by birth.
The law is however silent on how long one would have to wait for their application to be processed.
Applicants for the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant must be Nigerian citizens aged between 18 and 28.
The organisers of the competition had already shortlisted 24 models, who will take part in the finale in Lagos city on August 31.
➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
