Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 participant and former Miss South Africa 2024 hopeful, Chidimma Adetshina, has said that she believes that her being invited to take part in Miss Universe Nigeria is a second chance given to her to achieve one of her biggest dreams and goals, which is pageantry.
Adetshina said this in an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS, where she also mentioned that she will definitely be addressing the information circulating concerning her and her family after the competition.
Speaking on the Miss Nigeria 2024 pageant which has begun, Adetshina said, “I am so excited, I just feel like this is a second chance in achieving one of my biggest dreams and my biggest goals, and I’m really excited. I’ve always wanted to be a model, I wasn’t really educated on pageantry and all of that.
“When I first knew what pageantry was, it was in 2017, and that’s when I told myself I want to be the next Miss Universe. So, for me, it’s just a thing of I had goals and I set them for myself, and I’m here to achieve them. So, I think I’m just aligning with what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m really grateful for that.”
However, when asked if she would have participated in the pageant if she was not invited, she said, “No, I wouldn’t, because I wouldn’t have known if I was able to. And also, it has been long since I’ve been here (Nigeria). But I also saw the comments and I was like, maybe this is something I should try out, but then, obviously, the invitation came out and I was really excited that I was given that opportunity, so that’s why I took it as quick as possible.”
Despite that, she said, “Ever since I’ve gotten here, I’ve only received so much love and encouragement from all of the girls. So, I came in here thinking that a lot of them will feel some type of way about the invitation and about me actually coming, but I can guarantee the words of encouragement, the support I’ve been given by these amazing women has been there, and I’m just really happy that they accept me, and that they are not feeling some type of way after receiving all the critiques and the comments about this advantage that people might feel that I might have had.
“I’m grateful for all the love and the support, I don’t think anybody deserves to be treated differently or feel unaccepted or unloved or whatever. So I’m really grateful because I’ve seen the support, I’ve seen the love. I thought, you know, most of it was all hate, but I’ve seen the love and I’m so grateful, because that is actually what fuels me, that is what gives me joy, that is what makes me motivated to actually continue thriving in my everyday life and my dreams as well, so, I’m really grateful for them,” Adetshina added.
Adetshina, who has been in the public eye as her mother is being investigated for alleged identity theft in South Africa, which puts Chidimma’s South African nationality at risk, when asked about these issues, said, “I will definitely address all of the responses. I just feel like for me, for my mental health, it was necessary for me to put certain things aside so I can focus towards entering the competition. But there are definitely a lot of things that I will address, especially after the competition is finished.”
She then revealed her plans for her next step after the competition, saying, “I haven’t actually been to my father’s land, I just got here because of the competition. So, after the competition, I want to go back home and experience life. I sometimes close my eyes and tell myself, try to think how it was when you were three years old, and it’s impossible.”
“Now I’m grown, so anything that I experience now, I will definitely hold with me.”
Adesthina, who was a contestant in Miss SA 2024 came under fire after her nationality was questioned by netizens on whether she was qualified to enter the competition due to her father and mother being of Nigerian and Mozambican descent.
Social media platforms saw a surge in negative comments questioning her eligibility and authenticity as a South African. Critics argued that her participation undermined the national identity and the purpose of the pageant. This eventually led to her withdrawing from the competition.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
Follow us on:
