Miss Universe Nigeria Winner Chidimma Adetshina at Risk of Losing South African Citizenship

Chidimma Adetshina, winner of the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, is at risk of losing her South African identification documents after missing the government’s October 29 deadline to defend her citizenship. Her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competition sparked a national backlash, resulting in an investigation by the South African Department of Home Affairs. Allegations surfaced regarding her mother’s possible identity fraud, leading officials to question the legitimacy of their citizenship. Director General Tommy Makhode announced that, due to non-response, the withdrawal process for their documents will proceed.

Nigerian-South African beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina may lose her South African ID after she and her mother missed the government deadline to provide evidence of citizenship. The controversy started when Adetshina, whose father is Nigerian, withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant amid public scrutiny and accusations of being “not truly South African.” Following the backlash, she accepted an invitation to compete in and won the Miss Universe Nigeria title. However, this intensified the investigation into her South African citizenship, as officials alleged her mother might have stolen a South African woman’s identity. In a recent parliamentary committee, Home Affairs Director General Tommy Makhode confirmed the move to cancel their documents, stating they had failed to respond by October 29, 2024.