Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina (; born 8 January 2001) is a Nigerian beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Nigeria 2024. She represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico and finished as the first runner-up. She was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania as the highest ranked African Contestant of 2024. Her placement is Nigeria's highest at any Miss Universe pageant.
Early life Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina was allegedly born in Soweto, South Africa, there are no hospital records of her birth in Soweto as per official home affairs investigations. Her father is Nigerian and is of Igbo descent while her mother is Mozambican. Adetshina grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. As of 2024, she is a law student.
Pageantry Miss South Africa 2024 Adetshina entered Miss South Africa 2024, but following an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs into her mother's citizenship, she withdrew from the pageant, citing concerns for her safety and well-being. The investigation later allegedly uncovered preliminary evidence of fraud and identity theft related to her mother's acquisition of South African citizenship in 2001. It was claimed that she was unable to participate in the contest due to the pending case.
Controversy Adetshina's participation in the Miss South Africa pageant faced scrutiny due to questions about her citizenship and eligibility. Concerns were raised regarding her social media identity as Nigerian and Mozambican, leading the South African Department of Home Affairs to investigate her background. The investigation allegedly revealed preliminary evidence suggesting potential issues with her mother's acquisition of South African citizenship. The Department of Home Affairs revoked her identity documents and declared her a prohibited person after she attempted to undermine South Africa's immigration law by providing fraudulent bank statements(persona non grata). Adetshina garnered support from a small opposition party called the Economic freedom fighters as a representation of South Africa's diverse population. The South African far-left political party, publicly defended her, calling for an end to xenophobia in South Africa and advocating for inclusivity. While other large parties, namely the African National Congress and the smaller Patriotic Alliance advocated for an investigation into her nationality. The minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber of the second largest party the Democratic Alliance, confirmed that the department could investigate the nationality of Adetshina only after her family requested it.
The Miss South Africa pageant maintained that Adetshina had fulfilled all the requirements to participate in the competition.
In October 2024, the Department of Home Affairs of South Africa revoked her South African identity documents following an investigation into her mother's origins.
In January 2026, Adetshina was arrested for illegally entering South Africa through the Lebombo border and is since fighting her deportation to her country of origin - Nigeria.
In August 2026, Adetshina's deportation case was postponed to February 2027, until the High Court has reviewed her application.https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/08/19/court-postpones-judgment-in-chidimma-adetshina-deportation-case-to-february
Aftermath Due to the perceived victimisation of Adetshina by South Africans, the organizers of the Puebla Festival de las Ideas withdrew its invitations to the South African panelists and guests in 2024. The managers cited in its letter on X that the removal was due to South Africa's undermining of the very principle of justice and equality, as well as human dignity that the festival sought to maintain. The country was no longer listed as the featured country at the festival that took place in Mexico. Following the Miss Universe 2024 event, Chidimma stated of moving to settle in Nigeria. In a BBC Pidgin interview after the pageantry, Adetshina confirmed that she would be retiring from the beauty-queen phase of her life with a new focus on education.
Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 On 31 August 2024, Adetshina, represented Taraba State and won Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Competing against 24 other contestants, the event was broadcast on GOtv and YouTube. Adetshina proceeded to represent Nigeria at Miss Universe in Mexico, in November 2024.
Miss Universe 2024
Adetshina represented Nigeria at Miss Universe 2024, on 16 November 2024, at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Adetshina was first runner-up, against contestants from 126 countries. Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig won the contest. Adetshina's placement is Nigeria's highest at Miss Universe.
Miss Universe Africa and Oceania Adetshina was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania as the highest ranked African Contestant of 2024.
Post-pageantry life Chiddima has since cut ties with Nigeria and returned illegally to South Africa despite being prohibited to fight to get South African Citizenship going as far as saying she has no meaningful ties to Nigeria.
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