Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetschina, spoke about her pride for coming second in the Miss Universe competition, and was also nominated as Miss Africa and Oceania.
“I’m proud of myself and I just made history,” she said, shortly after losing to Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjær Theilvig.
Adetshina first entered the Miss South Africa pageant, as she was born and raised in this country, however she was harassed by foreigners because her father is from Nigeria.
Last month, South African authorities said they would revoke his identity card, following allegations that his mother, who is originally from Mozambique, faked his identity card to obtain South African citizenship.
Neither Adeshina nor her mother have commented on these allegations. South African authorities pointed out that Adeshina could not have been involved in any alleged fraud as she was an infant at the time.
After the turmoil in South Africa, and doubts about her nationality, she entered the Miss Nigeria contest, which she won to enter the Miss Universe contest in Mexico City.
The eventual winner of Miss South Africa, Mia le Roux, withdrew from Miss Universe last week due to an undisclosed medical condition. She was the first deaf woman to be Miss South Africa.
In September, Adeshina, a law student, told the BBC that she still considers herself a “proud South African” and a “proud Nigerian”.
But after South Africa’s Miss Universe took to Twitter to congratulate her on her second place finish, flanked by South African and Nigerian flags, some South Africans responded that she was not representing them.
In her interview with the BBC, Adeshina said that she will seek treatment that will help her cope with the abuse she received.
She is the highest ranked black African woman in Miss Universe since South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi won the pageant in 2019.
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