Chidimma Adetshina has said she is not coming back to South Africa anytime soon amid her citizenship controversy.
The model feels a new sense of belonging in Nigeria after withdrawing from the Miss SA pageant.
Chidimma Adetshina Not Coming Back To South Africa Anytime Soon
Chidimma, who was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father, arrived in Nigeria last week to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. Since her arrival, she has expressed her joy and reluctance to return to South Africa.
“I think it’s safe to say I’m not going back. It’s been amazing. I’m not even looking forward to going back [to South Africa]. I just want to explore more. I want to stay longer and see what happens next, Chidimma joked during an interview with Cool FM Nigeria.”
Chidimma’s Miss SA journey ended abruptly following a citizenship controversy. The Department of Home Affairs initiated an investigation into her citizenship status, citing prima facie evidence suggesting that fraud may have been committed by her Mozambican mother in 2001.
This investigation led to Chidimma’s withdrawal from the competition, a decision that sparked heated debate about her “South Africanness.”
How The Citizenship Row Affected Her
Reflecting on her experience, Adetshina described her time in the Miss SA contest as a difficult period.
“It has been a long journey. It has been hard, I won’t lie. There were times when I’d literally cry myself to sleep and just wonder, ‘Why me?’ I wanted to end it.”
Despite the challenges, Chidimma remained hopeful, choosing to focus on the positive.
“Sometimes when difficult moments like this happen, you always need to look at the positive side of things as well. I had to change my mindset and see that maybe out of all of this, greatness is coming,” she said.
Adetshina has always dreamed of becoming Miss Universe and sees the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant as a stepping stone to achieving that goal.