Nigeria’s Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina made history as the first runner-up at Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico. Her achievement extends beyond the realm of beauty pageants; it highlights perseverance, unity, and the complexities of representing African identity on a demanding global stage. We should celebrate this milestone, but we must also explore what it reveals about identity politics, xenophobia, and representation, especially for African women.

Chidimma Adetshina Navigates Controversy on Her Way to the Top

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe stage was not straightforward. She initially competed as a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, but controversy soon arose. Despite her South African citizenship, detractors questioned her right to represent the country because of her Nigerian heritage. The backlash exposed a pervasive issue: the xenophobic treatment of black Africans in South Africa. Her withdrawal from the competition following an investigation into her mother’s citizenship reflected the intense scrutiny faced by African immigrants and their descendants. This situation exposed the fragility of national identity in South Africa. And it also showed how, despite decades of multicultural rhetoric, deep-seated prejudices remain, particularly towards other Africans.

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Achieving Historic Recognition at Miss Universe

Chidimma’s perseverance led her to represent Nigeria at Miss Universe, where she reached an unprecedented milestone for the country by becoming the first runner-up. We should not dismiss her success as mere pageant glamour; it represents hard work, dedication, and a platform to address issues faced by women of African descent.

Her prize package, which includes cash, a luxury apartment, and opportunities in modeling and entertainment, symbolizes the tangible rewards of perseverance. Yet, the significance of her journey lies in the intangible message she carries for African women and girls: that determination can break barriers, even when prejudice tries to hold them back.

Xenophobia, Afrophobia, and Allegations of Fraud

The backlash Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina faced during her journey to becoming a beauty pageant contender extends beyond mere xenophobia; it also involves complex allegations of fraud tied to her family’s citizenship status. While many rightly highlight the xenophobic and Afrophobic abuse Chidimma endured due to her Nigerian heritage and participation in the Miss South Africa pageant, it is essential to acknowledge that the controversy did not solely arise from prejudice. Allegations of identity theft involving her mother complicated her situation, creating a storm of public scrutiny.


South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs canceled Chidimma’s and her mother’s South African identification documents due to alleged fraud. Authorities accused her mother of using another person’s identity to register Chidimma’s birth, which caused significant repercussions for the victim. According to reports, this theft prevented the victim from accessing essential services for 22 years, including opening bank accounts, receiving bursaries, voting, and obtaining a driver’s license. Although Chidimma was not implicated in the fraud since it occurred during her infancy, the revelation intensified the already heated debate about her right to represent South Africa.

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The accusations brought a nuanced layer to Chidimma’s experience. On one hand, she endured xenophobic vitriol and Afrophobic sentiments from segments of South African society that questioned her identity and legitimacy as a representative. On the other hand, the allegations of fraud surrounding her family raised genuine questions about legal and ethical issues, further complicating public perceptions. This duality underscores how discussions around identity, citizenship, and representation in South Africa remain deeply entangled with systemic issues of prejudice, national policy, and individual actions.

Social Media and Public Perception of Chidimma Adetshina

Chidimma’s eventual withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competition reflects the pressure she faced from both the public and political spheres. Her statement, which cited the need to protect herself and her family, shows how personal and national identities can be weaponized in public discourse.
The controversy highlights the challenges African immigrants and their descendants often face when their legitimacy is questioned not just by discriminatory attitudes but also through legal and bureaucratic entanglements. Balancing this reality with the recognition of legitimate concerns is crucial in moving towards a more just and inclusive society.

The public response to Chidimma’s Miss Universe success has been mixed but revealing. Social media platforms highlighted both celebratory and critical voices. Some applauded her success, while others, as evidenced by disparaging comments, continued to question her place in representing African nations. Human right activist like Thuso van Zyl used their platforms to call out the hypocrisy and xenophobic undercurrents, framing her victory as a moment of triumph against hate. This polarized reaction mirrors broader societal struggles. In a world where visibility and representation matter, Chidimma’s story is a reminder of how quickly narratives can shift from celebration to scrutiny.

Triumph Over Prejudice and a Call for Change

Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina’s experience reveals how anti-migrant sentiments and Afrophobia threaten to fracture the Pan-Africanist solidarity meant to unite nations. Supporting Chidimma is not just about defending her individual right to compete; it is about standing against xenophobia and championing the right of South Africans born to foreign nationals to fully claim their place in society. They are not second-class citizens and deserve to represent their country without facing prejudice.

Chidimma was born and raised in South Africa, yet many treated her as an outsider when she sought to participate in a beauty pageant. This rejection from the country she calls home speaks volumes about lingering biases and the struggle for acceptance faced by many with dual heritage.

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The irony is that South Africans helped nurture and train her for success, yet when the time came to celebrate her accomplishments, some chose to let prejudice cloud their judgment. This incident illustrates a deeper societal hypocrisy. In South Africa, systemic racism and violence against Black-owned businesses often go unchallenged, while a young woman’s attempt to compete in a beauty pageant draws overwhelming public outrage.

No matter the questions raised about her citizenship decades later, Chidimma remains a daughter of the soil—a proud African who has lived and integrated within South African society. Her journey is a call to reject colonial mindsets and embrace unity, acceptance, and a broader sense of what it means to be African. It serves as a powerful reminder that we must confront prejudice and foster solidarity across borders.

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