The newly-crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has finally addressed the ongoing identity theft allegations linked to her time in South Africa. These allegations stem from her participation in the Miss South Africa pageant, where she faced criticism and legal scrutiny.
According to Thepaan, the controversy began when South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) revealed that preliminary evidence suggested Chidimma’s mother had committed fraud and identity theft. Chidimma, born in Soweto at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in 2001, has a diverse background, with a father of Igbo descent from Nigeria and a mother who is a naturalized citizen of South Africa originally from Mozambique.
Following the allegations, Chidimma decided to exit the Miss South Africa pageant and later accepted an invitation to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria competition, which she ultimately won.
In a recent interview with Arise News, the 23-year-old beauty queen firmly denied any involvement in identity theft. “I did not steal anyone’s identity,” she stated. Chidimma explained that she is waiting for the legal case to conclude before making any definitive statements. “I feel right now if I say something and another thing comes out tomorrow, I’m just avoiding all those two things contradicting each other,” she added.
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Chidimma also emphasized that her decision to avoid discussing the allegations was not out of fear, but because she lacks all the facts surrounding the legal matter. She clarified, “I really avoided the questions because it is a legal matter, and I don’t have all the facts around the matter. But what I can say is that I was not running away from any of that. I was just running because I knew I had a dream that I wanted to fulfill.”
Despite the ongoing legal issues, Chidimma remains focused on her journey, asserting, “I know I did not steal anyone’s identity.”
