Nigerians in South Africa have stated the controversial parental historical past of Chidimma Adetshina who withdrew from a magnificence contest needs to be totally investigated.
Adetshina, 23, pulled out from Miss South Africa Beauty Pageant 2024 on Thursday following criticisms from South Africans that she was not eligible to take part within the pageantry.
Her withdrawal stemmed from the data revealed on the organisation’s web site that she was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambique mom.
The organisers additionally affirmed that she was a naturalised South African.
However, the Department of Home Affairs for South Africa, in a press release on Wednesday, claimed that Adetshina’s mom might need engaged in a fraud.
“The Department of Home Affairs can indicate that prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Chidimma Adetshina’s mother,” the assertion learn.
This compelled Adetshina to withdraw from the competition billed for Saturday on the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
She wrote on Instagram, “I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I.”
The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Mrs Doris Ikeri-Solarin, informed Saturday Punch that it was an “unfortunate” incident borne out of “discrimination.”
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“It is very unfortunate that this young, beautiful, and intelligent lady is made to face this level of discrimination. The investigation is yet to be concluded; I’m not sure she should be made to suffer the consequences. Let’s wait for the outcome,” Ikeri-Solarin stated.
“The Immigration lawyer who was interviewed explained the different ways of acquiring citizenship in South Africa, which is not limited to one. This needs to be thoroughly reviewed. Under what circumstance did Chidinma (Adetshina) acquire hers? Is her father legit and papers in order? If so, let’s look at options.”
Similarly, a Nigerian lawyer in Johannesburg, Austin Okeke, stated Adetshina shouldn’t be condemned for her dad and mom’ alleged errors.
He stated, “The illegality of her mom has no bearing in any way on her citizenship standing. That she has now withdrawn from the Miss South Africa magnificence pageant was a direct consequence on the rising hostility in the direction of her.
“I’m certain she will need to have been very traumatised and petrified by the extent of hostility, which will need to have invariably affected her confidence and composure to proceed with the competitors.
“The pageant is nothing but a competition that should not have attracted this level of hatred and abuse of her dignity as a fellow human.”
Asked concerning the 23-year-old’s security in South Africa, Ikeri-Solarin stated, “I don’t assume she’s susceptible to experiencing xenophobic assaults although her story and character stirred up the social media house globally.
“Her talents need to be nurtured and guided to open new doors for the future.”