Newly crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has responded to allegations of identity theft raised by the South African government.
In an interview with Arise News, the 23-year-old firmly denied the accusations, stating she would withhold further comments until the case is fully resolved.
Born in Soweto, South Africa, to a Mozambican mother and a Nigerian father, Adetshina faced criticism when she entered the Miss South Africa pageant. The controversy intensified after her mother was accused of fraud and identity theft by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs.
Adetshina explained that her decision to leave the Miss South Africa competition was to follow her dream of participating in Miss Universe Nigeria, not to evade the allegations. She emphasised her focus on her goals, stating, “I did not steal anyone’s identity. I’m waiting for the case to conclude before I speak further because I don’t want to say something now and have it contradicted later.”
Addressing her decision, she said, “I avoided answering questions because it’s a legal matter and I don’t have all the details. But I want to make it clear—I wasn’t running from anything. I was chasing my dream.”
She reiterated that she is not fully informed about the specifics of the case but firmly stated, “What I do know is that I didn’t steal anyone’s identity.”