Award-winning television presenter Blessings Mosugu stated that Chidimma Adetshina’s victory in the 2024 Miss Universe Nigeria (MUN) beauty pageant was too evident.
Adetshina, a 23-year-old born in 2001 in Soweto, South Africa, to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, faced xenophobic attacks from distraught South Africans on social media while competing for the title of Miss South Africa.
After succumbing to the pressure and withdrawing from the Miss South Africa competition, Adetshina entered the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, representing Taraba State and emerged as the winner.
Mosugu pointed out on News Central’s TV program, Jasiri, that the MUN winner had not visited Nigeria in 20 years and thus lacked knowledge about her country or the state she represented.
Adding to the discussion, Jasiri’s co-host, Omotunde Adebowale-David, popularly known as Lolo1, mentioned that Nigerians are overly emotional, which resulted in Adetshina winning due to the large number of votes she received.
“I don’t think it’s about winning. Nigerians get too emotional about everything. Sometimes, things happen to people that might be negative, but that doesn’t mean that because she now decided to come to Nigeria and participate, and conveniently, she won,” Lolo1 said.
Weighing in on the conversation, Tolulope Adeleru Balogun stated that Miss Adetshina took part in the 2024 MBGN after certain stages of the event had already concluded. She raised the potential of replacing the initial representative from Taraba state to allow Miss Adetshina to participate.
She said, “So, like, in terms of the stages of this competition, she came in when they were already at certain stages. I kept wondering to myself, was there not someone representing Taraba state before?
“If there wasn’t, that’s a different thing, but if there was, it means you removed someone so she could participate in the competition. She’s never been to Taraba. Nigerians love the narrative of ‘its grace or unmerited favour’, No.
“They could have acknowledged her, but I don’t think she was to come, participate and then win.
“You are doing a disservice to the name and the brand of the pageant.”
Blessings Mosugu emphasised that while Nigerians recognise the importance of bringing Miss Adetshina back home and honouring her after the xenophobic incident, the MUN should not be viewed as a pity party event. She said her participation in the event is a enough form of celebration.
She said, “Let’s not forget that Miss Universe Nigeria is a precursor to the actual Miss Universe that will happen in Mexico. She is going to represent Nigeria. What does she know about Nigeria?”
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