Mexico City: Chidinma Adetshina, a 22-year-old beauty queen who represented Nigeria at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant, has expressed excitement after finishing as the first runner-up at the grand finale of the competition. The event took place at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, where Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, emerged victorious, outshining 124 contestants from around the world to claim the prestigious crown. The competition witnessed a thrilling finale as Nigeria and Denmark went head-to-head for the title, with Miss Denmark ultimately being crowned the new Miss Universe. She takes over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adetshina expressed her delight in a post-event interview video clip shared on the X page of the Miss Universe Nigeria organisation. She stated, “I’m so excited. I don’t have words to describe what I’m feeling right now, but I’m so proud of myself, and I just made history!” In addition to her first runner-up achievement,
Adetshina was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, marking the highest placement for the African continent in Miss Universe history. Her success is a significant milestone for Africa in the global pageantry scene.
Earlier in the year, Adetshina made headlines by winning Miss Universe Nigeria after withdrawing from the Miss South Africa pageant due to controversies surrounding the event. Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a Mozambican mother, she faced allegations of identity fraud against her mother in South Africa. Despite being born and raised in Cape Town, Adetshina encountered severe online harassment and bullying over her Nigerian heritage, which led to her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant for safety and family well-being.