It was heartbreaking that I wasn't accepted - Beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina

Nigerian-South African beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina has opened up about her painful experience of feeling unaccepted by South Africans during the Miss South Africa contest.

Adetshina, who was recently crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, highlighted the challenges she faced in South Africa due to her name and heritage during a recent interview with Silverbird Television.

Sharing her experience, she said, "It all started because of my name; people were not happy that my name is Chdimma and I am representing South Africa, and that was where it really started. South Africans felt like I wasn't South African enough because of my name and it was sad to see."

"It was a very heartbreaking and horrible experience, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody because I have lived there for 23 years. It was heartbreaking to see that I wasn't welcome or accepted," she added.

I don't really want to talk about it," she added in between tears, "it's heartbreaking and there were things that happened behind the scenes that made me withdraw. "

The beauty queen expressed her sadness over having to withdraw from the competition despite being South African.

"It was heartbreaking that I had to withdraw so close to the finale but a decision had to be made. What I do know is that I was born in South Africa and I am a South African and I'm still proudly Nigerian as well," she explained.

This interview comes after Chidimma's withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant following allegations by the South African Home Office of a prima facie case of fraud and identity theft by her mother.

At the time, she also faced severe backlash from South Africans when she was announced as a contestant for the Miss South Africa contest. After her withdrawal, the Silverbird Group, which organised the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, extended an invitation to Chidimma, and she accepted and subsequently won.