The newly crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Ms Chidimma Vannesa Adetshina, recently expressed her gratitude towards Nigerians for their unwavering support throughout the course of the contest.
During her visit to Lagos, she met with Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and pledged to make Nigeria proud during her reign. Adetshina, who holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and South Africa, faced xenophobic abuse in South Africa after she was invited to contest for Miss Universe Nigeria, making her victory all the more significant.
She warmly acknowledged the support and hospitality she received from the Nigerian community and expressed her determination to represent the country with utmost pride.
Having visited Nigeria for the first time after 20 years, Adetshina spoke highly of the hospitable and friendly nature of Nigerians, recounting her initial nervousness upon arrival at the airport, which was quickly dispelled by the warm and welcoming atmosphere.
She shared that her 10-day experience in Nigeria had been nothing short of amazing. Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her address, lauded Adetshina’s resilience in the face of challenging circumstances and used the opportunity to advise Nigerians with dual citizenship not to take their second citizenship for granted.
She welcomed Adetshina back to Nigeria and expressed optimism about her future achievements, urging other dual citizens to value their Nigerian citizenship.
Guy Murray-Bruce, President of Silverbird Group and organizer of the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant also acknowledged the warm reception they received and emphasized the unique challenges Adetshina overcame, particularly the xenophobic attacks, before emerging victorious in the contest.
He commended Nigerians in South Africa for their support and assured Adetshina of continued assistance as she embarked on her new journey.
Story by Obaapa Janee
