South Africa has announced that it will take away the identity cards of South African beauty queens who are representing Nigeria in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant.
The move is the latest in the ongoing dispute over Chidinma Adesina, who holds South African and Nigerian nationality.
Adesina faced anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa
Adesina, who was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican-born mother with South African citizenship, faced backlash when she tried to compete in the Miss South Africa beauty pageant.
The 23-year-old faced xenophobic attacks over her dual identity, with criticism from government officials and even accusations that she was not South African.
As a result of the controversy, she withdrew from the beauty pageant, saying it was for her and her family’s “safety and well-being.”
However, the South African government claimed that the mother may have stolen the South African woman’s identity in order to obtain South African citizenship and called for an investigation into the matter.
Home Affairs Commissioner Tommy Mahode told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that Adesina and his mother had been given until Monday to prove why their national identity cards should be kept.
“As we have not received any response, the ministry will proceed with the withdrawal of these documents under the Identification Documents Act,” Mahode said.
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South Africa and Nigeria are Africa’s two largest economies, but they share a long-standing rivalry that spills over into sports, music and regional political influence.
After being eliminated in South Africa, Adesina was invited to the Miss Nigeria finals even though she had not been in Nigeria for 20 years.
Nigerian organizers said it was a chance for her to “represent her father’s homeland on the international stage.”
Adesina is expected to win the contest and represent Nigeria at the international Miss Universe pageant to be held in November.
“This has been a tough journey for me. I’m very proud of myself and I’m really grateful for the love and support,” Adesina told AFP after his coronation ceremony in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos. .
“This is something I’ve always wanted and I’m really happy to have a second shot at achieving it as well,” she added.
jcg/wd (AFP, Reuters)
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