A Nigerian man who made shocking claims that he is the biological father of Miss SA finalist Chidimma Adetshina has caused chaos at the Miss South Africa contest. This may completely destroy the competition if the claims turn out to be true.
The unidentified Nigerian man claiming to be the father of the aspiring Miss SA revealed personal information about his family in an interview that went viral on social media. The man describes how, more than ten years ago, he travelled to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, where he supposedly met Chidimma’s mother. He goes on to say that neither of them had children at the time.
However, Chidimma has firmly disputed the shocking charges, insisting firmly that this man is not her father.
“It has been brought to my attention that there is an alleged interview going around about my father. The individual in question claiming and impersonating to be my dad is not my father,” she wrote on social media.
The Nigerian man’s statements have sparked concerns regarding Chidimma’s age. He claims to have met the mother of the beauty pageant in 2010 and that she gave birth later that year, which suggests Chidimma is 14 years old and disqualifies her from competing in the pageant.
The South African Human Rights Commission has voiced serious concerns about the hurtful claims made against Chidimma and the xenophobic insults she has received online. Additionally, in a radio appearance, Chidimma’s eligibility was openly questioned by Patriotic Alliance leader and Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie, citing the purported interview.
On social media, people are expressing both intense support and disapproval for Chidimma, which is aggravating South Africa’s difficult relationship with immigrants and strained conversation about cultural identity in the rainbow nation. The protection and well-being of Chidimma during this storm appear to be the most pressing concerns, despite the ongoing disagreement.
“When your father goes on radio and say he met your mom in 2010 and then she fell pregnant in 2010, that makes you 14 years old. The father said … in the interview, I see her as Nigerian,” McKenzie said.
The PA also stated that it has initiated an investigation into Chidimma’s participation in the Miss South Africa competition, adding fuel to the fire.