By Mark Ogagan
Chidimma Onwe Adetshina, representing Taraba state, was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 on Saturday night.
The grand finale of the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 took place at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre in Victoria Island.
A wild card entrant to the contest following an impromptu invitation, Adetshina beat 24 others to rise to the top to clinch the crown at the grand finale.
Her win sets her up to represent Nigeria at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City, Mexico, on 16 November 2024.
The Soweto-born beauty queen who brought a lot of controversy around her before winning the title, was among 25 contestants who were gunning for the crown. Adetshina was forced to withdraw from Miss South Africa 2024 just days before the finale after Home Affairs found prima facie evidence her parents may have allegedly committed identity fraud when she was born, raising question marks around her citizenship in South Africa.
In her post victory speech, Adetshina said her advocacy would be inclusion, unity and acceptance, undoubtedly referring to her Miss SA experience.
The 2nd edition of the beauty pageant was hosted by Victory Wilson and Anthony Abraham with a panel of seven judges.
The now married Ugochi Mitchel Ukuchukwu, who is Miss Universe Nigeria 2023 crowned her successor, Chidimma Adetshina.
Not only does Adetshina get to represent Nigeria at a global stage, Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico, November 16. The beauty queen also won a cash prize of more than R100,000.
The first runner up, Miss Anambra who’s real name is Paula Ezendu was crowned Miss Supranational Nigeria, and she is going to have a chance to represent Nigeria at the Miss Supranational beauty pageant in Poland.
The second runner up, who was representing Ondo State, Peace Ayegbidun was crowned Miss Lush 2024.
There were prizes that other beauty queens won for being at Camp, where they went through training and rehearsals for the days leading to the crowning of Miss Universe Nigeria 2024.
The first cash prize for social impact award of about R5,000 went to Miss Abuja, Lucille Oputa.
Miss Anambra was the second winner for the night who also won a cash prize of 500,000 naira (R5,000) from Occasions Events.
The beauty queens graced the Nigerian stage with traditional wear of their states that they represented, followed by swimwear and lastly their stunning evening gowns.
Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 was surrounded with a lot of controversy when Adetshina got invited to participate in the beauty pageant.
South Africans rallied behind her as she went to Nigeria to participate in this beauty pageant.
Netizens even voted for her and she led with votes for almost two weeks until they also backed plus size model Ifa Dania, who represented Kwara state surpassed her with the number votes, days before the finale.
The beauty pageant got heavily criticised by South Africans as they were not happy with the set up as many claimed that it looked like a low budget beauty affair.
Regardless, South Africans supported Adetshina as well as Dania until the finale.
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