Nigerian-born Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina announced her withdrawal from the competition on Thursday, citing safety and the well-being of herself and that of her family members.

Aheated debate has unfolded on social media following the announcement of Mia Le Roux, a white South-African as the winner of the Miss South Africa 2024 beauty pageant.

The controversy surrounds the disqualification of Chidimma Adetshina, a black woman who withdrew after being trolled over her Nigerian heritage.

Nigerian-born Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina announced her withdrawal from the competition on Thursday, citing safety and the well-being of herself and that of her family members.

Born in Soweto, South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother who is of Mozambican descent, Chidimma’s participation in the competition and her rise to become a finalist in the competition was a subject of controversy as many South Africans objected to her participation in the competition, citing that she is not truly a South African.

Social media attacks targeted her Nigerian heritage despite her being born in South Africa and meeting all competition requirements.

Chidimma’s withdrawal from the competition came in a statement she personally signed and posted on her Instagram page amid the continued controversies surrounding her nationality ignited by the South African authorities, despite organisers’ certification of her qualification.

In the statement seen by SaharaReporters, Chidimma said, “I would like to start off by thanking everyone who has stood beside me right from the start of my Miss South Africa journey. I’m really grateful for all the love and support I have been shown.

“Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an amazing journey; however, after much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I.

“With the support of the Miss South Africa Organisation, I leave with a heart full of gratitude for this amazing experience.”

Nigerians have taken to social media to express their outrage and disappointment over the online backlash against Chidimma, sparking a broader discussion on inclusion, diversity, and representation in the competition.

The controversy surrounds Mia Le Roux’s win, who, despite being born to white parents, emerged victorious over nine other predominantly black finalists to claim the coveted crown. This revelation has fuelled the debate, with many questioning the implications of her win on representation and diversity.

The latest developments in the Miss South Africa pageant have sparked widespread commentary on social media, with many netizens viewing the incident as a stark reminder of the long-standing xenophobic tensions between South Africans and other African nationals, particularly Nigerians, living in the country.

The controversy has reignited concerns about discrimination, prejudice, and inclusivity in South Africa.

In response to the controversy and Le Roux’s win, Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, took to social media to criticise the South Africans critical of Chidimma’s participation, accusing them of hypocrisy.

Burna Boy’s comments reflect the widespread outrage and disappointment expressed by many Nigerians over the perceived inconsistency in the competition’s values and outcomes.

“So After ALL that.. ……. ,” the singer wrote on his verified X page alongside a photo of the winner.

Another X user, Uju Anya wrote: “The real winner of the shitshow of anti-Blackness and xenophobia is Chidimma Adetshina, whose stunning face and grace gained worldwide fame, which will propel her into an international modeling career bigger than anything she could’ve gotten from that bush league beauty pageant.

Another user, Mulako wrote: “’When two brothers fight to the death, a stranger will inherit their fathers estate’ Chinua Achebe. Stopping a black woman born in South Africa with African roots only for a colonialist to win xenophobia lives in South Africa.

According to Doctuche, the late Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid activist would also be displeased with the outcome of the 2024 beauty contest in his country.

He said, “Mandela is looking at this from heaven and he can’t believe what he’s seeing.”

“Only the blacks will fight each other just to please their colonizers,” Maryam_Jidayi wrote.

A user @_iRoyalty_ said the competition is known for always declaring women of no African origin as the winners since 2000.

He said, “Miss SA from 2000 till 2024 and it’s mostly people whose origin have no roots in Africa that gets to win it most times. The blacks in South Africa are inferior beings and they’d never be free from mental slavery. Apartheid won.

Chidimma wasn’t the problem. Since they couldn’t vent their anger on their oppressors, they decided to look for another person, a black person who they can pour their anger on. That’s how tamed wild animals behave. It’s a shithole they’d never get out of.

“Most farmlands are owned by whites in South Africa lol. They are in charge of most industries