Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 2024 Miss Universe competition, has announced a break from beauty pageants following her groundbreaking performance. Adetshina, 23, made history as the first Nigerian and West African to finish as first runner-up in the global pageant, held on November 16 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. She was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.

Reflecting on her success in an interview with BBC Pidgin, Adetshina said, “I was so emotional when I was called into the top five. I had prepared myself mentally just to make it into the top 30. Surpassing my own expectations has made me very proud of myself.”

Despite her achievements, Adetshina revealed plans to focus on education and explore other opportunities in modelling and acting. “I want to put pageants aside for now and concentrate on my studies. I also want to explore other opportunities to establish myself,” she said. She added, “I’m also looking forward to exploring runways, acting, and seeing where my potential takes me.”

Adetshina’s journey to the Miss Universe stage was marked by both triumph and controversy. Earlier this year, she faced public scrutiny over her South African citizenship, leading to her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant after the country’s Department of Home Affairs investigated allegations of identity theft involving her mother.

Invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, she secured the crown and represented her country alongside 125 contestants globally. Addressing the citizenship controversy, Adetshina stated, “People are very interested in the story. But as I haven’t been home or spoken to my lawyer yet, I cannot make any statements. Once I have all the facts, I will provide clarity on the matter.”

As Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, Adetshina will collaborate with the Miss Universe organization on development-focused initiatives across various countries. Details of her upcoming projects are yet to be disclosed.