The newly-crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has finally addressed the allegation of identity theft by South Africa’s government.
Bellnews reports that Chidimma had faced criticism in South Africa during her Miss South Africa contestant announcement.
The South Africa Department of Home Affairs, DHA, revealed that preliminary evidence suggests Chidimma’s mother committed fraud and identity theft.
Chidimma was born in Soweto at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in 2001. While her father is of Igbo descent in Nigeria and her mother is a Mozambican who has become a naturalized citizen of South Africa.
She, however, exited the pageant following the allegations and accepted an invitation to join the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant.
Speaking on the matter during an interview on Arise News on Friday, the 23-year-old denied stealing any identity.
“I did not steal anyone’s identity. I’m just waiting for the conclusion of the case and the whole matter. Then moving forward I will know exactly what to say because I feel right now if I say something and another thing comes out tomorrow. I’m just avoiding all those two things contradicting each other.
“I really avoided the questions because it is a legal matter and I don’t have all the facts around the matter, but what I can say is that I was not running away from any of that. I was just running because I knew I had a dream that I wanted to fulfil.
” I’m not fully aware of the matter. But what I can speak on is that I know I did not steal anyone’s identity.”