Fashion model Chidimma Adetshina trended in the global entertainment space after South Africans called for her disqualification from the Miss South Africa beauty pageant over her nationality.

The 23-year-old model was born to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa, which means she is a South African citizen by birth.

Her mother is a Mozambican who had become a South African national by naturalization, but these explanations did not matter when some xenophobic elements called for her disqualification from the competition, prompting the South African Ministry of Home Affairs to swing into investigations.

Probably scared for her life, Chidimma opted out of the competition, and the organisers of the Miss Universe Nigeria pageantry spared no time in extending an invitation to her.

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The love from Nigerians thrilled Chidimma, who accepted the invitation on August 14, 2024, and is set to feature in the competition as Miss Taraba and as contestant number 25.

“Introducing Chidimma Adetshina as Miss Taraba State,” the organisers of the event wrote in a post on social media.

The winner of the Miss South Africa pageantry competition, Mia Le Roux, has shown strong support for Chidimma and urged South Africans to embrace inclusion.

“I stand for unity. I do not stand for people being divided.We can do better in supporting and including one another, as exclusion is not acceptable,” Le Roux said.

The turn of events raised questions about the threat of xenophobic attacks faced by Nigerians in South Africa and increased global calls for inclusion.