Miss South Africa top 13 finalist, Chidimma Vanessa Onwe, has found herself at the center of a heated discussion after her family hosted a Nigerian-themed party to celebrate her advancement in the pageant.
Chidimma’s inclusion in the Miss SA finalists has sparked controversy among some South Africans due to her diverse heritage—her father is Nigerian, and her mother is of Mozambican and Zulu descent.
Despite this, Chidimma was born in South Africa and is eligible to participate in any competition in the country.
The celebration video, which went viral on social media, shows Chidimma standing with Nigerian men in a festive setting. The men enthusiastically shout “South Africa” while Nigerian music plays in the background.
Video was captioned, “We the family members are happy and continuously happy, #Chidimma2024.”
This event has led to mixed reactions, with some people expressing displeasure over her participation, while others defend her right to compete as a South African citizen.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
It’s sad how South Africans are being bullied by other nationalities in their country. When we oppose this, we are called Xenophobes. This is nonsense 👇 pic.twitter.com/SxMeLUxiNl
— ツ O R I (@Ori_RSA) July 29, 2024
These celebrations has fueled the ongoing debate about national identity and inclusivity in beauty pageants and other national competitions.
This woman is spitting facts, and no lies detected here. pic.twitter.com/bPkcV0ET8F
— Simulation F=G mM/r**2 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 (@mayiselk) July 29, 2024
What are your thoughts on this controversy? Should Chidimma’s heritage impact her participation in the Miss SA pageant? Let us know in the comments below.