Chidimma Adetshina, the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, has announced her decision to take a break from beauty pageants after her impressive performance at the Miss Universe competition. In an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin on Tuesday, Adetshina shared her pride in becoming the first runner-up in the global pageant, which took place on November 16 at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Nigeria, as she is the first Nigerian and West African to secure such a position in the competition.

Representing Nigeria, Adetshina, 23, competed against 125 contestants from around the world. She also won the Miss Universe Africa and Oceania title during the event. Reflecting on the experience, Adetshina admitted feeling emotional when she made it into the top five, explaining that her initial goal was to simply make it into the top 30. Surpassing her expectations has been a source of immense pride for her.

Despite her success, Adetshina revealed that she plans to take a break from pageantry to focus on her education and explore other career opportunities, such as modeling and acting. She expressed a desire to shift her focus to academics and broaden her horizons in the entertainment industry, including runway shows and acting roles.

Adetshina’s journey to the Miss Universe stage was not without controversy. Earlier this year, she faced scrutiny over her South African citizenship, leading to her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa competition. This sparked an investigation by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs into allegations of identity theft related to her mother. Adetshina, however, has yet to fully address the situation and intends to consult with her lawyers before making any public statements.

As Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, Adetshina is expected to engage in several initiatives with the Miss Universe organization, which will involve traveling and contributing to development-focused projects.