Former Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has broken her silence after a South African court fixed a date for ruling on her deportation case.
The 25-year-old beauty queen said she is depressed, exhausted and burnt out. But she insists she will not give up.
Her reaction comes as the Cape Town Regional Court adjourned her case to August 19 for judgment.
Court Fixes August 19 For Ruling
The case was heard on Monday at the Cape Town Regional Court before Magistrate Reema Khorana.
According to SABC News, the Department of Home Affairs presented extensive arguments on why Adetshina should be deported. The court then postponed the matter to August 19 for ruling.
Adetshina was arrested last month in the Summer Greens area of Cape Town. Officials alleged she was living in South Africa without lawful immigration status.
She had appeared in court on June 9 and was released on warning. She returned to court this week to challenge the deportation proceedings.
Why South Africa Wants Her Deported
Home Affairs says Adetshina does not have valid papers to stay in the country.
In an affidavit filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson, the department said checks and an interview showed she and her minor son were residing in South Africa illegally.
The state told the court she still holds a South African passport and has allegedly refused to hand it over. It also said she holds Nigerian citizenship.
Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, had in March rejected her request for a good cause letter. He said she was declared a prohibited person on December 19, 2024. This makes her ineligible for a visa or permit.
The minister also alleged she obtained a Nigerian passport before applying for a South African visitor’s visa with what officials described as a fraudulent bank statement. He further alleged she re-entered through the Lebombo border from Mozambique while claiming to be a South African citizen.
Her son's application was also denied because it depended on hers.
Defence Says Accent Is South African
Adetshina's legal team opposed the detention and deportation bid.
Her lawyer told the court that her accent is South African and that she had taken steps to regularise her stay. The defence filed an affidavit detailing those efforts.
The team proposed a softer measure. They asked that she be allowed to report to her immigration officer every fortnight instead of being detained.
The state argued that without necessary paperwork, detention and deportation is the appropriate action.
From Miss SA to Miss Universe Nigeria
Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo descent and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina's citizenship has been under scrutiny since 2024.
She was a finalist at Miss South Africa 2024 but withdrew after questions over her nationality sparked backlash and safety concerns.
She later accepted an invitation to represent Taraba State at Miss Universe Nigeria. She won the crown and went on to represent Nigeria at Miss Universe, where she finished as first runner-up. It remains the highest placement ever by a Nigerian contestant.
Now, two years after she was bullied out of Miss SA, she is fighting another legal battle to stay.
In her reaction shared online, Chidimma admitted the process has left her drained. She said she is depressed and burnt out but will keep fighting for her rights.
The court will now decide her fate on August 19.
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