Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Josephine Ijeoma Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has expressed her displeasure over the decision of the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant organizers to include Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, a model of Nigerian and Mozambican heritage, in the upcoming contest.
Chidimma, who was a Top 11 finalist in the Miss South Africa 2024 competition, withdrew after facing intense scrutiny over her nationality. Following her withdrawal, she was invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, a decision that has sparked controversy.
Reacting to the development via her X (formerly Twitter) page, Phyna argued that Chidimma’s inclusion might undermine the chances of “typical Nigerian queens” who have been preparing for the competition.
“Just thinking out loud oh. I’m in support of Chidimma o, but this one she now wants to rep us like this… What will now happen to our own typical Nigerian Queens that have been preparing for it too, Omo I for advise her to leave pageant first or for this year… then go next tym,” the BBNaija star tweeted from her verified account.
Phyna also suggested that Chidimma should take a break from pageantry and consider returning in the future.
The post quickly gained traction, sparking a heated debate among Nigerians on social media. Many users flooded the comment section to voice their disagreements with Phyna’s stance, arguing that Chidimma’s participation could bring diversity and international recognition to the pageant.