Chidinma Adetshina, who made history by securing second place at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, has officially returned to Nigeria. Her achievement at the prestigious competition, where she finished behind Denmark’s Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, has captured the hearts of Nigerians and the African continent. The 2024 Miss Universe contest was a remarkable milestone for Adetshina, but she has now chosen to focus on the next chapter of her life.
In a recent interview with BBC News Pidgin, Adetshina opened up about the challenges she faced throughout her pageant journey. “This journey has been so hard, and I don’t think a lot of people understood what I went through,” she shared. Despite the immense pressure and expectations, Adetshina was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from both Nigeria and across Africa. “Getting to that stage I was so proud, knowing I had such a tremendous amount of support, not only from Nigeria but from Africa. It was an overwhelming experience,” she reflected, expressing gratitude for the love and acceptance she received.
Adetshina also announced her decision to step away from beauty pageants, explaining that her focus will now shift toward her education and career development. “I’m putting pageants to bed. I’m going to focus more on my education and establishing who Chidinma is,” she stated. She emphasized her desire to explore opportunities in runway modeling and other avenues that would allow her to unlock her full potential.
Prioritizing her mental health, Adetshina is excited to embrace the future with a renewed sense of purpose. “I’m glad it’s all done so I can focus on myself and my mental health. I think that’s important for me,” she concluded. As she returns home to Nigeria, Adetshina looks ahead to new opportunities and a brighter future beyond the pageant stage.
