Nigerian Born Chidinma Quits Miss SA Pageant After Mother Identity Theft Allegation ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Adetshina #Chidinma #Cyril #Mozambique #news #Omkri #Onwe #Pretoria #Ramaphosa #Reno #SouthAfrica #SunBet #Vanessa https://osazuwaakonedo.news/nigerian-born-chidinma-quits-miss-sa-pageant-after-mother-identity-theft-allegation/08/08/2024/ #Life Published: August 8th, 2024 Reshared: August 8, 2024 6:21 pm Chidinma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, born by a Nigerian father and a Mozambique mother who was
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00:00Chidinma Vanessa Onwe Adebchina, born by a Nigerian father and a Mozambique mother who
00:05was a strong contender in the Miss South Africa Beauty Pageant, slated to be held on Saturday at
00:10the Sunbed Arena in Pretoria, has withdrawn from the competition after the country police,
00:15the Home Affairs Department issued a statement that her mother alleged he committed identity
00:20theft in 2001 after a series of South Africa citizens took to social media platforms to
00:26question the true nationality of the beauty pageant contestant. The 23-year-old had image
00:32as a central figure of discussion on national identity issue after advancing to the top 30
00:38and becoming a finalist in the Miss South Africa competition. She gave in on Thursday morning,
00:43weeks after South Africans called for her disqualification over issues related to her
00:48nationality and the business integrity of her Nigerian father. Home Affairs Department in a
00:54voice-recorded news release said that its investigations revealed that Chidinma's
00:58citizenship may have involved fraud and identity theft. Some residents in South Africa had called
01:04for her disqualification from the Miss South Africa pageant, alleging she was not a legitimate
01:10South African citizen. The Home Affairs Department said the pageant organizers formally requested the
01:16department to verify Adebchina's citizenship accompanied by written consent from both
01:21Adebchina and her mother. Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest potential fraud
01:26and identity theft linked to the individual recorded as Adebchina's mother in Home Affairs
01:31records, according to the South Africa Home Affairs Police. However, the department noted
01:37that Adebchina, being a minor at the time of the alleged actions in 2001, was not involved
01:43in the fraudulent activities. Adding that the investigation further uncovered that a South
01:49African woman, whose identity may have been stolen in the process, has suffered significant
01:54consequences, including the inability to register her own child. The department said it had broadened
02:00its investigation to identify and pursue any officials implicated in the scheme and is
02:05currently seeking legal advice on the ramifications for Adebchina's citizenship status,
02:11saying criminal charges are anticipated upon the conclusion of the investigation.
02:17The Home Affairs said, and in quote, information we have uncovered thus far,
02:21the Department of Home Affairs can indicate that prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud
02:26and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as
02:30Chidinma Adebchina's mother. The department, which commenced investigations on Tuesday,
02:36alleged that Ms. Adebchina's mother stole a South African woman's identity to register
02:41her birth 23 years ago. Chidinma in a statement on Thursday morning said,
02:46I would like to start by thanking everyone who has stood beside me right from the start of my
02:51Miss South Africa journey. I'm grateful for all the love and support I have been shown.
02:57Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an amazing journey.
03:02However, after much careful consideration, I have decided to withdraw myself from the
03:08competition for the safety and well-being of my family and me. With the support of the Miss
03:13South Africa organization, I leave with a heart full of gratitude for this amazing experience.
03:19I would like to take this opportunity to wish my fellow finalists all the best for the remainder
03:23of the competition. Whoever wears the crown represents us all. Rinoa Mokwe, former presidential
03:30spokesperson in Nigeria while reacting to her withdrawal, said even if her mother committed
03:35offenses when Chidinma was born in South Africa, as alleged by some in South Africa's governmental
03:41agencies, South African authorities should have tackled the mother, not the daughter.
03:47Why did they suddenly remember this when Chidinma contested for the Miss South Africa crown?
03:53This looks like victimization. Nigerians spend $10 million daily on South African companies
03:59like Mountain, DSTV, and other firms. How come none of them could speak up for Chidinma?
04:05Mountain has never spoken up for Nigeria, whether it is during the xenophobic attacks or the DSTV
04:11shutdown of Nigeria's penalties during AFCON 2023 when we played South Africa and now this.
04:18What is their purpose in Nigeria other than to suck money from our economy and repatriate it
04:23to South Africa? Chidinma has never known any other home other than South Africa.
04:29What the South African authorities have done to her is to use state apostates to terrorize
04:34and traumatize her into submission. She can't help it if she is beautiful. Would the South
04:39African authorities like it if the United States singled out Trevor Noah for victimization in
04:45future if he decides to maybe contest an election there? I really hope the South African government
04:51has given enough thought to how this action could harm pan-African relationships in this day and
04:56age of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. If we, as sub-Saharan black Africans,
05:02would do this to each other, then what moral authority do we have to fight against racism?
05:08I hope the South African authorities revisit this incident and remove the pressure that
05:12made Chidinma withdraw from the pageant. Perhaps President Cyril Ramaphosa can intervene.
05:18Mr. Ramaphosa is much beloved in Nigeria. Maybe he can also show love to Chidinma.
05:24An ongoing investigation by Home Affairs has found prima facie indications of fraud
05:30committed by Chidinma Adichina's mother. The Department of Home Affairs herewith provides
05:35an update on the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Miss Chidinma Adichina,
05:41a contestant in the upcoming Miss SA event. The reason for the ongoing nature of the investigation
05:47is that its scope has broadened since the original request received from the organizers of Miss SA
05:53based on the information uncovered by Home Affairs investigators thus far.
05:57The Department nonetheless provides this update to the public based on that official request
06:02and consent. We will provide a final update once the investigation is concluded. Upon receiving
06:08the request for investigation, the Department deployed every resource at its disposal to
06:12establish the truth. This has included archival research, visits to hospitals and site visits to
06:18verify information. From the information we have uncovered thus far, the Department of Home
06:23Affairs can indicate that prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft
06:28may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Chidinma Adichina's
06:33mother. Adichina herself could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of
06:38her mother as she was an infant at the time when the activities took place in 2001. An innocent
06:44South African mother, whose identity may have been stolen as part of the alleged fraud,
06:48suffered as a result because she could not register her child. The Department has broadened
06:53its investigation to identify and pursue any officials involved in the alleged scheme and is
06:59obtaining legal advice on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adichina's
07:03citizenship status. And finally, upon the completion of the investigation, Home Affairs
07:08intends to press criminal charges and convict all implicated parties. This case, which stems
07:15from alleged fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the
07:20digital modernization of Home Affairs applications, adjudication and verification processes to
07:26insulate the Department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken
07:30at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s. The case also highlights the reason for
07:35the Department's blocking of certain duplicate IDs and that the court ordered unblocking of these
07:41documents must be handled with caution. Throughout this process, Home Affairs is guided by our
07:45commitment to both restoring and upholding the rule of law as well as the rights of all parties.