- A photo showing Chidimma Adetshina as a child in Nigeria surfaced on X on 22 July 2026, reigniting her citizenship controversy
- The image emerged days after the Department of Home Affairs argued in court that Adetshina holds Nigerian travel documents and entered SA via Mozambique
- Peeps are questioning her previous claims of being born and raised in South Africa
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A resurfaced photo of Chidimma Adetshina in Nigeria has added to the debate about her deportation. Image: chichi_vanessa
A photograph allegedly showing Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina as a young child in Nigeria has gone viral on X. This added fresh fuel to the already blazing debate surrounding her nationality and deportation case.
The image, with the text “20 years ago …”, was shared by X blogger PSALIVE on 22 July 2026 and racked up over 261,000 views within hours. The post claimed the picture proves Adetshina was born and raised in Nigeria, directly contradicting statements she has made about South Africa being the only home she has ever known.
The timing of the post is significant. Just two days earlier, on 20 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs presented its case in court, arguing that Adetshina holds Nigerian travel documents, which demonstrate she has a country she can return to.
The model’s legal team pushed back, arguing that holding a foreign passport does not, in itself, establish national ties. The case continues to draw intense public scrutiny.
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Adetshina first made headlines in 2024 when she withdrew from Miss South Africa amid a fierce public controversy over her citizenship. She went on to be crowned Miss World Nigeria.
Mzansi chimes in on viral photo
The resurfaced image has cut through the noise, with many South Africans pointing to past interviews in which Adetshina described herself as a proud Nigerian as further evidence of contradictions in her narrative.
Reactions on X ranged from sarcastic to outright furious:
@KWESIDAFARMER wrote: “Fellow Malawians, anyone with @NalediChirwa pic in Malawi as a toddler? Reward guaranteed 🤌”
@__T_touch said: “But we were told she was born and raised in South Africa, and that’s the only life she knows. Lies. They should arrest this Chidima scammer if they can’t deport her.”
Anele Mdoda slams Chidimma
In a previous report fromBriefly News, Anele Mdoda fired back at reports that Chidimma Adetshina offered to surrender her South African passport in court.
Anele’s reaction caused chaos, with some fans defending her stance and others calling on her to show Chidimma more grace.
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Jessica Gcaba (Entertainment editor)Jessica Gcaba is an Entertainment Editor for Briefly News (joined in 2023). She is a Journalism graduate from the Durban University of Technology (2019). She has 7 years of experience as an Entertainment and Lifestyle Journalist, having worked at Africa New Media Group, writing for ZAlebs website. She passed a set of training from the Google News Initiative. To reach her, contact: jessica.gcaba@briefly.co.za
