Miss Universe Nigeria: Why South Africans supported me – Miss Kwara
Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 contestant, Ufa Dania, has stated the reason she was supported by South Africans during the pageant.
The contestant, who represented Kwara State dismissed claims that the support she enjoyed from South Africans was to spite the eventual winner, Chidimma Adetshina, who withdrew from the Miss South Africa over identity controversies.
Dania, who was the first plus-size contestant in the competition’s history, in a recent interview attributed the enthusiasm of her South African supporters to her relatability and shared characteristics, dismissing suggestions that it was a deliberate snub to Adetshina.
She said, “I don’t believe South Africans supported me to spite Chidimma. Before the competition, I launched an Instagram series called ‘Road to Miss Universe Nigeria,’ where I shared my personality with my followers.
“I’m not sure how my content reached South Africans, but their response was overwhelming.
“They connected with me because I reflect something familiar to them – especially the curvy, dark-skinned South African women. A lot of the messages I received on social media expressed that sentiment.
“I think they saw someone they could relate to on a deeper level, which is why they voted for me. I don’t believe it had anything to do with Chidimma; they simply saw something in me that others may have overlooked.”
