Chidimma Adetshina: South African beauty queen says she’ll seek therapy

“It’s just not a nice feeling, I think I’ve been avoiding it a lot and only now it’s started to cloud me,” the 23-year-old said in her first round of interviews since winning Saturday’s contest.

“It’s something I will work on and see a therapist,” she added with tears running down her face, “because I feel like I have been suppressing my emotions… because what has happened… it wasn’t a minor thing, it was actually really major.”

Ms Adetshina, who previously said she was born in the South African township of Soweto, told BBC Pidgin she could not comment on the South African government’s ongoing investigation into her nationality, as it was a “legal matter”.

Despite having a difficult few weeks, the law student said becoming Miss Universe Nigeria was a “very powerful moment”.

“Even though it was a rough path for you, you really stepped up,” Ms Adetshina said, describing a message she had been telling herself.

“I think I really give myself that title of a strong black African woman.”

Although many Nigerians were pleased to see her triumph, some felt the way she had entered the competition was unfair on the other contestants.

Ms Adetshina only competed in the final stages of the competition, whereas the other contestants had waged a longer campaign.

“I do get where people are coming from, but at the end of the day I also had my own journey, I had my fair share of going through the process,” Ms Adetshina said.

“There might have been a slight difference, but I feel like I also went through the journey that they went through.”

“I still see myself proudly South African… I still see myself proudly Nigerian,” she told the BBC.

Nigeria’s newest beauty queen said she has extended her stay in the country of her father’s birth.

Having only visited as a young child 20 years ago, she plans to “get to know” more of Nigeria – then in November, she will be off to Mexico for the international Miss Universe competition.