Perception is king: We could all fall victim to Adetshina effect
The Chidimma Adetshina saga is teaching South Africans universal lessons.
Chidimma Adetshina. Picture: official_misssa/Instagram
Speaking to John Maytham, political analyst Mpumelelo Mkhabela weighs in on the drama that plagued the Miss South Africa pageant this year after finalist Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the contest following a citizenship status scandal.
Listen below.
This past weekend's Miss South Africa contest was marred by a controversy surrounding the citizenship status of one of the finalists.
The furore over Chidimma Adetshina's citizenship has made headlines at home and abroad.
The saga began when it was revealed that her mother is from Mozambique, and her father is from Nigeria, says Mkhabela.
(Read his News24 article here.)
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"It is difficult to divorce the whole hullaballoo about this young lady from the perceptions about Nigerians that people have generally."
- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, Political analyst
Mkhabela says a byproduct of migration is that when people move to other countries, they create perceptions about themselves and other citizens of their country of origin.
"That Nigerians are involved in all kinds of things, whether it be drug trafficking or human trafficking and all kinds of unsavoury things they often get accused of."
- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, Political analyst
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When the story about Adetshina's heritage broke, says Mkhabela, it became impossible to avoid the negative discourse and hostility towards Nigerians.
Adetshina became a victim of that, he says.
But it's not just about Nigerians, adds Mkhabela, it's a 'universal issue'.
"If you are South African and you are abroad, doesn't matter where you are, or you are someone from Tanzania or USA, wherever you are, whatever you do, you are creating a perception about your country and your fellow countrymen and that perception may be correct or incorrect."
- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, Political analyst
"We should be aware of that. And that other innocent people could be affected."
- Mpumelelo Mkhabela, Political analyst
Adetshina announced her exit from the pageant on Thursday amid several calls for her withdrawal.
Last week, the Department of Home Affairs confirmed the 23-year-old's mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.
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Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.