Hounded South African beauty queen wins Nigeria contest

After being hounded over her nationality and forced to drop out of the Miss South Africa contest, Chidimma Adetshina has been crowned beauty queen of a totally different country.

Ms Adetshina cried tears of joy as she was named Miss Universe Nigeria on Saturday.

"This crown is not just for beauty; it's a call for unity," the 23-year-old law student stated after weeks at the centre of an intense media storm.

She was invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria after her position as a finalist in the Miss South Africa contest sparked a wave of criticism.

Some people in South Africa had questioned her eligibility to compete in the beauty pageant because despite being a South African citizen, Ms Adetshina's father is Nigerian and her mother has Mozambican roots.

In interviews Ms Adetshina said she was born in Soweto - the South African township next to Johannesburg - and grew up in Cape Town.

The row over her nationality sparked an investigation with the organisers of Miss South Africa asking the nation's home affairs department to look into her eligibility.

After an initial probe, the department announced that Miss Adetshina's mother may have committed "identity theft" to become a South African national.

However, the statement added that Ms Adetshina "could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother as she was an infant at the time".

A day after the announcement, Ms Adetshina dropped out of the contest, saying she took the decision for her and her family's safety and wellbeing.

By now, her ordeal had made headlines around the world.

After hearing of Ms Adetshina's story, the organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria invited her to participate in their contest.

They said she would be able to "represent her father's native land on the international stage".

After winning the contest on Saturday, Ms Adetshina will represent Nigeria at November's Miss Universe competition.

Her success has been celebrated on social media.

"Your story is inspirational - you are stronger than you think and we love you our African sister," one South African woman wrote on Instagram.

Another supporter said: "Trust me guys we Nigerians are proud of her... she’s our very own sister, a very smart, intelligent girl, our Nigerian blood runs through her veins."

However, others alleged the contest was "rigged" in Ms Adetshina's favour - an accusation the Miss Nigeria organisers have not responded to.

"She's undeserving," one Instagram user said.

"She has never lived in Nigeria and was merely invited to compete after the final delegates had been chosen... she arrived in Nigeria for the first time after 20 years last week, only to be given our crown. This organisation reeks of sheer bias."

Another wrote: "In all honesty you won out of pity... feeling very sorry for the other contestants who were there long before you came."

At the Miss Universe contest in November, the law student's rivals will include Mia le Roux, who won this year's Miss South Africa competition after Ms Adetshina dropped out.

Ms le Roux became the first deaf woman in history to win the crown.

Wedaeli Chibelushi, BBC

Nigeria ranks among top 20 for US Green Cards

Nigeria ranks among the top 20 countries globally that received United States permanent residency status visas, known as green cards.

This is contained in BusinessDay reports, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The data revealed that Nigerians received 12,385 PR to migrate into the United States in the period under review.

Comparatively, the data highlighted Mexico and India as the leading sources of new permanent residents.

Together, these two countries accounted for a combined total of 265,784 individuals, which constituted 26 percent of the overall total of new permanent residents.

A further analysis of the data showed that 1,018,349 immigrants globally received their PRs, which included 82,117 green cards issued to African nationals.

The classes of PR visas issued to Nigerians included 7,529 persons who were immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, 818 through family-sponsored preferences, 3,213 through employment-based preferences, 14 through diversity programs, 797 as refugees and asylees, and 14 through other broad classes of admission.

Concerning asylum, Nigeria saw 259 individuals who were granted asylum affirmatively in 2022, a significant increase from 61 in 2013.

In terms of naturalization, Nigeria had 9,545 naturalized persons in 2013, which rose to 14,438 by 2022.

In a similar development, the US Department of State on Thursday announced that it has issued all visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024.

“The State Department, working in close collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is pleased to announce the issuance of all available visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024,” it said.

The development comes as a desire to emigrate surge among Nigerians especially the Youths in what is now known as ‘Japa syndrome’.

Outside the US, the population of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, Canada, Austria and other countries has increased significantly in the last four years, according to available data.

By Ogaga Ariemu, Daily Post

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Nigeria signs aircraft maintenance and safety deal with Boeing

Nigeria on Thursday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Boeing that will enhance Nigerian airlines' ability to lease new aircraft and get maintenance and technical support.

Boeing, which supplies 60 airlines with 500 airplanes throughout Africa, projects the continent will need 1,170 airplanes over the next two decades.

The MOU signed in Seattle on Wednesday by Nigerian aviation minister Festus Keyamo and Boeing executives will see the manufacturer provide planning workshops, training, technical support and assessments to Nigerian airline operators.

Under the terms of the MOU, Boeing Airports Engineering team will provide consultation to open or expand airport capabilities across Nigeria and offer advisory services on the development of local aircraft maintenance facilities.

"This partnership with Boeing represents a significant milestone in our efforts to modernise and enhance the capabilities of Nigerian airlines," Keyamo said.

Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales for Africa Anbessie Yitbarek said the agreement is an important step in establishing a sustainable civil aviation ecosystem in Nigeria.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

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Nigeria, others lost $6m to stowaways

Nigeria and other countries within the Gulf of Guinea lost $5.9 million to 143 stowaway cases within the region in 2023, according to Africa Risk Compliance Limited.

The firm disclosed this at the maritime security conference organised by the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria and alumni of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria recently in Lagos.

A report, presented by an intelligent analyst with ARC, Vanessa Hayford, underscored the growing challenges and financial impacts of stowaways in the Gulf of Guinea region.

Stowaways are individuals who covertly board vessels without authorisation from the master or other responsible parties.

These individuals hide within the vessel’s structure or cargo to evade detection.

The discovery of stowaways, particularly after the vessel has departed, can lead to costly delays, complex logistical issues, and severe financial implications for the shipping industry.

Hayford explained that in 2021/2022, the International Maritime Organisation reported that there were 345 stowaway incidents in the GoG, involving 892 individuals, costing the maritime industry an estimated $5.9m.

She noted the figure amounted to an average of $17,100 per incident and $6,600 per stowaway.

According to Hayford, these figures highlight the substantial economic burden that stowaway incidents impose on the industry.

“In 2021, the Gulf of Guinea reported 31 stowaway cases, involving 88 individuals. This number slightly decreased in 2022, with 25 incidents and 71 stowaways.

“However, 2023 saw a sharp increase, with 35 incidents involving 143 stowaways. This rise in cases underscores a significant escalation in the challenge of managing stowaway issues in the region,” Hayford declared.

She stated that preliminary data for 2024 indicated a potential improvement, with 14 stowaway cases reported so far, involving 60 individuals.

Hayford added that nine of those cases were detected before departure, which suggested that ports and vessels in the region were becoming more effective at identifying stowaways before vessels set sail.

“Early detection is crucial, as it helps mitigate the logistical and financial impacts associated with stowaways,” she said.

She further emphasised that despite some progress, the data available was not exhaustive, adding that it reflected only reported incidents and may not capture the full extent of the stowaway problem in the Gulf of Guinea.

She maintained that the rise in reported cases highlighted the need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to address the growing threat of stowaways.

“Stowaways employ various methods to board vessels, including sneaking on board during cargo operations, posing as stevedores with fake documentation, hiding in containers, bribing port workers, or using small crafts to access vessels at anchor.

“Common hiding spots include empty containers, cargo holds, tanks, and behind false panels, with the rudder being a particularly dangerous location due to its exposure to harsh conditions and lack of necessities,” she concluded.

By Anozie Egole, PUNCH

Related story: 14-Year-Old Stowaway Found At Lagos Airport Was Tired Of Nigeria

Nigeria receives 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines from US

Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the first batch of the vaccine to reach the country which has confirmed 40 cases with no fatalities so far.

Muyi Aina, executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), called the donation a "critical step" for Nigeria.

"We are aware that the vaccine is not exactly in surplus supply. I believe we're getting 10,000 of the about 200,000 doses that are available globally," Aina said in a statement.

The Nigerian government has decided to prioritize five states to receive the vaccines including Bayelsa, Edo, Cross-River and Lagos, according to USAID's statement.

NHPCDA has not yet said when the vaccines would be distributed or who would be prioritised for treatment.

"We encourage the Government of Nigeria to continue to mobilize domestic resources to secure more vaccines to combat mpox," U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills said at the handover ceremony of the vaccines to the Nigerian government. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters 

Related story: Nigeria records decline in Mpox cases