Why Miss Universe 2024 Matters to Nigerians all around the world

Why Miss Universe 2024 Matters to Nigerians Everywhere

Hmm, where do I begin writing?

Do I go straight into my thoughts about why Miss Universe 2024 Matters to Nigerians, or should I write about where I have been these past few years?

My last write-up was titled "The Philosophy of Life" on March 21st, 2021, and since then, I haven't made any posts or written anything at all.  

First of all, welcome back Gabs, 

Second of all, where have you been?

Well, I have been dealing with life, but most importantly, I have been learning, unlearning, growing, falling, failing, rising, and living. Therefore, here I am today, not perfect but ready to carry you all again on my journey as a Nigerian writer, looking to tell her story and her reality. 

Stay tuned for my future post, where I share my experience these past years. 

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There is so much excitement and joy in Nigeria currently about the just-concluded Miss Universe Peagentry, and this is what struck me and pushed me to write not only about Miss Universe 2024, which ended yesterday, November 16th but, most importantly, why it matters to Nigerians everywhere. 

Looking through the trends worldwide and seeing the Miss Universe 2024 is no shock since it is an annual international major beauty pageant. However, seeing that it is particularly trending in Nigeria begs the question: WHY? 

Well, the answer is that the first runner-up for the Miss Universe 2024 Peagentry is Chidinma Adetshina, who is the first Nigerian to ever get to this stage at the Miss Universe pageant or, one can say, in any international pageant.

This goes beyond just her being a winner; rather, it fuels the sense of hope, strength, and, most importantly, an "I can do" spirit across all Nigerians.  

One thing I love about Nigeria and being a Nigerian is the unity and support we have amongst ourselves against the rest of the world. Nigerians have this belief that only Nigerians can look down on or cause trouble for other Nigerians, but no other country should dare to because we will hit back with all we have and ensure we succeed. 

I said this to reminisce about earlier in the year when South Africa rejected Chiddinma from participating in the Miss South Africa Beauty Pageantry because they felt she was not South African enough, even though she had lived in South Africa her whole life. 

This rejection, I would say, didn't just feel like it was done to Chidinma alone, but it felt like the whole of Nigeria was rejected, and this led us to fight back and to support Chidinma with all we got as she contested for the Miss Universe 2024 Peagentry. 

At the end of this, I can only see a moral lesson: even in the face of rejection, do not give up. Keep striving because something greater than you can imagine is ahead of you. 

The road may seem sloppy or, even worse, blocked, but you are not allowed to give up. Chidinma waited for 7 years for this opportunity; yours may be more or less, but keep going because the sky is your limit. 

There is nothing you can not do!