Daniel Regha, a well-known voice on Twitter, has stepped into the ongoing debate regarding the recently crowned Miss South Africa, Mia Mamela, who made history as the first deaf woman to win the title.
Regha’s focus, however, was on Burna Boy, who had shaded the reigning queen and South Africans for their choice.
In a brief yet impactful tweet, Regha expressed his disappointment with Burna Boy’s remarks, highlighting the importance of representation and inclusivity in Mia’s win. He wrote:
A deaf woman just won Miss South Africa for the first time, that’s a show of representation & inclusivity. What happened to Chidinma is unfortunate, but it’s also hypocrisy to mock the winner (Mia) based on her skin color. That’s subtle racism, & the very same thing we are trying so hard to end.”
Regha’s comments were in response to Burna Boy’s reaction to the crowning of Mia Mamela, a Caucasian, as Miss South Africa. Burna Boy had taken to social media to express his amusement at the outcome, noting the irony that after Chidinma, a Nigerian contestant, was disqualified due to her Nigerian heritage, a Caucasian woman ended up winning the competition.
The drama surrounding Chidinma’s participation in Miss South Africa began when South Africans launched a campaign to have her removed from the contest. The campaign argued that she was not fully South African, leading to Chidinma’s eventual withdrawal. This sparked outrage among Nigerians, who took to Twitter to voice their frustrations, resulting in a heated online exchange between the two countries.
Nigeria and South Africa have a history of both friendly and hostile feuds, ranging from music and cultural disputes to more severe issues like xenophobia. The tension escalated to a deadly level a few years ago when xenophobic attacks in South Africa led to the deaths of several Nigerians. Despite these serious incidents, the two countries often find themselves at odds over less critical matters, such as who has the best music or the most attractive men.
One notable example of their cultural rivalry is the debate over Amapiano, a genre of music that originated in South Africa. Nigerians have been accused of co-opting the genre and claiming it as their own, further fueling the ongoing tension between the two nations.
Even in sports, particularly during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa was palpable. However, their football feud was not as intense as Nigeria’s longstanding rivalry with Ghana, which culminated in widespread celebrations by neighboring African countries when Nigeria failed to secure the trophy.
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