Adetshina admitted the Miss South Africa row has been 'very hard'

She was hounded from the Miss South Africa contest in a torrent of vicious, xenophobic abuse. But Chidimma Adetshina could become Nigeria's Miss Universe this week after being welcomed with open arms into the beauty pageant.

The 23-year-old law student -- who was born in Soweto to a Nigerian father -- was forced to pull out of the South African contest last month "for the safety of my family" after a backlash that exposed anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa.