South Africa has been pulled out as the “country in focus” at the 2024 Puebla International Literature Festival (PILF) over its handling of the controversy surrounding Chidimma Adetshina‘s nationality.
PILF is an annual event dedicated to celebrating literature and promoting cultural exchange. Founded in 2024 by the Africa Center Mexico, the festival aims to gather renowned authors, emerging writers, literary enthusiasts, and cultural aficionados from Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia to share their stories and inspire one another.
On July 5, South Africa was announced as the festival’s “country in focus” for its maiden edition. As the “country in focus”, South Africa’s literary tradition was supposed to be spotlighted during a three-day-long event from October 4 to 6 in Puebla, Mexico.
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But on Thursday, the festival organisers announced their resolve to rescind South Africa’s designation as the “country in focus”. It also cancelled the invitation handed to South African guests attending the festival.
In a statement via X, Ikenna Okeh, the festival’s director, argued that the “victimisation of Chidimma Adetshina, her family and members of the immigrant communities in South Africa” is against the festival’s principles.
Okeh also said Puebla will continue to support South African “writers and thinkers” regardless.
“We regret to announce the decision to rescind South Africa’s designation as the Country-in-Focus for this year’s festival, and to rescind the invitation of our South African guests,” the statement reads in part.
“This decision has been made after careful consideration of recent developments that have deeply troubled the African community.
“It is with sense of sadness that we acknowledge the distressing events in South Africa, where the apparatuses of the state, coupled with the troubling silence of many within the cultural sphere, have enabled a climate of mob rule.
“This has led to the victimisation of Chidimma Adetshina, her family and members of the immigrant communities in South Africa thus undermining the very principles of justice, equality and human dignity that literature seek to uphold.”
Chidimma, the model of Nigerian heritage, was recently subject to controversies over her eligibility to contest for this year’s Miss South Africa.
The 23-year-old was born in Soweto, South Africa. She is believed to be of Nigerian (dad) and Mozambican (mum) heritage.
On Wednesday, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for South Africa alleged that preliminary evidence suggests Adetshina’s mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.
Chidimma, who was among the 10 women expected to participate in the Miss South Africa grand finale on August 10, 2024, in Pretoria, however, withdrew from the competition on Thursday.
The winner is expected to represent South Africa at this year’s Miss Universe pageant in Mexico.
