Nigerian Miss Universe Runner-Up Responds After CEO Says ‘Blond, Blue Eyes’ Winner Is the ‘Ultimate Evolution’ for Pageant

Miss Nigeria, the runner-up in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant, responded to a set of controversial remarks made by the Miss Universe CEO regarding diversity in the contest.Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, was crowned the winner of this year’s international pageant on Nov. 16 in Mexico City, marking the first time in the competition’s 73-year history that a contestant from Denmark has won. Miss Universe Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig (R), and Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, await the announcement of the winner of Miss Universe 2023 on stage at the 73rd edition of the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City on November 16, 2024. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP) (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)The CEO of the Miss Universe organization, Anne Jakrajutatip, joined Theilvig in a press conference after the pageant concluded, and it was her answer to a reporter’s question about how the pageant has progressed in terms of diversity that has set off an intense wave of backlash:“Evolution? We have blond and blue eyes, so we’re coming to the ultimate evolution already,” Jakrajutatip said. “We don’t need any more evolution here. We already got the best here.”In response to Jakrajutatip’s remarks, Miss Universe’s first...