In a move that has stunned the pageant world, Côte d’Ivoire’s Olivia Yacé has relinquished her freshly won title of Miss Universe Africa & Oceania just days after finishing as fourth runner-up at the 2025 finale in Bangkok.
The 27-year-old Ivorian queen announced her decision Monday on social media, saying she can no longer align with the crown while staying true to her core principles.
Her Powerful Exit Statement
“I have shown that a girl from Côte d’Ivoire can reach the highest stages against all odds,” Yacé wrote. “But to keep this title would mean compromising the values I live by: respect, dignity, excellence, and fairness for all.”
She described the resignation as “a deliberate and liberating choice,” freeing her to inspire young African women without the constraints she now feels the organisation imposes.
A Turbulent Pageant Backdrop
The 2025 Miss Universe contest has been engulfed in controversy:
- Accusations of biased judging
- On-stage technical failures
- A widely shared confrontation involving the eventual winner, Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch
Yacé was one of four newly created continental queens crowned alongside the main winner (Europe & Middle East: Malta; Asia: China; Americas: Venezuela).
Her Message to Africa and the Diaspora
Before signing off, Yacé issued a rallying cry: “To every Black, African, Caribbean, and Afro-descendant sister: keep walking into rooms where they don’t expect you. Open doors. Take space. Your voice is power. Our time is now.”
She wished the new Miss Universe well and sent healing wishes to Miss Jamaica, who fell ill during the finale.
What Happens Next?
The Miss Universe Organisation has yet to comment on how or whether the Africa & Oceania title will be reassigned.
One thing is certain: Olivia Yacé has just turned her crown into a megaphone. And she’s only getting started.
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