COTE D’IVOIRE’S Olivia Yace has yet to issue a statement following Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha’s claim regarding her alleged weak passport, however, she nonetheless expressed her admiration for Michelle Obama and Oprah for being an inspiration.
Yace, who relinquished her title as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania 2025, has been making headlines after Rocha claimed in a video that her alleged weak passport is one of the reasons behind her loss in the Miss Universe 2025 pageant. This sparked backlash among pageant fans, including Guadeloupe’s Ophely Mezino, who rallied behind the Ivorian beauty queen.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, November 26, Yace spoke of how Obama and Oprah’s “grace, resilience, and wisdom” helped her become the woman that she is today.
“‘When they go low, we go high’ @michelleobama. ‘Where there is no struggle, there is no strength’ @oprah. Two women whose grace, resilience, and wisdom have shaped the way I move through the world. Their words remind me every day to rise above, stay rooted in my values, and transform every challenge into strength,” she said.
The Ivorian beauty queen said she hopes to meet them in the future, while urging her followers to help her in getting her story across to them.
Yace, however, has yet to directly respond to Rocha or the MUO, as of this writing.
The Ivorian beauty queen is named as one of the favorites to win the Miss Universe 2025 crown after her strong performance at the coronation night, particularly the question-and-answer segment.
Mexico’s Fatima Bosch is named the reigning titleholder. Despite this, her win has been facing allegations of rigging due to having the same nationality as Rocha, as well as the MUO president’s alleged ties to her father. (Hannah Mallorca © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
