NEW DELHI: Meghan Markle , the Duchess of Sussex, expressed her humility upon discovering her Nigerian heritage through a genealogy test during her visit to Nigeria on Saturday. Alongside Prince Harry, she is in the West African nation to promote mental health initiatives for wounded soldiers and young girls.
Acknowledging Nigeria as “my country,” Meghan shared her eye-opening experience of learning more about her heritage.She said, “Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian’.”
At an event on women in leadership co-hosted by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist and head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Meghan was told that being Nigerian is defined by bravery, resilience, courage, and beauty.
In October 2022, the Duchess of Sussex revealed on her podcast that a DNA-based test showed she was “43 per cent Nigerian.” She shared her excitement with her mother, saying, “Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … and it was exciting for both of us.”
During the event, the audience suggested Nigerian names for Meghan, such as “Ifeoma” from the Igbo tribe, meaning a treasured thing, and “Omowale” from the Yoruba tribe, meaning the child has come home.
Meghan joined female industry leaders to discuss the importance of mentorship for young women and the career challenges women face in Nigeria, where it is uncommon for women to hold top leadership and political positions. Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, expressed mixed feelings about being the first, stating that women should have been there already.
Meghan emphasized the importance of mentors “returning home” to be closer to young girls, citing Okonjo-Iweala as an example. She said, “You need to come back home, you need to, at least, be a familiar face for the next generation to say, Oh she looks like me and I can be that’.”
Earlier in the day, Meghan watched as Harry and his Invictus Games team lost to the Nigerian military’s team in a sitting volleyball game featuring soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in the country’s conflicts. After the match, Harry and Meghan were surrounded by players, their families, and a group of women who gifted Meghan a Nigerian fabric, expressing their support for the couple.
Acknowledging Nigeria as “my country,” Meghan shared her eye-opening experience of learning more about her heritage.She said, “Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian’.”
At an event on women in leadership co-hosted by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist and head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Meghan was told that being Nigerian is defined by bravery, resilience, courage, and beauty.
In October 2022, the Duchess of Sussex revealed on her podcast that a DNA-based test showed she was “43 per cent Nigerian.” She shared her excitement with her mother, saying, “Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … and it was exciting for both of us.”
During the event, the audience suggested Nigerian names for Meghan, such as “Ifeoma” from the Igbo tribe, meaning a treasured thing, and “Omowale” from the Yoruba tribe, meaning the child has come home.
Meghan joined female industry leaders to discuss the importance of mentorship for young women and the career challenges women face in Nigeria, where it is uncommon for women to hold top leadership and political positions. Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, expressed mixed feelings about being the first, stating that women should have been there already.
Meghan emphasized the importance of mentors “returning home” to be closer to young girls, citing Okonjo-Iweala as an example. She said, “You need to come back home, you need to, at least, be a familiar face for the next generation to say, Oh she looks like me and I can be that’.”
Earlier in the day, Meghan watched as Harry and his Invictus Games team lost to the Nigerian military’s team in a sitting volleyball game featuring soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in the country’s conflicts. After the match, Harry and Meghan were surrounded by players, their families, and a group of women who gifted Meghan a Nigerian fabric, expressing their support for the couple.