Meghan Markle manufacturers Nigeria ‘my nation’ after discovering 43% African heritage
Meghan Markle has voiced her profound connection with Nigeria, honouring her roots and referring to it as “my country” during a fast-paced 72-hour tour of the nation with Prince Harry.
While sharing the stage with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, at a summit, Meghan talked about mentoring young women and addressing career obstacles they face.
The session included around fifty notable women from the realms of Nigerian politics, business, media, and culture. The event was led by Mo Abudu, the chief of Africa’s first global Black entertainment lifestyle network.
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Engaging in their conversation, Meghan affectionately addressed Nigeria as “my country”.
Meghan said: “I am just flattered and honoured and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived, and I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion!
“I am very overwhelmed. So I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country.”
Meghan Markle has opened up about discovering her Nigerian heritage, revealing it was an “eye-opening and humbling” experience. She shared that upon learning she was 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test, the first person she called was her mother, as she “wanted to know if she had any awareness of it”.
The Duchess of Sussex admitted that understanding her lineage is a journey that’s just beginning for her, and representation matters “tremendously” to her. She stated: “Being African-American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically and it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means.”
During her second day in Nigeria, Meghan stunned in three different outfits – a black and white dress in the morning, a white dress in the afternoon, and a striking red number in the evening.
Her day began with watching a volleyball match at the charity organisation Nigeria Unconquered in Abuja alongside Prince Harry. Later, she attended a Sit Out at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters.
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