Days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s high-profile visit to Nigeria, the country’s First Lady, in a bold address, stated that the women of Nigeria should not lose themselves trying to emulate American celebrities. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu was speaking in Abuja to mark the first anniversary of her husband’s administration, as per a report in the New York Post.
Teenagers and young adults, Ms Tinubu suggested, should dress modestly and reject the looks made famous by American celebrities. “We have to salvage our children,” she declared. “We see the way they dress. We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed,” she said.
She continued, “Tell them we don’t accept nakedness in our culture. That is not beautiful. It’s not beautiful at all.”
Ms Markle highlighted her Nigerian heritage during the visit to the country, and although Ms Tinubu refrained from criticising the Duchess directly, she did bring up her 43 per cent Nigerian heritage based on a DNA test. “Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with (us). We know who we are. Don’t lose who you are,” she added.
The First Lady said that Nigerian women should be confident in their skin and not follow others. “They’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in who they are. We are fashionable, we see what is going on. When mothers stand with you, the house is in order,” she said.
Ms Tinubu added, “Looking ahead, we must endeavour to become the unifying force in our homes and our communities, to bring about greater prosperity for our nation.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, an international sporting event that the Duke of Sussex started a decade ago for troops injured in action. Experts questioned Markle’s selection of clothing, arguing that she should have displayed “more modesty.”
